Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems

In Black-and-White Thinking, psychologist Kevin Dutton reveals how evolutionary biology has hardwired our brains for binary categorization—fight/flight, us/them, right/wrong—to navigate the world, but often leading to polarization, extremism, and poor decisions in a complex reality. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, and real-world examples, Dutton shows how to optimize this tendency, celebrate shades of gray, and think in 'technicolour' to overcome intolerance and make smarter choices.

In 'The Wisdom of Psychopaths', Kevin Dutton argues that there are 'functional psychopaths' who use their detached, unflinching, and charismatic personalities to succeed in mainstream society. Dutton uses original scientific research, including brain scanning and neuroscience, to demonstrate that psychopathic traits such as fearlessness, confidence, charm, ruthlessness, and focus can be advantageous in certain professions. He interviews various individuals, including con artists, surgeons, and spies, and even undergoes transcranial magnetic stimulation to experience a psychopathic mindset firsthand. The book suggests that society is becoming more psychopathic and that these traits, in the right doses, can be beneficial for individual and societal success.