Everyone agrees that lies and self-deception can do terrible harm to our lives, to our communities and to the planet. But in Useful Delusions, host of Hidden Brain Shankar Vedantam argues that, paradoxically, deceiving ourselves and others can also play a vital role in human success and well-being.

The lies we tell each other and the lies that we tell ourselves sustain our daily interactions with friends, lovers and co-workers. They explain why some people live longer than others, why some couples remain in love and others don't, why some nations and tribes hold together while others splinter. Filled with powerful personal stories and drawing on new insights in psychology, neuroscience and philosophy, Useful Delusions offers a fascinating tour of an upside-down world.