No one wants to feel like a sucker. In fact, the very thought of being one – of playing the fool – shapes our behavior in powerful ways.

But what if our fear causes us to make choices that aren’t good for us? Or worse, what if people weaponize our fear in order to dominate or disempower us?

Tess Wilkinson-Ryan has written a stunning book on the topic called, Fool Proof: How Fear of Playing the Sucker Shapes Our Selves and the Social Order and What We Can Do about It. A psychologist and law professor, Tess helps us understand what this fear is, why we have it, and how it plays out in law, politics, and everyday life. She also shares how to overcome it and make the decisions that are aligned with our goals.

It’s a book you’ll keep thinking about long after you’ve read it.

Episode Links

Breach is for Suckers

Transferring Trust: Reciprocity of Norms and Assignment of Contract

Moral Judgment and Moral Heuristics in Breach of Contract

Njinga of Angola: Africa’s Warrior Queen by Linda Heywood

The Team

Learn more about host, Gayle Allen, and producer, Rob Mancabelli, here.

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CM 236: Tess Wilkinson-Ryan on When to Play the Fool

Curious Minds at Work