Why We Snap: Understanding the Rage Circuit in Your Brain

Product Description

We all have a rage circuit we can't fully control once it is engaged as R. Douglas Fields, PhD, reveals in this essential book for our time. The daily headlines are filled with examples of otherwise rational people with no history of violence or mental illness suddenly snapping in a domestic dispute, an altercation with police, or road rage attack. We all wish to believe that we are in control of our actions, but the fact is, in certain circumstances we are not. The sad truth is that the right trigger in the right circumstance can unleash a fit of rage in almost anyone.

But there is a twist: Essentially the same pathway in the brain that can result in a violent outburst can also enable us to act heroically and altruistically before our conscious brain knows what we are doing. Think of the stranger who dives into a frigid winter lake to save a drowning child.

Dr. Fields is an internationally recognized neurobiologist and authority on the brain and the cellular mechanisms of memory. He has spent years trying to understand the biological basis of rage and anomalous violence, and he has concluded that our culture's understanding of the problem is based on an erroneous assumption: that rage attacks are the product of morally or mentally defective individuals, rather than a capacity that we all possess.

Fields shows that violent behavior is the result of the clash between our evolutionary hardwiring and triggers in our contemporary world. Our personal space is more crowded than ever, we get less sleep, and we just aren't as fit as our ancestors. We need to understand how the hardwiring works and how to recognize the nine triggers. With a totally new perspective, engaging narrative, and practical advice, Why We Snap uncovers the biological roots of the rage response and how we can protect ourselves - and others.

'An important and timely book that uses neuroscience to illustrate why society must come to terms with our evolutionary heritage.' Science Magazine

'Synthesizing his own and others' research and scores of case studies, Fields argues that many apparently inexplicable cases of violent rage are down to a clash between hard-wiring in the brain's hypothalamus, amygdala andlimbic system, and nine rage triggers, from life-or-death situations to threats to social order . . . Cogent and timely.' Nature

'Neuroscientist Fields provides insight into the seemingly inexplicable...... highly readable...... a thoughtful and essential light on one of the darkest aspects of human behavior.' Publishers Weekly

'Neurobiologist Fields offers a sensible, plainspoken guide to the all-too-common phenomenon of rage . . . a thoughtful and anecdotal examination . . . Fields' timely exploration of sudden acts of violence is sure to inspire conversation.' Booklist

'The interplay between conscious and unconscious cognition is not unfamiliar territory, as readers of Daniel Kahneman or Malcolm Gladwell will recognize, but Fields' personal experience adds a fresh viewpoint to an intriguing subject.' Kirkus Reviews

'A fusion of news, in-person interviews, and academic research, this book will appeal to readers of popular neuroscience and those seeking specific information on anger and rage.' Library Journal