I often think that the unknown is the scariest thing for us to confront as human beings. After all, what is the common cornerstone of most thriller and suspense films? When we don't know who the culprit is, when they're going to strike, what is going to happen, etc. we don't know what to do. We often fill in the blanks ourselves, many times choosing the worst case scenario, and cause ourselves more panic and worry. And those films capitalize on that.

But beyond films designed to put us on edge, ambiguity and uncertainty crop up all the time in our lives. And not knowing usually makes us uncomfortable. There is almost a sense of not being in full control when we don't have all the details or when something happens to show us that our understanding of something is incomplete or incorrect. And these moments can paralyze us, cause us to act irrationally, or become an opportunity to expand our horizons and see things in a different way.

In Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing, Jamie Holmes explores the concepts of ambiguity and uncertainty and the ways in which we, as humans, approach them. Drawing from research in psychology and sociology as well as practical examples, the author explains how ambiguity and uncertainty can limit us or serve as an opportunity to find productivity and success. It's an insightful and eye-opening read that certainly convinced me that, as the Mr. Holmes writes at the end of the book's prologue, "[I]n an increasingly complex, unpredictable world, what matters most isn't IQ, willpower, or confidence in what we know. It's how we deal with what we don't understand."

[Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.] ( )

This pop science book looks at how humans handle ambiguity in life. We are wired to manage the huge amount of information coming at us every day and much of that information is confusing. We don't like to be confused so our minds latch on to the familiar or the expected as the most stable way through all of this information. While this may be a good survival skill, especially in stressful situations it's not always your first instinct that is the best way to go. This book has a lot of examples, from Absolute ads to hostage situations to bilingual education, to back up the theories put forward and puts forward a good argument for using the way we utilize and react to uncertainty in our lives for positive action in business, education and decision making. I received a free ARC of this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway's.
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This book wasn't what I was expecting, which was how not knowing something could be powerful; if nothing else, as a spur to further learning. So what was it about? Ambiguity, I think. It's hard to say what the author's key messages was. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about the various tricks our mind plays on us, and how uncertainty affects us. I also found it a bit repetitious. So, a mixed bag for me overall. ( )

This book took me a year to finish. The topic is very interesting, but the writing is pretty dry. Some things covered in the book include: dissonance reduction accounting for over half of our everyday behavior, overtesting in medicine, and jigsaw puzzles as a way of embracing ambiguity. ( )

In a "post-fact" society, does it matter whether we know something or not? Although Nonsense was published before even primary season took place, this was an unintentionally timely read. I personally tend to prefer knowing versus the unknown, so learning the uses of and embracing (or at least feeling comfortable with) not knowing seems relevant, too.

In general, Nonsense is a very readable book, perfect for the popular science reader but well-cited with extensive end notes (on a stylistic note, I liked that they weren't numbered in the text because that can be distracting, and reading linearly made them a bit of a reminder of what earlier chapters covered. While some were simple citations, others were longer descriptions of context around quotations or events).

In the first part, Mr. Holmes prompts us to notice how we respond to ambiguity, and how the need for closure catches our attention, makes us assume, and potentially distresses us when the situation is particularly unexpected. The middle section highlights examples of reactions to unexpected or ambiguous situations from natural disasters and hostage crises to the unpredictable world of fashion trends and whether or not more medical tests will really clear up an unclear diagnosis (spoiler alert: it may be more costly for the patient, but for that see [b:The Empowered Patient: How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time|8270161|The Empowered Patient How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time|Elizabeth Cohen|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1320388967s/8270161.jpg|13118291]). The final part covers how embracing the unknown is useful: where failure is often the stepping stone to scientific progress and taking away constraints of preconceived notions on your perspective may lead to new insights.

I've seen the phrased tossed around re: graduate school "The more you learn, you realize how little you actually know." This is a lesson I need to be reminded of, and Nonsense reminded me that it's okay if I don't know the answers.

Obtained via Blogging for Books in exchange for an unbiased review- took me longer to get around this than intended, but better late than never. ( )