Book description
'vintage Mackay'
Courier-Mail
'humanistic and balanced, encouraging and optimistic'
Canberra Times
Insightful and engaging, What Makes Us Tick? helps to explain
what drives us, concerns us and is important to each of us - from
Australia's leading social researcher, Hugh Mackay.
Dr Mackay has spent a lifetime listening to people talk about their
dreams, fears, hopes, disappointments and passions. As well, his
bestselling books have documented the impact of the changes that have
been radically reshaping our society. In
What Makes Us Tick?
he reflects on some of the things that don't change, identifies ten
desires that drive us all, and asks: 'Why do we talk as if we're
rational, but act as if we're not?'; 'Why do some people always want to
take control?'; 'Why do we seek change, yet resist it?'; 'Why do we want
more of the things that have failed to satisfy us?'. His exploration of
these and other issues goes to the heart of some of life's big questions.
In this new edition
Hugh Mackay offers a postscript that delves into the many concerns that
were raised by people around the country when he was first promoting
What Makes Us Tick?
. They include: 'Why do people become workaholics?'; 'How can religious
people hold such irrational beliefs?'; 'Why are so many people hooked on
social media?'; 'What about gender and generational differences?';
'Shouldn't our desire for security be on the list?', as well as many
other issues that resonate with modern Australia. He also offers more
thoughts on … the desire to be taken seriously; the desire for 'my
place'; the desire for something to believe in; the desire to connect;
the desire to be useful. Raising all these ideas, this is a book that
will explain us to ourselves.
Hugh Mackay is a psychologist, social researcher and novelist. He has a
master's degree in moral philosophy and was one of the founders of the
St James Ethics Centre. His publication, THE MACKAY REPORT, was the
benchmark of social research in Australia for over thirty years. He has
been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of NSW, Macquarie
and Charles Sturt universities. His most recent books published by
Hachette Australia are WAYS OF ESCAPE, WINTER CLOSE, RIGHT & WRONG
and the bestselling ADVANCE AUSTRALIA… WHERE? 'vintage Mackay' Hugh
Mackay is a highly respected psychologist, social researcher and
novelist. His books included ADVANCE AUSTRALIA… WHERE?, WAYS OF ESCAPE,
RIGHT & WRONG, and WINTER CLOSE.
