The Consuming Instinct

What Juicy Burgers, Ferraris, Pornography, and Gift Giving Reveal About Human Nature

By: Gad Saad, David M. Buss - Foreword

Narrated by: Matthew Josdal

In this highly informative and entertaining book, the founder of the vibrant new field of evolutionary consumption illuminates the relevance of our biological heritage to our daily lives as consumers.

While culture is important, the author shows that innate evolutionary forces deeply influence the foods we eat, the gifts we offer, the cosmetics and clothing styles we choose to make ourselves more attractive to potential mates, and even the cultural products that stimulate our imaginations (such as art, music, and religion). The book demonstrates that most acts of consumption can be mapped onto four key Darwinian drives - namely, survival (we prefer foods high in calories); reproduction (we use products as sexual signals); kin selection (we naturally exchange gifts with family members); and reciprocal altruism (we enjoy offering gifts to close friends). The author further highlights the analogous behaviors that exist between human consumers and a wide range of animals.

For anyone interested in the biological basis of human behavior or simply in what makes consumers tick-marketing professionals, advertisers, psychology mavens, and consumers themselves - this is a fascinating listen.

©2011 Gad Saad (P)2019 Tantor

I learned a lot!

Very fascinating Information that was based mostly on studies and empirical evidence. Even the theories thay have mot yet been proven are based on reasonable hypothesis.

Good stuff

Second book of Gad that I have finished. Wonderful learning new ideas and thoughts in areas that I had believed in.

Spellbinding book!

This book is absolutely a must listen to for people who want to understand why they make the purchases they do, who buys what, how to market products and services to people. Marketing and consumer choices stem from evolutionary biology and evolutionary psychology, whether we like it or not. This was a riveting book.

Good insights

I enjoyed the content and insights. The reader, not so much. Do publishers test pilot the person reading with actual audible listeners before they record the whole book? They should.

Verbal frryyyyyyy...

Yep. Another complaint about the narration.
Heee hungg onn to nearlyy everyyy worrrddddd and his verbal fry sizzled my ears so badly that I am struggling to finish the book. It was as if Kim Kardashian was using a voice changer to make her sound male.
I'd sincerely prefer having it read by Robert Kennedy Jr.
Yes. It's THAT bad.