Bizarre

Most of us have in some unspecified time in the future in our lives felt like an outsider, generally contemplating ourselves "too bizarre" to slot in. Rising up as a Russian immigrant in West Texas, Olga Khazan all the time felt there was one thing completely different about her. This sense has permeated her life, and as she launched into a science writing profession, she realized there have been psychological connections between this sense of being an outsider and each her struggles and successes later in life. She determined to achieve out to different individuals who had been distinctive of their environments to see if that they had skilled related emotions of alienation, and if that’s the case, to learn the way they overcame them. Bizarre is predicated on in-person interviews with many of those people, corresponding to a girl who’s professionally surrounded by males, a liberal in a conservative space, and a Muslim in a predominantly Christian city. As well as, it supplies actionable insights primarily based on interviews with dozens of consultants and a evaluation of a whole bunch of scientific research.

Bizarre explores why it’s that we crave conformity, how that impacts people who find themselves completely different, and what they’ll do about it. First, the ebook dives into the historical past of social norms and why some folks hew to them extra strictly than others. Subsequent, Khazan explores the causes behind-and the results of-social rejection. She then reveals the hidden upsides to being "bizarre," in addition to the methods that people who find themselves completely different would possibly use with a purpose to obtain success in a society that values normalcy. Lastly, the ebook follows the trajectories of distinctive people who both determined to be amongst others similar to them; to remain bizarre; or to dwell someplace in between.

Combining Khazan's personal story with these of others and with fascinating takeaways from cutting-edge psychology analysis, Bizarre reveals how profitable people realized to embrace their weirdness, utilizing it to their benefit.