The Power of Bad

Praise

“We all have an inner Cassandra, Eeyore­, Grumpy, Sad Sack, Mr. Worry, Nervous Nellie, and Gloomy Gus. This fascinating look at the negativity bias by one of our most creative psychologists and liveliest science writers can enlighten your understanding of human nature, restore balance to your world view, and yes, cheer you up.”—Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and author of Enlightenment Now

“Tierney and Baumeister show—across many domains—that people learn more from setbacks and penalties than from successes and rewards. So what would happen if parents and educators ignored the evidence and systematically ‘protected’ kids from negative experiences? This brilliant book shows how one simple principle can improve education, mental health, relationships, leadership, and organizations. Everyone will benefit from reading it, especially those trying to raise, educate, or employ members of Gen Z.” —Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt, bestselling authors of The Coddling of the American Mind

“This book is gold. By conquering the brain’s primal impulse to focus on the bad, we can all build stronger relationships and enjoy happier lives.”—Helen Fisher, author of Anatomy of Love
 
“The most important book at the borderland of psychology and politics that I have ever read.”—Martin E. P. Seligman, Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology at that University of Pennsylvania and author of Learned Optimism 

“The Power of Bad is that rare book that captures a broad swath of human thinking and behavior in one overarching and compelling thesis: The negative has a larger impact on us than the positive. That is an observation with wide-ranging implications for just about everything, including relationships, parenting, marketing, motivation, and management. Baumeister and Tierney show how you can harness this fundamental aspect of human psychology to your benefit – turning the power of bad into a force for good.”—Jean M. Twenge, Ph.D., author of iGen

“Blood, boils, death, and darkness: Why does bad always loom so much larger than good? Blame the design of the human mind. In their fascinating new book, Tierney and Baumeister explain why the things we like the least affect us the most, and how we can use this fact to our advantage. THE POWER OF BAD is just damn good!” – Daniel Gilbert, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, Harvard University and bestselling author of Stumbling on Happiness