Stranger in the Mirror

A provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the self, and what it actually constitutes our sense of self. 'Witty, wise and wonderfully entertaining reading from its opening challenging paradox to its inspiring closing' Philip G. Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and author of The Lucifer Effect?Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become? From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes this provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the most personal and important of all landscapes: the physical and psychological entity we call our self. Biologically, our cells are unrecognisable from one moment to the next. Cognitively, our self-perceptions can be dramatically confused by a single glitch. Psychologically, we switch back and forth between incongruent sub-selves. Socially, we appear to be little more than an ever-changing troupe of actors. And culturally, the boundaries of the self vary wildly around the world. The self is a fiction: vague, arbitrary and utterly intangible. But it is also fluid, and this unleashes a world of potential as we are more capable of change than we know. Engaging, informative and ultimately liberating, Stranger in the Mirror will change forever how you think about your self - and what you might become.Robert Levine was a professor of psychology at California State University, Fresno and the author of A Geography of Time and The Power of Persuasion. He died in 2019.POPULAR SCIENCE Who are we? Where is the boundary between us and everything else? Are we all multiple personalities? And how can we control who we become?From distinguished psychologist Robert Levine comes this provocative and entertaining scientific exploration of the most personal and important of all landscapes: the physical and psychological entity we call our self. Using a combination of case studies and cutting-edge research in psychology, biology, neuroscience, virtual reality and many other fields, Levine challenges cherished beliefs about the unity and stability of the self - but also suggests that we are more capable of change than we know. Transformation, Levine shows, is the human condition at virtually every level. Physically, our cells are unrecognizable from one moment to the next. Cognitively, our self-perceptions are equally changeable: A single glitch can make us lose track of a body part or our entire body, or to confuse our very self with that of another person. Psychologically, we switch back and forth like quicksilver between incongruent, sometimes adversarial sub-selves. Socially, we appear to be little more than an ever-changing troupe of actors. And, culturally, the boundaries of the self vary wildly around the world - from the confines of one's body to an entire village. The self, in short, is a fiction: vague, arbitrary, and utterly intangible. But it is also interminably fluid. And this unleashes a world of potential. Engaging, informative, and ultimately liberating, Stranger in the Mirror will change forever how you think about your self - and what you might become.