If Books Could Kill

Surrounded By Idiots

1h 9min

The hosts dissect the bestseller 'Surrounded by Idiots' by Thomas Eriksson, exposing it as a pseudoscientific repackaging of the 1920s DISC personality framework. They trace its origins to William Moulton Marston (creator of Wonder Woman) and highlight how the author, lacking any psychology credentials, invented a four-color personality system that has been widely criticized. The episode explores the troubling history of workplace personality tests, including their use for discrimination and their continued popularity despite lacking scientific validity.

Summarized by Podsumo

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✨ Key Takeaways

1

The DISC personality system originated from a 1928 psychologist who also invented the lie detector and Wonder Woman.
2

Despite lacking scientific validity, personality assessments are used by 75% of Fortune 500 companies, often for team-building rather than hiring.
3

The history of workplace personality tests includes racist origins, invasive questions about sex and religion, and lawsuits for discrimination.

💬 Notable Quotes

"Michael: "It's brave to base a book on the three words you only hear from the worst person you know."
"Peter: "I've often done, 'Hey Kathy, when's the last time you injured yourself masturbating?' That's a great icebreaker!"
"Michael (reading from RentaCenter MMPI test): "My sex life is satisfactory... I have diarrhea once a month or more... I would like to be a florist."