Bill Sullivan - Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are

People do the strangest things, dont they?

But no matter how normal you think you are, there are people out there who think youre the oddball. From our diet to our habits to our beliefs, humanity is gloriously diverse.

How does this play out? Well, some people enjoy exotic foods and fine wine; others want nothing more than a plain hamburger and a Bud Light. Some people are vegetarians whereas others say that brussels sprouts taste like fart truffles. Some people stay thin throughout their lives; others feel their thighs widening just thinking about cheesecake. Some like to work out, and others would rather chill out.

We are collectively diverse in our habits as well. Some people wear sports jerseys and war paint to root for the home team; others would rather cosplay as a Borg at a Star Trek convention. Some live for a wild night on the town, and others prefer a night at the museum. Some people like to globe-trot; others wont even venture out to World Market. Some people are fashionable, and others would wear down the hosts of What Not to Wear.

And what about our behavior? Alcohol and drugs have no pull over some, but others cannot escape their gravity. Some people are always honest, yet others will lie, cheat, and steal with no remorse. Some people are color-blind; others only want to see white. Some wouldnt hurt a fly, while others fly off the handle. Some fight for war, others fight for peace.

The same is true of our romantic inclinations. Some people are faithful to their partners; others pretend to be. Some bank on good looks and money, while others are more invested in whats below the surface. Some people want a soul mate to love for the rest of time; others would view that as a life sentence. Some people remember anniversaries; some people are forgetful.

And what of our very natures? Some people are kind, and others are mean. Some have boundless energy, while some seem lazy. Some are fearless, and some are scared of their own shadow. Some always see the glass as half full; others always see it as half empty and leaking.

And between all of these extremes are many people who fall somewhere in the middle. We are all flesh and bloodbut what tremendous variability in how we live our lives! Nevertheless, I trust we have one thing in common: a desire to understand why each of us is so spectacularly different.

T HROUGH THE AGES , people have watched as philosophers, theologians, self-help gurus, and Frasier Crane have attempted to tackle the mysteries of human behavioroften with limited success. But practical answers to the questions of why we are who we are and do the things we do are coming from an unexpected source: research laboratories.

Scientists have recently learned a great deal about us: deep, dark secrets that everyone needs to know. The better you know your true self, the easier it is to navigate lifes journey. And, by knowing what makes people tick, you will have a better understanding of those who are not like you.

All of us like to think that we march to the beat of our own drum. But science has revealed that the rhythm is played by percussionists we cant see with the naked eye. We march through life believing that were the drummerbut the shocking evidence reveals this is an illusion. The truth is that there are hidden forces orchestrating our each and every move.

To illustrate this point, lets consider one of my personal quirks: my distaste for vegetables like broccoli. Ive always hated broccoli because it tastes so bitter to me; the smell of it cooking can make me gag. My wife, however, eats a lot of it. Willingly! Whats the difference between us? A clue comes from how our children responded to broccoli as infants: My son liked it, but my daughter reacted as if we were trying to poison her. We did not teach our children to love or loathe broccoli; they came to us this way, suggesting that this behavior is written in our DNA (well spell out how this works in ).