The Social Animal by: David Brooks (2011)

 It has been reported that many contemporary philosophers are discussing the same things. Mating, the linear increase in social intelligence, the statistics of a thriving American economy and the digest of it’s luxurious social procedures. The classic prose of western greats that railed against religious institutions are quieted by the comfortable consolation of mating quest in regards to suitable partners and personal status both intellectually and financially. Hierarchy is forbade, but a fact sheet is essential. Along the way we are taking surveys on the common man with casual techniques as to how to be emotionally intelligent and intellectually advanced enough to surpass him.

Brooks is off to a good start, cleverly hiding himself behind French literary techniques and a style that expanded and perfected the grisly high school douchebag who couldn’t take his eyes off having all things superficial work well. Yet assumptions make and ass out of you and me, and Brooks stabilizes the validity of his content with a fact sheet that values female credibility in the dating game. He is clearly in the business of reinforcing the integrity of women, the sophistication of men, He succeeds at this keeping close to his theories of the subconscious and the value of moral character. The laws of attraction are being investigated as well here: both arbitrary and permanent, yet blended into a subconscious platform that Brooks interpretively favors as ecosystematic.

The book tells a beautiful tale of a couple that conceives a child (a son). Brooks explains the naturalness and harmony in our species procreation with no artificial sentiment, but instead a genuine appreciation. Interpreting the first few chapters is fun, relatable, and in some ways creepy. Yet there's a refreshing element to the success of the stories characters, the naturalness of their growth, and the connections they make with one another.

Brooks is largely focused on teenage psychological development with the second stories of Harold and Erica. The quality and stability of home to him means a great deal in developmental maturation. The expansive subconscious being a place to find emotions, positive logic, etc. 

The story of Harold represents someone thoroughly nurtured and brought up in a stable middle-class environment. He distantly contrasts with Erica who was brought up in a less stable (considering finances and habits) environment. Brooks analyzes their influences and development in social environments like school. He explains their vivacity and curiosity as emerging and linear.

The book seeks little adrenaline with it's characters. Yet it is introspective in a way that can be helpful to the calm and serene aspects of life. After establishing this tone well, he explains that everyday "analytics may not be enough to understand complex dynamics". Thusly he introduces his first major idea of emergent systems.

With Erica story Brooks shows his empathetic and rather accurate investigative abilities to show the correlation between family, community, achievement and the ripple effect of internal frustrations exuding themselves into attitudes, thoughts, and behaviors.

He runs the parallel that emerging systems happen with environmental participation, cultural understanding, and personal perseverance. That the nature of our facilities generate the quality of the developed outcome in students, and that something broader and better emerges from our subconscious as we progress in a linear manner through education, activity, professional interaction, and recreation.