Mean Guys Finish First

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Many of us could easily name someone in the public eye (or even our private circle) whose aggressive personality only seems to get them more ahead in life. Do nice guys (and gals) truly finish last? Scientific American columnist Scott Barry Kaufman digs into this question in “The Personality Trait That Is Ripping America (and the World) Apart,” especially as it pertains to political beliefs. It turns out that highly antagonistic leaders have a special ability to fire up certain groups of people who share some of those antagonistic personality tendencies. Talk about screaming into the echo chamber.

Elsewhere in this issue, psychologists are developing apps that, they claim, can predict severe mood crashes—especially important for patients suffering from depression, as Matt Kaplan reports in “Happy, with a 20 Percent Chance of Sadness.” And Cindi May, professor of psychology at the College of Charleston, makes the case that rather than follow our passions down one career path, we should invest in different interests and multiple fields (see “Life Advice: Don’t Follow Your Passion”). As always, we welcome your feedback. Enjoy!

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