The Ten Types of Human by Dexter Dias

Ten Types of Human by Dexter Dias is a spectacular exploration of human nature, blending science, psychology, anthropology, and personal narratives to examine the fundamental aspects of what makes us human. The book is structured around ten distinct "types" that represent different facets of our behavior and identity.

Being a human rights barrister, Dias brings a unique perspective to these topics, drawing from his legal experiences, encounters with individuals from various walks of life, and a deep dive into research across multiple disciplines. His writing is both analytical and empathetic, making complex ideas plausible.

The case of Gareth Myatt, with its heartbreaking details, was what ultimately led Dias to write this book.

“It had been two years since he’d been killed [in 2004] when Pam, his mother, came to see me. She was all excited, saying, ‘The inquest is about to start, we’re going to get to the truth.’ And I said, look, Pam, you’ve got to brace yourself. It’s going to be a disappointment. My experience is that when someone dies in the care and custody of the state, all the doors slam shut."

The chapters are skillfully woven - insights from neuroscience, evolutionary biology, psychology, and sociology - creating a rich tapestry of knowledge.

It is a thought-provoking and deeply insightful read, inviting us to question our assumptions about human nature and to consider the complexities that underlie our actions and beliefs. The writing style is a unique mix of rigorous and compassionate, making this book a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation about what it means to be human.

Why read?

• As a person who is fascinated with psychology, sociology, and the forces that drive human behavior, Ten Types of Human stood out as a compelling and enlightening read, pushing me into the depths of our nature. 

• It portrays who we are, but more importantly, who we become at our best and our worst

• The real-life astonishing people who you will get to meet through this book will touch you in a profound way, leaving strong imprints

• From one of the most heinous encounters to the most altruistic acts, the book covers a wide array of human nature in action - in all our glory and in all our disgrace!

The Ten Types:

1. The Kinsman, who will protect his or her own gene pool at the expense of any other

"The kinsman is unsparing. It is a taskmaster. It is terrifying, this mental machinery, a kind of madness when we think about it. When we think about what we are capable of doing to promote the survival of our genes."

2. Perceiver of Pain, who doesn’t only see but deeply feels the pain of another - sometimes at a cognitive price

"It's not that we don't care. It's just that we can't keep caring indefinitely."

3. The Ostraciser, emphasizing our need to exist and co-exist within the confines of a 'group' and the obsessive need to belong, coupled with a deep-rooted fear of being an outcast

"It's hard to live within a group but almost impossible to live without it."

4. The Tamer of Terror is a type to describe how we are conscious of our mortality, live with the fear of death and the ensuing anxiety that stems from the fact that life will go on even after we are gone

"The recognition that death is annihilation is an unsettling, annoying, astonishing thought. Everything around us will continue even without us. How do we cope with that thought? It presents a persistent and profound risk of severe anxiety." 

5. The Nurturer looks at the complicated impulses and dynamics associated with parenting, from self-sacrifice to abandonment, and a glaring look into the seemingly 'unconditional love' - It was a revelation for me that parents, when faced with extreme circumstances, can choose the child who is healthy and can take their gene pool forward

6. The Romancer is a glimpse of the version we become when we are in love, or even when take a fancy to someone

"Priming men to look at photos of attractive women or imagining going on a date or watching a romantic movie produces a state of mind whereby men become more reckless, adventurous, creative, aggressive, heroic, independent and inclined to spend money on flashy products."

7. The Aggressor uses violence to ward off the stress of trauma – human beings can (and do) normalize violence and find pleasure in inflicting pain on others because of a phenomenon, 'Cruelty's reward'

8. The Tribalist, who goes to great lengths to differentiate between 'our own' and 'invaders' - a unique sense of groupism

"In-group assignment leads to our preferential treatment of our fellow group members; we tend to judge their behavior more leniently. Comparatively, those on the outside are more harshly treated and judged."

9. The Beholder responds to facial beauty (but sometimes with brutality)

"You need to be attractive enough to be noticed, but not so unnervingly beautiful to be written off."

10. The Rescuer, who will save another not for a gene pool, nor out of love, but from an altruistic angle, often causing a sense of deep self-gratification

"When we appear to act in the interests of others, we are at the same time, within the inner recesses of ourselves, being motivated by our own ultimate self-interest: the maximization of our pleasure, the minimization of our pain."

I would end with my favorite quote from the book:

“This is one reason why we are unable to connect to the suffering of many others: we have a defence mechanism to protect ourselves from overload. It is likely that, for all the flowery pronouncements of greetings cards and greatly followed spiritual and moral leaders, our ability to show genuine compassion is limited. It’s limited because we do not have the cognitive equipment to process it.”