Dimitris Xygalatas

From birthday parties to handshakes to coronations, we have countless customs and rituals that may seem irrational, yet we still cling to them. Dimitris Xygalatas, cognitive anthropologist at UConn and author of Ritual, studies exactly these phenomena: he seeks to understand what gives everyday rituals such astonishing power, why we don't let go of them, and what benefit they provide to the human species. He claims that rituals give meaning to our lives — and at Brain Bar, you can find out how.

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