Storytelling, Paradox, and How to Bridge Divides (even with our Stone Age brains) with Kurt Gray

Episode 106: In this conversation, Kate Kavanaugh and Kurt Gray--whose book, ‘Outraged!: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics’ is out today--explore the themes of human nature, exploring the idea of humans as prey animals and how this evolutionary bent shapes our understanding of threats in modern society. It’s an episode about how we view harm and threat in a modern social media era, how much divisiveness this has fostered, and how we might have conversations that bridge those divides. In it, they discuss the importance of storytelling in bridging divides and fostering empathy, as well as the vulnerability paradox that arises when trying to connect with others who hold differing views. They also explore Kurt’s CIV framework (Connect, Invite, Validate) as a method for fostering meaningful dialogue. It’s also a conversation about how much humans like going deep with one another–even if they think they don’t. Last, and certainly not least, they ponder paradox themselves, and why humans might be prone to more binary thinking from an evolutionary standpoint. 

Find Kurt: 

Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics 

The Mind Club: Who Thinks, What Feels and Why It Matters

Outraged! Book Guides

Center for the Science of Moral Understanding

Instagram: @kurtjgray

X: @kurtjgray

Resources Mentioned:

John Sarrouf / What is Essential Guide for talking politics

Kurt and Ben Klutzy Interview for Discourse

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