From Big Think.
“Most of us aren’t sure what to think about everything, but we don’t really see that modeled anywhere, right? You’re supposed to know for sure, and there’s very little intellectual humility on social media or on TV.”
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In times of anxiety and uncertainty, humans tend to split the world into good and evil. It’s a natural tendency, a way to feel more comfortable, says best-selling author Amanda Ripley.
Today, you see it among many, many millions of people because there’s a lot of anxiety about the future and fear about the present. We assume that the other side is more extreme than it is, partly because we hear so much from them. 95% of political tweets are written by around 10% of users, so we extrapolate and assume everyone on the other side thinks a certain way.
This tendency, which is very understandable, to split the world into good and evil, us and them, can give us short-term comfort. It may temporarily feel good, but it causes us to make a lot of mistakes in the long term. Here’s why we should avoid seeing the world in such stark divides, and learn to practice constructive communication. For more on reimagining conflict, visit @thegoodconflict.
Read the video transcript ► https://bigthink.com/series/devils-advocate/amanda-ripley-divide/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=youtube_description
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About Amanda Ripley:
Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable.
