644 Jonathan Haidt — The Coddling of the American Mind, How to Become Intellectually Antifragile, and How to Lose Anger by Studying Morality
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This essay discusses the idea of moral relativism, and how it can lead to actions that we may find immoral. It argues that morality is not just a matter of personal opinion, but is based on real laws that we should all follow. The author discusses the concept of moral monism versus moral pluralism, and how these two concepts can help us to understand different cultures and their practices. He uses the example of female genital mutilation (FGM) to illustrate his point. He argues that while FGM may be harmful in some cases, a blanket condemnation of all FGM practices is not helpful. He says that mothers who are put in jail should be questioned, as their actions are often no different than male circumcision, which is common around the world.
Jonathan Haidt is a moral psychologist who studies the different ways that morality manifests itself in different cultures around the world. He argues that there is no one universal morality, but rather that different cultures have different "grammars" of morality that are reflected in their cuisines. Haidt is an emergentist, meaning he believes that morality emerges from human interaction and is not absolute. He has dedicated his life to trying to improve systems that produce results for human beings, even if those results are not perfect.
Jonathan Haidt is a sociologist who had a life-changing experience when he went to Japan as an exchange student. This experience opened his mind to new ways of thinking and led him to question many of his own beliefs. In this conversation, Tim Ferriss and Jonathan Haidt discuss the importance of questioning assumptions. Haidt argues that a healthy society needs both progressives and conservatives to push in opposite directions. The two then discuss the idea that life is a series of punishments for cheating, with Haidt explaining that he sees this as a positive thing.
Jonathan Haidt and Sam Harris are two intellectuals who have been engaged in a long-running feud. However, in recent years, they have found themselves on the same side of many issues. Haidt attributes this to the rise of "illiberalism" in the world. The author believes that the increase in connectivity between people has led to a phase change in the way that people interact with each other. This has caused problems because people are now more likely to be yelling at each other than communicating peacefully.
The author discusses the lack of shared understanding and stories in the world today, and how this has led to a situation where people are no longer able to communicate effectively with each other. He then asks whether there is anything that can be done to change the incentives that are causing this trend to continue, in order to make communication possible again.
In 2015, Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff wrote about the "coddling" of American students on college campuses. This coddling led to a reorientation of corporate America in 2018 and 2019. However, companies are different from universities in that they have to make money and be tied to the real world. This makes them subject to reality, unlike universities. The mission focus movement is a movement in the business world where companies are focusing on their mission rather than trying to fix everything in the world. This movement started with a few right-leaning companies, but it gained traction when Netflix, a Progressive company, adopted the same philosophy.
The University of Austin is a new university focused on providing a more practical and affordable education than what is currently offered at most universities. The goal is to serve as a model for other universities. The University of Austin has been met with mixed reactions, with some people praising it and others criticizing it. Jonathan Haidt, a professor at the university and the founder of the organization Heterodox Academy, says that most people are reasonable but there is a small fringe of people on social media who are quick to attack.
Jonathan Haidt discusses the anger that people can feel when studying morality, and how this anger can be counterproductive. He cites the example of Daryl Davis, a black musician who has befriended hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members and convinced them to leave the organization. The Happiness Hypothesis is a book about how to be happy. The author, Jonathan Haidt, observes that happiness is heritable, and that people tend to be happiest when they are in the middle of the pack (not too high or too low). He also notes that anger is not necessarily a negative emotion, and that shared anger can actually be thrilling. In his class "Work, Wisdom, and Happiness", positive psychology professor Tim Ferriss has students readjust their focus to become smarter, stronger, and more sociable. He believes that if they are more successful in work and relationships, they will be happier. The class is not currently available online, but Ferriss is considering making it available in the future. Jonathan Haidt is going to start a Substack in January called After Babbel. He will put the reading list and syllabus for his MBA class on the Substack. Religion and marriage are two of the biggest factors associated with happiness, according to research. It is unclear exactly why this is, but it is speculated that religion provides a sense of meaning and certainty that makes life less stressful, and that being married provides social support and companionship. The suicide rate is lower in countries where people are bound together in a community, and religion is one way that people can be bound together in a community. Tim Ferriss and Jonathan Haidt discuss the importance of relationships and community, especially for young people. Haidt argues that kids who grew up with the iPhone (born around 1990) are different from those who didn't (born around 1994 or earlier). Ferriss and Haidt agree that it's important to understand what's happening with kids these days so we can better support them.
In this discussion, Dr. Jean M. Twenge and Jonathan Haidt discuss the mental health of Generation Z. Twenge cites rates of anxiety, depression, and self-harm among Gen Zers as proof of her claims that early exposure to smartphones and social media has had a negative impact on their development. Haidt recommends that parents allow their children more freedom to roam and explore. They also argue that overprotective parenting and schools are doing more harm than good, leading to increased anxiety and depression, self-harm, and suicide.
Jonathan Haidt is a psychotherapist who believes that we need to push kids to meet high standards, even if they're not always happy. He argues that the telos of teaching is to help students realize their untapped potential. Ferriss agrees and describes how his wrestling coach pushed him to reach his potential. The purpose of the Constructive Dialogue program is to help people understand why they are tribal and have confirmation bias, and how to open their minds and hearts to engage with others and learn from them.
In this interview, Tim Ferriss talks to Jonathan Haidt about the latter's book, The Coddling of the American Mind. In the book, Haidt argues that the "three great untruths" of our society are that (1) always trust your feelings, (2) you are defined by your emotions, and (3) victimhood is empowering. Haidt believes that these untruths are damaging to our mental health, and he offers solutions from the wisdom traditions of Buddhism, Stoicism, and CBT.
644 https://tim.blog/2022/12/21/jonathan-haidt/
