Cynicism is a trap. Here's why "hopeful skepticism" is better
Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Navigating uncertainty.
In uncertain times, cynicism is an attractive worldview. But psychologist Jamil Zaki points to research that shows cynicism hurts us and others. Instead, he suggests embracing "hopeful skepticism."
About Jamil Zaki
Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and in 2019, he was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Zaki is the author of Hope for Cynics and The War for Kindness. He is a graduate of Columbia and Harvard, where he studied empathy and kindness in the human brain.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.
Web Resources
Related TED Talk: How gratitude rewires your brain
Related TED Talk: The courage to live with radical uncertainty
Related NPR Links
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