The Surprising Science of Cynicism (Plus: The Policy Paradox of the 2024 Election)

Plain English with Derek Thompson

The Ringer

News Commentary, News

4.8 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 27 September 2024

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Derek shares his biggest frustrations about the 2024 election, like the lack of a policy debate and blind spots in news coverage and polling analysis. Then he welcomes Jamil Zaki to the show: a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. Zaki is the author of ‘Hope for Cynics,’ a new book that explores tension at the heart of human affairs. On one hand, social cooperation is the basis of human civilization. And yet cynicism—a baseline aversion to social cooperation and assumption that most people are greedy, selfish, and dishonest—is also core to the human experience. We are constantly violating the secret of our own success by assuming the worst in others, and Professor Zaki explains why. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected]. Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Jamil Zaki Producer: Devon Baroldi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello Football fans,
0:03.6	Fans. Sheil Capatia here to tell you that the Ringer NFL show
0:06.7	is the best place to be for fun and in-depth analysis of all your
0:10.4	favorite teams and players throughout the 2024 season.
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0:20.9	every Friday, followed by the Big Monday Recap show where we delve
0:24.9	into our patented hot takes on all the NFL action and don't forget about
0:29.5	Wednesdays which will feature me a special QB segment from Stephen a breakdown of the biggest
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0:45.6	or wherever you get your podcast and follow at Ringer NFL on Instagram,
0:50.6	Tik-Tock, and YouTube.
0:55.0	Today, the cynicism,
0:58.0	Today, the cynicism, trust, and the secret of our success.
1:03.7	But first a little pit stop on the 2024 election.
1:08.1	It's been four weeks, several sex scandals,
1:10.3	and one presidential debate since our last election update on Plain English.
1:14.0	I have to say one of my frustrations from a distance about this election is that the
1:18.7	policy stakes of 2024 are extremely high, but the policy substance of the 2024 campaign has been absolutely meager.
1:29.0	It's very important to remember and therefore to stay up front that the differences between a Donald
1:35.9	Trump and Kamala Harris White House would be absolutely immense.
	...

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