The Fragmentation of Everything with Jonathan Haidt

What if, at a pinnacle of our civilization’s technological achievement, everything just broke — the institutions we’ve come to rely upon in navigating a modern complex world, the shared stories that hold a large and diverse democratic republic together, and even a common language through which to navigate the rising tide crisis. According to renowned social psychologist and author, Jonathan Haidt, this describes our current reality, one that he calls “After Babel.” In this new normal, we are scattered by a digital environment into feuding tribes that are governed by mob dynamics and driven by a minority of ideological outliers, made stupid at warp speed by group think, and — thanks to social media — armed with billions of metaphorical “dart guns” with which to immediately wound “the enemy” in ways that are hardly only metaphorical. What could go wrong?
Our very special guest, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, will delve into the profound impact of social media on democratic societies, dissecting the intricate web of challenges it poses to civic trust and civil discourse. Don’t miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time.
Dr. Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at NYU’s Stern School of Business. He’s the author of four books, two of which became New York Times–best sellers, including The Happiness Hypothesis, The Coddling of the American Mind, and The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. He’s been named a top 100 global thinker by Foreign Policy magazine, one of the world’s 65 best thinkers of the year by Prospect magazine and his four TED Talks have been viewed more than 7 million times.
Learn more about the program online here.
This program is part of the UNUM: Democracy Reignited series in partnership with Florida Humanities, which explores the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests in our lives. Find the full series online here.

[thomaspaaruppedersen]

“Fractal pattern of fighting”. That’s brilliant and very descriptive

[theotherway]

I took a month off of social media...I recommend it. So much more peace and I haven't returned to using it as frequently. The workbook called 30 Days Without Social Media was a great help. It goes well with Jonathan's book.

[m.caeben]

Just in, hearing the Babel metaphor and the fractal fighting on Twitter, and I hope this video gets more recognition for it’s work on insight and healing.

[BethGrantDeRoos]

Never get tired listening to Jonathan Haidt. Have all his books 🙂

[bobk]

The question at around 1:16 really hit home: I feel like I'm being civil 'into the wind' and constantly being attacked for being moderate and empathetic

[levcimac]

I've just discovered this wonderful channel, and what an inspiration Dr. Haidt is. This conversation brings to mind sociologist Dr. Arlie russell Hochschild interview, who wrote about climbing the empathy wall. I think collective action does require us to see each other with human dignity. Nothing is impossible when enough people can work together.

[blitz_zen]

Being exposed to views and being open to understanding those views, are two completely different things.

Being “correct” is more important to most people than understanding what is going on.

I work with people, day in and day out with people who have the opposite views of myself.

I grew up in an evangelical family where my parents eventually became Buddhist.

The internet’s ability to fracture is making most people dumber.

Random thoughts here…

[Traderbear]

Sociology as a discipline has been almost completely engulfed with critical theory nonsense. Sigh you are a godsend, Jonathan. 😊

[TheVillageSquare]

We clipped the delay out. It starts right away. Dr. Haidt joins us 5 minutes in.

[jimluebke]

"In 2011, the Internet became translateable into any language, so we solved the Babel problem"

The Wokies are way ahead of you Jon, they're changing the definitions of words now.

[azizpatel]

I really like Jonathan Haidt's ideas ever since I read his book "The Righteous mind, " a couple of years ago. However I do have a problem with his analysis, that "religion is a positive phenomenon if people do not take it literally..."

While Jonathan is an atheist it is easy for him to not take religious beliefs literally, however, one should bear in mind that almost all followers of any particular religion do take their beliefs and myths literally, and as in the case of Islam, almost all Muslims insist on adherence to the rituals and conformity with the many behavioural requirements prescribe by Islam, for example.

[DSS]

Another part of the social media issue that needs to be addressed is how its integration into professional life makes it challenging to leave it behind even for those who want to. Especially since the economy has gotten worse, promotion of one's business on social media and interaction with potential customer base via social media is often a crucial tool to get the bills paid. The more social media accounts you have, and the more active you are on those accounts, the more you increase chances of bringing in business. I'd have quit social media by now if I didn't essentially have to use it for my work. The worst part is, from my perspective as a K-12 educator, schools are extremely complicit into getting kids into the mindset of using phones/internet as a crucial tool in being a more "successful and responsible" student. By the time these kids become working adults, they will see it as totally normal to be constantly connected 24/7. They won't even be able to conceptualize what it's like to be physically present and let their brain rest.

If we start passing legislation to get the economy out of the shitter and make people less desperate for income - as well as legislation that restricts how phones can be used in the context of K-12 school assignments/communication - I believe that it will have a positive impact on reducing social media use/addiction and the resulting mental health impacts.

[alankwellsmsmba]

It's not a Section 230 problem. It's Public Schools and the group think it inculcates. That's been true a long time. You cannot fix society with Law which is in shambles. No normal person can *afford* law which is full of errors and uncertainty. In many ways religion with it's simplicity and moral instructions is a better model and competitive in a local marketplace

[cmleibenguth]

Sociologists have not abandoned their post
They have opinions on what a better society should be

News Flash -- most are on the far left political spectrum
They are more concerned with left wing activism, power, and ideological hegemony - not good faith non partisan rulemaking

[Aokl]

"dont go selling yr house and moving to New Zealand"
Waves from NZ. Its just as bad here 👋

[keikonemeth]

We have become a society of sheep and lemmings. Individual space for critical thinking, reflection, and the experience of the sublime has been breached by the unceasing onslaught of external noises. Higher education, which had been the bulwark against this malaise throughout history, has been the first to succumb. Institutions which had been entrusted with the moral authority to hold the society together are also crumbling, and in fact, fanning the disintegration, now reaching the level of wide distrust even of the US Supreme Court. - - We all need to join your effort to create Walden Pond in our communities, schools and work places.

[jimluebke]

"One of the things that binds us together is sacredness"

.... Which only Conservatives can access, according to your _Righteous Mind._
So Conservatives are required for social cohesion. Sure, that sounds about right.

[Halman]

Unless something serious is done at the university level to right the ship. Society will fall apart.

[jimluebke]

"Why did someone born in 1993 have such different health outcomes from someone born in 1997?"

Is there some significant role of parental anxiety that affects kids 4 years old and younger? 9/11 caused a LOT of safetyism.

[jimluebke]

"You guys are doing the work and getting real people to talk to each other"

343 subscribers, 13K views, it's been out for 3 weeks.... Jonathan is flattering you guys.