The Importance of Persuasion

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As I've gotten older, I'm much more comfortable letting people say things I radically disagree with. To sit quietly while someone speaks nonsense used to drive me insane. And respecting another person up to a point means simply recognizing the fact that actually you can't convince them. You shouldn't be trying to and you could be wrong as well. The thing in myself basically is functioning in an ecosystem that wants to be an ecosystem, not a monoculture.

Psychologist and writer Adam Mastroianni says our minds are like the keep of a castle protecting our deepest held values and beliefs from even the most skilled attacks. The only problem with this design for self-preservation is that it also can keep out wisdom that might be both useful and true. Mastroianni's summary of the problem is "you can't reach the brain through the ears." Listen as Mastroianni talks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the implication of this view of mind for teaching, learning, and our daily interactions with the people around us.