The Psychology of Persuasion in Activism

There’s a saying that’s attributed to the Dalai Lama: in the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher. It’s a nice idea. But when people don’t share our values, it’s hard for us to tolerate theirs. This week, we bring you a favorite episode with sociologist Robb Willer. We discuss the common mistakes we make in trying to persuade others of our point of view — and how to break out of our echo chambers. Then, Kenji Yoshino answers your questions about how we hide our true selves.

In this week’s show, you’ll learn:

*What’s happening in our minds when we’re trying to win an argument.

*Techniques for how to take another person’s perspective — and how to become more effective in persuading them of your perspective.

*The most successful protest tactics in winning allies.

*Why we might shift from trying to change someone’s mind to trying to change their behavior.

If you love Hidden Brain, come see Shankar live in a city near you this summer! For more info and tickets to our “Perceptions” tour, visit https://hiddenbrain.org/tour/