The Phenomenon of Moral Licensing

The podcast explores the concept of moral licensing, where individuals let themselves engage in immoral or unethical behavior after doing something good. The episode presents experimental evidence and examples from various fields to illustrate how people can use past acts of virtue to justify acts of sexism, discrimination, or exclusion. It highlights instances where individuals or societies open the door for women or other marginalized groups but then restrict further progress or revert to discriminatory practices.