Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps Steven Pinker on Moral Panics, Media Bias, and Why We Hoarded Toilet Paper During Covid
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Jan 19, 2026 
In this engaging discussion, cognitive psychologist Steven Pinker digs into how shared knowledge shapes society. He explores the impact of media fragmentation on public perception and the fascinating psychology behind the toilet paper hoarding frenzy during COVID. Pinker argues that reliance on myths overshadows objective truth, highlighting the need for institutions that uphold factual knowledge. He discusses the role of language in fostering connections and how status symbols influence societal dynamics, offering insights into human behavior and communication.
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Common Knowledge Holds Societies Together
- Common knowledge (everyone knows that everyone knows) is the glue for coordination in society.
- Visible, public signals create the tacit infinite recursion needed for conventions like money and language.
Fragmented Media Erodes Shared Reality
- Fragmented media and distrust of institutions shrink networks of common knowledge.
- People may hear the same content but no longer share belief in the same credible sources.
Institutions Compensate For Our Myth-Mindedness
- For big, abstract national questions people default to myth or uplifting stories.
- Scientific institutions and norms are the unnatural workarounds that let us reach objective truth.
