KQED's Forum Life Goes On While Systems Fray — How Do We Make Sense of the Dissonance?
Sep 12, 2025
Joining the conversation are Kate Woodsome, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and founder of Invisible Threads, and Adrienne Matei, a writer for The Guardian US. They delve into the stark contrast between everyday life and a backdrop of global crises like gun violence and political unrest. The duo explores how we cope with cognitive dissonance, emphasizing the emotional toll it takes. They encourage recognizing our feelings in the midst of chaos and highlight the importance of community, dialogue, and finding joy in simple moments to navigate these turbulent times.
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Simultaneous Horrors And Routines
- Dissonance arises when horrific global events and everyday routines occupy the same attention space.
- Adrienne Matéi says this creates an internal conflict of emotions, plans, and trust in perception.
Dissonance As A Biological Signal
- Cognitive dissonance is an error signal from the brain when beliefs and actions conflict.
- Kate Woodsome explains it lights up emotion, conflict-detection, and threat-avoidance systems in the brain.
Check Values And Adjust Behavior
- Notice cognitive dissonance, inventory your values, and adjust actions that don't align.
- Kate Woodsome urges testing whether your behavior matches values and changing behavior if it doesn't.
