This insightful discussion features Chris Voss, a former FBI hostage negotiator known for his expertise in conflict resolution, and Gavin de Becker, a security expert and author emphasizing intuition in safety. Voss shares practical negotiation tactics and the importance of 'tactical empathy' in violent situations. De Becker redefines fear as a vital survival signal. The conversation also navigates the ethical complexities of profiling and the responsibilities of gun ownership, alongside philosophical reflections on violence and societal notions of honor.
36:19
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Hostage Survival
In a hostage situation, prioritize building rapport with your captors.
Reveal your name and cooperate to increase your chances of survival.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Escape Strategies
Avoid using violence when attempting to escape a hostage situation.
A non-violent escape attempt might result in minor consequences, while a violent one could be fatal.
insights INSIGHT
Context Matters
Self-defense advice differs between typical situations and hostage scenarios.
Immediate violent resistance is recommended in a typical self-defense situation, while a different approach is needed for hostage situations.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
This book, written by former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss and co-author Tahl Raz, provides a masterclass in influencing others through negotiation. It distills the Voss method, revealing skills such as establishing rapport, creating trust with tactical empathy, and transforming conflict into collaboration. The book is filled with real-life examples from Voss's career, illustrating how these techniques can be applied in both professional and personal life to achieve goals and defuse potential crises.
The Gift of Fear
Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence
Gavin de Becker
In this book, Gavin de Becker argues that every individual should learn to trust their gut instinct when it comes to situations of danger or potential violence. He highlights the predictability of violence by identifying pre-incident indicators (PINS) such as forced teaming, charm and niceness, too many details, typecasting, loan sharking, and the unsolicited promise. De Becker also discusses his MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems and provides practical advice on how to spot danger signals, handle threatening situations, and manage fear effectively. The book is particularly valuable for women and others who may be at higher risk of violence, offering strategies to enhance situational awareness and personal safety.
This episode centers around the specter of violence and surfaces some of Sam’s most controversial positions and difficult conversations.
We begin with author and former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss, who delivers some potentially life-saving aspects of “tactical empathy,” which can also be applied to less extreme circumstances. Author and security expert Gavin de Becker then lays out his thesis from The Gift of Fear, which recasts this unfairly maligned emotion as an important attention-demanding, evolved signal.
We then spend time with Sam’s position on “profiling” and the moral and political complexities woven into it. This careful consideration leads to a conversation with author and firearms instructor Scotty Reitz, as they paint a stark picture of certain extremes of violence and consider what responsible gun ownership might look like.
Sam then answers questions directly on his often criticized and often misunderstood position on gun ownership before we turn to author and former Navy Seal Jocko Willink to apply pressure on the philosophical stance of pacifism. We conclude with the philosopher Tamler Sommers, who ponders the idea of “honor” in society and inspects how third-party delegation of violence might generate an illusive sense of justice.
About the Series
Filmmaker Jay Shapiro has produced The Essential Sam Harris, a new series of audio documentaries exploring the major topics that Sam has focused on over the course of his career.
Each episode weaves together original analysis, critical perspective, and novel thought experiments with some of the most compelling exchanges from the Making Sense archive. Whether you are new to a particular topic, or think you have your mind made up about it, we think you’ll find this series fascinating.
Making Sense with Sam Harris 
