In this book, Amanda Ripley follows three American teenagers who spend a year as foreign exchange students in Finland, South Korea, and Poland. Through their experiences and Ripley's research, the book reveals how these countries have transformed their education systems through rigorous teaching, focused parenting, and a strong commitment to education. The book contrasts these systems with the American education system, highlighting areas for improvement and offering insights into how other countries have achieved high educational standards.
In 'The Unthinkable', Amanda Ripley delves into the human responses to some of history’s most epic disasters, from the explosion of the Mont Blanc munitions ship in 1917 to the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001. She consults leading brain scientists, trauma psychologists, and other disaster experts to understand the psychological and neurological aspects of survival. The book outlines the 'survival arc' of denial, deliberation, and decision, and provides practical advice on increasing one’s chances of survival in disaster scenarios. It also explores themes such as crowd psychology, the brain’s fear circuits, and the role of heroism and resilience in the face of disaster.
In High Conflict, Amanda Ripley delves into the phenomenon of 'high conflict,' which is distinct from the useful friction of healthy conflict. High conflict involves good-versus-evil feuds that lead to an 'us versus them' mentality, altering brain behavior and increasing feelings of superiority while worsening the conflict. The book follows various individuals in different contexts, including a conflict expert in California, a Chicago gang leader, and communities in Colombia, to illustrate how people get trapped in and eventually escape high conflict. Ripley highlights common forces such as conflict entrepreneurs, humiliation, and false binaries that drive high conflict and provides insights on how to transform these conflicts into productive ones by rehumanizing opponents and reviving curiosity and wonder.
“Most of us aren't sure what to think about everything, but we don't really see that modeled anywhere, right? You're supposed to know for sure, and there's very little intellectual humility on social media or on TV.”
**"How Political Division is Ripping Us Apart—And the Simple Fix"**
Why do we turn every debate into *good vs. Evil*? In times of anxiety, humans crave certainty, forcing the world into rigid camps of "us" and "them." But what if that’s an illusion? In this eye-opening discussion, we uncover the hidden forces fueling division—social media distortion, political “conflict entrepreneurs,” and our own psychological biases.
Turns out, most people *aren’t* as extreme as they seem. But misunderstanding breeds hate, and hate breeds chaos. The good news? There's a proven antidote: real relationships with people who think differently. When we see each other *as we really are*, the walls start to crumble.
Today, you see it among many, many millions of people because there's a lot of anxiety about the future and fear about the present. We assume that the other side is more extreme than it is, partly because we hear so much from them. 95% of political tweets are written by around 10% of users, so we extrapolate and assume everyone on the other side thinks a certain way.
So, are we being manipulated into conflict? And more importantly—can we break free? This episode holds the answers.
About Amanda Ripley:Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, Washington Post contributor, and co-founder of consultancy firm, Good Conflict. Her books include The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable.
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