The High Performance Podcast When to Say What You Think (And When Not To) with Harvard Psychologist Steven Pinker
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Oct 29, 2025 
Join Harvard cognitive scientist Steven Pinker, a celebrated author on language and human progress, as he dives into the nuances of effective communication. He reveals how clarity trumps confidence, explaining the difference between 'everyone knows' and 'everyone knows that everyone knows.' Pinker highlights the importance of common knowledge in fostering trust and coordination, while discussing the fine line between honesty and tact. Discover ways to enhance interpersonal relationships and uncover the art of knowing when to speak and when to remain silent.
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Bribing Without Saying It
- A food writer used innuendo and a $20 bill to bribe maitre d's and got seated every time.
- The story shows people often avoid explicit requests to preserve plausible deniability.
Common Knowledge Enables Coordination
- Common knowledge is different from private knowledge and is necessary for coordination.
- Making something public changes behavior because everyone knows that everyone knows it.
Rendezvous Fails Without Shared Signal
- Without common knowledge, even simple rendezvous can fail after many recursive expectations.
- Language and shared signals are how humans typically generate the mutual expectations needed to meet.
