The Good Fight Steven Pinker on How Common Knowledge Builds and Weakens Societies
Sep 18, 2025
In this enlightening discussion, Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist and acclaimed author, delves into the vital role of common knowledge in society. He explains why it's the psychological cornerstone often overlooked, and how it shapes social dynamics through examples like the Emperor's New Clothes. Pinker also reveals why authoritarian regimes fear public acknowledgment and how shared outrage can ignite collective action, using poignant historical events. His insights spark critical reflections on communication, cooperation, and societal resilience.
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Conspicuous Acts Create Common Knowledge
- Common knowledge means everyone knows that everyone knows something, potentially ad infinitum.
- Conspicuous or public events often generate common knowledge instantly by making information 'out there'.
Focal Points Solve Coordination Problems
- Coordination problems require common knowledge to converge on arbitrary but shared conventions like meeting places or driving sides.
- Focal points or Schelling points can substitute for explicit communication when they are salient to all parties.
Sweden's Switch To Driving On The Right
- Sweden switched driving sides by picking a specific date and publicizing it to create common knowledge.
- The synchronized switchover depended on everyone knowing everyone else would change at that moment.
