Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Join us for a new perspective that could rewrite our understanding of where moral judgments come from, and may reveal how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us. It’s easy to assume that liberals and conservatives have radically different moral foundations. Kurt Gray, author of Outraged, showcases the latest science to demonstrate that we all have the same moral mind—that everyone’s moral judgments stem from feeling threatened or vulnerable to harm. Although we almost all care about protecting ourselves and the vulnerable, conflict arises when we have different perceptions of harm. We get outraged when we disagree about who the “real” victim is, whether we’re talking about political issues, fights with our in-laws, or arguments on the playground. In laying out a new vision of our moral minds, Gray tackles three common myths that he says prevent people from understanding themselves and those around them. For a long time, it was commonly believed that our ancestors were apex predator