We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode Are You Tired of Feeling Cynical? Hopeful Skepticism Could Be a Way Out

Are You Tired of Feeling Cynical? Hopeful Skepticism Could Be a Way Out

2025/1/31
logo of podcast Science Quickly

Science Quickly

AI Deep Dive AI Chapters Transcript
People
J
Jamil Zaki
Topics
Jamil Zaki: 我写这本书是因为我个人深受犬儒主义的困扰。尽管我多年来研究同理心和善良,但我发现自己经常难以信任他人,对人类的整体状况感到悲观。尤其是在疫情早期,这种感觉尤为强烈。我意识到,如果我都有这种感受,其他人可能也一样。因此,我开始研究犬儒主义,并试图寻找应对方法。我的研究表明,犬儒主义是一种社会健康的疾病,因为它阻碍了我们与他人的联系。犬儒主义者往往不信任他人,因此不太可能与他人建立联系,导致关系停滞,孤独感增加,身心健康受损。犬儒主义正在上升,部分原因是我们消费媒体的方式。许多媒体为了吸引眼球,倾向于报道负面信息,这加剧了人们的悲观情绪。研究表明,犬儒主义者并不比其他人更聪明或更善于识破谎言。他们往往只寻找支持他们悲观假设的证据,而不是像科学家一样学习世界。乐观怀疑论是一种更健康的方式,它结合了科学的思维方式和对人类本性的积极看法。乐观怀疑论者像科学家一样思考,并且意识到我们对世界的负面偏见,从而更客观地看待他人。乐观怀疑论不是对现实的逃避,而是应对逆境的一种方式。为了对抗犬儒主义,我们需要检查我们消极想法的证据,并收集更多证据来支持积极的观点。我们需要对他人抱有信心,并给他们机会展现真实的自我。我们可以尝试积极的八卦,分享生活中遇到的善意行为。我的实验室目前专注于利用反犬儒主义来对抗年轻人的孤独感。年轻人中存在着一种断开的危机,这导致了幸福感的下降。年轻人渴望联系,但他们没有意识到周围的人也渴望联系。我的实验室正在努力让年轻人意识到他们可以获得的社会资源。 Rachel Feltman: (作为访谈者,Rachel Feltman 没有提出核心论点,而是引导Jamil Zaki阐述其观点。她的问题促进了对话,但没有形成独立的核心论点。)

Deep Dive

Chapters
The podcast explores the rising levels of cynicism in society, particularly in the US, citing statistics from 1972 and 2018. It discusses the role of media consumption in shaping negative perceptions and fueling this trend.
  • Significant drop in Americans who believe most people can be trusted (from 50% to 33% between 1972 and 2018).
  • Plummeting faith in various institutions (education, science, government, industry, media).
  • Media consumption's role in promoting negative information and fostering cynicism.

Shownotes Transcript

It’s easy to be cynical about the state of the world—even when you’re a researcher who studies empathy and kindness. Stanford University psychologist Jamil Zaki turned his own negativity into his new book *Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness. *The book busts common myths about cynicism and explores what it could be doing to our body and brain. Zaki reflects on the imperfections of cynicism and hope and presents a third option: hopeful skepticism.

Recommended reading:

Read )Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness). 

Follow Jamil Zaki’s work at www.jamil-zaki.com) and www.ssnl.stanford.edu)

E-mail us at [email protected]) if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!

Discover something new every day: subscribe) to Scientific American and sign up) for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. 

Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper, Madison Goldberg and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Rachel Feltman. Our show is edited by Fonda Mwangi with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices)