SPOS #979 – Kurt Gray On Why Harm Is The Hidden Driver Of Political Outrage
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Release Date: 04/13/2025
SPOS #979 – Kurt Gray On Why Harm Is The Hidden Driver Of Political Outrage
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #979 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is a social psychologist whose work couldn’t be more relevant to our times. As a professor at , director of the and the , and the author of the new book , he’s helping reshape how we understand conflict in a divided world. In this conversation, Kurt unpacked why it’s not that we’re wired differently across political lines - it’s that we perceive harm differently. He introduces ideas like the “exhausted majority,” the dangers of elite-driven outrage, and the evolutionary roots of our hypersensitivity...
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SPOS #978 – Christopher DiCarlo On AI, Ethics, And The Hope We Get It Right
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
Welcome to episode #978 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast. is a philosopher, educator, author, and ethicist whose work lives at the intersection of human values, science, and emerging technology. Over the years, Christopher has built a reputation as a Socratic nonconformist, equally at home lecturing at during his postdoctoral years as he is teaching critical thinking in correctional institutions or corporate boardrooms. He’s the author of several important books on logic and rational discourse, including and , as well as the host of the podcast, . In this...
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SPOS #977 – Dan Heath On How To Change What's Not Working
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SPOS #975 – Nicholas Carr On The Human Consequences Of Connection And Technology
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Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
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SPOS #973 – Alison Wood Brooks On The Science Of Great Conversations
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
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SPOS #971 – Deborah Perry Piscione On Revolutionizing The Way We Work
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
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SPOS #970 – Rohit Bhargava On Non-Obvious Thinking
Six Pixels of Separation Podcast
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info_outlineWelcome to episode #979 of Six Pixels of Separation - The ThinkersOne Podcast.
Dr. Kurt Gray is a social psychologist whose work couldn’t be more relevant to our times. As a professor at UNC Chapel Hill, director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding, and the author of the new book Outraged - Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground, he’s helping reshape how we understand conflict in a divided world. In this conversation, Kurt unpacked why it’s not that we’re wired differently across political lines - it’s that we perceive harm differently. He introduces ideas like the “exhausted majority,” the dangers of elite-driven outrage, and the evolutionary roots of our hypersensitivity to perceived threats. We also explore the surprising role of personal narratives in reducing division, the generational shift in how people approach morality, and how resilience - not avoidance - is what we really need when engaging across differences. His work dismantles the myth that we’re hopelessly divided and instead offers a path forward - one grounded in empathy, humility, and the science of human connection. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the volume of moral outrage around you, this episode just might restore a little hope. Enjoy the conversation...
- Running time: 55:13.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
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- ...or on X.
- Here is my conversation with Dr. Kurt Gray.
- Outraged - Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground.
- Deepest Beliefs Lab.
- Center for the Science of Moral Understanding.
- UNC Chapel Hill
- Follow Kurt on X.
- Follow Kurt on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Outrage and Its Relevance.
(03:07) - Understanding Political Outrage and Connection.
(05:55) - The Role of Elites in Political Discourse.
(09:14) - The Exhausted Majority and Misconceptions.
(12:05) - Moral Perception and Human Nature.
(15:04) - The Evolution of Morality and Fear.
(18:08) - Tribalism and Moral Progress.
(21:01) - The Impact of Words and Microaggressions.
(24:03) - Generational Perspectives on Discourse.
(28:18) - Understanding Generational Perspectives on Misinformation.
(30:02) - The Challenge of Political Centrism.
(31:58) - Navigating Independent Ideologies.
(33:53) - The Impact of Technological Change on Society.
(35:40) - The Role of Personal Stories in Bridging Divides.
(39:34) - The Power of Personal Experiences in Conversations.
(42:19) - The Competing Narratives of Victimhood.
(46:51) - Moral Ambiguity in Victimhood and Survival.
(49:18) - The Momentum of Change and Hope.
(55:27) - Building Resilience in Difficult Conversations.