Distrust, Polarization And Hypocrisy With Michael Hallsworth - TWMJ #1023
Release Date: 02/15/2026
Unlocking Creativity And Productivity With Natalie Nixon - TWMJ #1032
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1032 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a time when productivity is still measured in speed, output and constant motion, few voices are pushing for a more human… and ultimately more effective… way of working than . A creativity strategist, keynote speaker and founder of , Natalie has built her career helping leaders unlock the business value of imagination… not as a soft skill, but as a strategic capability. Her work sits at the intersection of design thinking, anthropology and business innovation, and her previous book, , positioned...
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New Business Transformations With Joseph Pine - TWMJ #1031
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Thinking At The Edge Of What's Possible With Avinash Kaushik - TWMJ #1030
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Navigating The Near Future With David Armano - TWMJ #1029
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Belief, Potential And Breakthroughs With Nir Eyal - TWMJ #1028
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1028 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). In a world increasingly defined by information overload and ideological certainty, the ability to change one’s mind may be the most undervalued skill of all… and few thinkers have explored that terrain as deeply as my friend, . A bestselling author, behavioral design expert and former lecturer, Nir has built a career examining how habits are formed, how attention is controlled and how human behavior can be shaped both externally and from within. His previous works, and , established him as a leading...
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The Science Of Storytelling With Will Storr - TWMJ #1027
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1027 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). is an award-winning author, journalist and storytelling researcher whose work explores one of the most powerful forces shaping human behavior… the stories we tell ourselves about the world. Over the course of a career that blends psychology, neuroscience, investigative journalism and narrative craft, Will has become one of the most compelling voices examining how stories shape identity, belief and culture. His bestselling books include , , and , each offering a deeper look at the hidden forces driving...
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Getting Your Strategy Right With Kevin Ertell
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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What Is Happening With AI With Ann Handley - TWMJ #1025
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1025 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). At a moment when panic travels faster than proof, few marketers are as clear-eyed… and as human… as . A pioneering digital marketing strategist (), bestselling author ( and ), longtime champion of writing that actually means something and dear friend (also, if you’re not susbscribed to her newsletter, , you really should be), Ann has built a career reminding businesses that the point of content isn’t velocity… it’s connection. In her recent essay, , she pushes back against the apocalyptic...
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Making The Internet Suck Less With Cory Doctorow - TWMJ #1024
Thinking With Mitch Joel
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Distrust, Polarization And Hypocrisy With Michael Hallsworth - TWMJ #1023
Thinking With Mitch Joel
Welcome to episode #1023 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation). In an era where outrage travels faster than reflection, few accusations carry as much moral force as the charge of hypocrisy… and yet few concepts are as misunderstood. is Chief Behavioral Scientist at the and a leading voice in behavioral economics, with academic appointments at the and a career devoted to understanding how real people actually think and act in complex systems. His research spans public policy, organizational behavior and social judgment, examining how incentives, norms, and...
info_outlineWelcome to episode #1023 of Thinking With Mitch Joel (formerly Six Pixels of Separation).
In an era where outrage travels faster than reflection, few accusations carry as much moral force as the charge of hypocrisy… and yet few concepts are as misunderstood. Michael Hallsworth is Chief Behavioral Scientist at the Behavioral Insights Team and a leading voice in behavioral economics, with academic appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and a career devoted to understanding how real people actually think and act in complex systems. His research spans public policy, organizational behavior and social judgment, examining how incentives, norms, and cognitive biases shape everything from government programs to corporate decision-making. In his new book, The Hypocrisy Trap - How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives, Michael challenges the conventional belief that hypocrisy is simply a moral failing to be stamped out. Instead, he reframes it as a process… an inconsistency we dislike because we believe someone is gaining an unjust benefit… and argues that relentless accusations can backfire, breeding cynicism, polarization, and institutional decay. Drawing on evolutionary psychology, behavioral science, and contemporary case studies, he distinguishes between common standards hypocrisy and the more corrosive double standards that undermine fairness itself. He explores how social media amplifies moralistic aggression, how public signaling can both distort and reshape behavior, and why tolerating certain forms of inconsistency may be necessary for leadership and democratic compromise. Rather than excusing deception, Michael calls for sharper discernment: identifying which inconsistencies cause real harm and which reflect the unavoidable trade-offs of human life. Grounded in rigorous scholarship yet strikingly practical, his work urges greater self-reflection, empathy and intellectual humility in a culture quick to condemn. Enjoy the conversation…
- Running time: 55:05.
- Hello from beautiful Montreal.
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- Here is my conversation with Michael Hallsworth.
- The Hypocrisy Trap - How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives.
- Behavioral Insights Team.
- Michael’s Substack, The Judgement Gap.
- Follow Michael on LinkedIn.
Chapters:
(00:00) - Introduction to Hypocrisy.
(02:46) - Understanding the Nature of Hypocrisy.
(05:49) - The Cultural and Historical Context of Hypocrisy.
(08:51) - The Evolutionary Roots of Hypocrisy.
(11:50) - The Role of Hypocrisy in Politics.
(14:43) - Hypocrisy in Business and Society.
(17:57) - The Hypocrisy Trap Explained.
(20:56) - The Balance of Hypocrisy and Honesty.
(23:41) - The Emotional Impact of Hypocrisy.
(26:36) - Empathy and Self-Reflection in Hypocrisy.
(31:32) - Understanding Hypocrisy and Its Implications.
(36:16) - The Role of Social Media in Hypocrisy.
(40:56) - Navigating Integrity and Leadership.
(47:09) - The Complexity of Accusations and Context.
(55:13) - Rethinking Hypocrisy and Forgiveness.