What's wrong with society, and how can we fix it? (with Tim Urban)

1. Let Higher Mind Lead

Aim for your higher mind to be in control, allowing your primitive mind to enjoy itself in non-self-defeating ways, rather than repressing it entirely.

2. Adopt ‘Scientist’ Mindset for Truth

To think like a ‘scientist’ (top rung), be purely motivated by truth, unattached to your ideas, agnostic about evidence, and welcome debate and challenges as opportunities to refine your understanding and reduce error.

3. Prioritize ‘Pro-House’ Alignment

Before engaging in left-right political debates, first determine if you and others are ‘pro-house’ (supportive of liberal principles and institutions) or ‘anti-house’ (seeking to dismantle them), as this foundational alignment is an existential and more critical discussion.

4. Distinguish Genie from Golem Groups

To identify if a group is in ‘genie mode’ (collective wisdom) or ‘golem mode’ (collective madness), observe whether independent thinking, debate, and challenging ideas are encouraged (genie) or if conformity, fear of disagreement, and virtue signaling are prevalent (golem).

5. Practice In-Group Courage

Cultivate the courage to stand up to your own in-group, as this is genuinely scary and takes actual courage, unlike criticizing out-groups which often serves to boost in-group status.

6. Resist Compelled Speech

Actively push back against any movement or ideology, regardless of its content, that demands outward allegiance or forces ‘compelled speech’ through threats or coercion, as this undermines liberal principles.

7. Prioritize Persuasion Over Coercion

When encountering ideas you disagree with, prioritize persuasion and open debate to change minds, rather than using coercion, punishment, or silencing tactics to suppress those ideas.

8. Act with Courage to Uphold Principles

Display courage by speaking out and acting in accordance with established liberal principles and institutional integrity, especially when others remain silent, to help society return to a more functional state.

9. Speak Out to Dispel Mob Behavior

Recognize that mob behavior is often driven by cowardice and can quickly dissipate; speaking out against it can rapidly turn the tide and make such behavior less socially acceptable.

10. Monitor Disgust as a Warning

Recognize the emotion of disgust directed at groups of people as a dangerous sign that can dehumanize and activate an ‘ugly side of human nature,’ turning normal individuals into monsters.

11. View Internal Conflict as a ‘Tug of War’

Frame the struggle between your primitive impulses and your higher mind as a ’tug of war’ to better understand and manage self-defeating behaviors.

12. Recognize Losing Control

When your higher mind is ‘screaming’ at you about self-defeating actions (e.g., procrastination, unhealthy eating) but you’re still doing them, recognize that you’ve lost control of the reins and are losing the ’tug of war’.

13. Recognize Self-Defeating Behavior

Identify instances where you engage in actions you know you will regret later (e.g., binging on unhealthy food, procrastinating) to understand the primitive mind’s influence.

14. Choose Non-Tribal Friends

Actively seek to surround yourself with friends who are not tribal-like, as the tribal ‘vibe’ is contagious and can pull you into primitive group dynamics.

15. Avoid Tribal Environments

Be aware that surrounding yourself with tribal-acting people, even as an adult, can lead you to adopt their behaviors and fear being ‘uncool’ within that group.

16. Promote Pluralistic Education

When teaching about political or social ideologies, present them alongside differing viewpoints and alternative approaches to social justice, rather than presenting one specific view as the sole correct truth, to avoid indoctrination.

17. Engage Ideas with Counter-Speech

If you disagree with a speaker or idea, engage by presenting counter-arguments through your own talks, articles, discussions, or pointed questions in Q&A sessions, rather than attempting to silence or prevent others from hearing them.

18. Resist Ideological Grouping

Avoid automatically aligning with or against an ideology based on who else supports or opposes it; instead, evaluate movements independently based on whether they uphold or threaten the foundational principles of a liberal society.

19. Identify Unchangeable Minds

If you find yourself or others making arguments and acting open to evidence, but with nothing that could truly change their mind, recognize this as a lower-rung ‘attorney’ mindset, indicating primitive mind dominance.

20. Recognize Silent Majority

Understand that a silent majority may disagree with tribal thinking, but their reluctance to engage in online conflict makes it seem like everyone agrees with the loudest, often tribal, voices.

21. Beware Herd Mentality

Be vigilant against the herd mentality, which can lead a large group of people to adopt bigoted or harmful behaviors if it becomes socially acceptable or ‘safe’ to do so.

22. Differentiate Social Justice Movements

Clearly distinguish between ’liberal social justice’ (which aims to improve the existing liberal framework) and ‘wokeness’ or ‘social justice fundamentalism’ (which seeks to dismantle liberalism), recognizing that the former is constructive while the latter can be destructive.