It was wonderful to feature on David McRaney’s YANSS podcast! In this episode, I had the pleasure of diving deep into the weird and fascinating world of cognitive dissonance—that uncomfortable tension we feel when our beliefs and actions don’t quite align. We revisited the iconic 1959 study that first gave us the term, and I explored how dissonance theory still helps us make sense of political behavior today—from cult devotion to everyday denial.

I shared insights from my own research as a political theorist, especially on how dissonance shapes not just what people believe, but how they protect those beliefs, sometimes against all logic. We talked about why it’s so hard to change our minds, how we navigate contradiction in a world full of it, and why staying “consistent” can sometimes lead us further from the truth.

I also spoke a bit about my forthcoming book Don’t Talk About Politics (out May 2025), and the podcast I co-host, What Do We Want?, which explores the emotional side of activism and social change.