In this episode, I talk with Dave about one of the strangest and most human of psychological experiences: cognitive dissonance.

We explore how cognitive dissonance helps us survive emotionally and socially, but also how it can make us resistant to uncomfortable truths—like climate change or inequality. I share some of the psychological and political consequences of this inner conflict, and why learning to tolerate that discomfort might just be one of the most important skills for our century.

This all connects to my new book, Don’t Talk About Politics: How to Change 21st Century Minds—which explores how ideas actually change, and what it takes to have better arguments in a fractured world.