The Questions to Ask Yourself in an Argument
Our guest explores how reminding yourself that you don't know everything can have a profound impact on your relationships, and our society.
\n\nLink to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/mry7tv66
\n\nEpisode summary:
\n\nJinho \u201cPiper\u201d Ferreira is a playwright, a rapper, and a former deputy sheriff. His band Flipsyde toured the world, but Jinho wanted to make real change to end police violence against his community \u2013 so he became a deputy sheriff himself. He was on the force for eight years before resigning in 2019. Jinho joins us today after trying a practice in cultivating intellectual humility. It asks us to consider how our memories and understanding of the world might be fallible, so we might not have all the answers. When Jinho tapped into the practice during a disagreement with a bandmate, he was able to navigate the conflict and come to a resolution.
\n\nCheck out Jinho\u2019s band, Flipsyde: https://flipsyde.com/
\n\nTry this practice: Cultivate Intellectual Humility
\n\nIf you can, write out your answers.
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- When you encounter information or an opinion that contradicts your opinion or worldview, ask yourself these questions: \n
Why do you disagree?
\n\nAre you making any assumptions about the other person and the source of their opinion?
\n\nMight those assumptions be wrong?
\n\nWhat about your own opinion, how did you come to believe it?
\n\nDo you really have all of the information?
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Now think about the scenario from the perspective of a person who disagrees with you. Try to imagine how they came to believe what they believe.
\nWhat information might they be basing their opinion off of?
\nWhat values do you think they\u2019re weighing in how they think about this topic?
\nCan you imagine how they came to hold those values?
\nIf you find yourself getting stuck, imagine yourself as a third person weighing in with an opinion that\u2019s different from both of yours. Try to generate an entirely new perspective. Can you think of another way to understand this issue?
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3. Tap into your intellectual humility:
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Identify places where, before, you weren\u2019t acknowledging the limitations of what you know about the issue. Can you find any?
\nNow that you\u2019ve worked to see this issue from another person\u2019s point of view, do you see more value in their perspective than you were able to see before?
\nWhat other ways do you engage with viewpoints that challenge your own? Do you notice any patterns?
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Today\u2019s guests:
\n\nJinho \u201cPiper\u201d Ferreira is a rapper in the Band Flipsyde, a former deputy sheriff, and playwright.
\n\nFollow Jinho on Twitter: https://twitter.com/pipedreamzent?lang=en
\n\nListen to the episode of Snap Judgment podcast about Jinho\u2019s story: https://snapjudgment.org/episode/jinhos-journey/
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Elizabeth Krumrei-Mancuso is a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University who studies intellectual humility.
\n\nLearn more about Dr. Krumrei-Mancuso and her work: https://tinyurl.com/2t6aaa5f
\n\nCheck out Dr. Krumrei-Mancuso\u2019s article on intellectual humility: https://tinyurl.com/526m8b93
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More resources about Intellectual Humility:
\n\nIntellectual humility: the importance of knowing you might be wrong: https://tinyurl.com/m2ct29m7
\n\nThe Benefits of Admitting When You Don\u2019t Know: https://tinyurl.com/4frk84k8
\n\nShare your thoughts on this episode and intellectual humility by emailing us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or using the hashtag #happinesspod.
\n\nHelp us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or copy and share this link with someone who might like the show: pod.link/1340505607
\n\nThis episode was supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, as part of our project on "Expanding Awareness of the Science of Intellectual Humility." For more on the project, go to www.ggsc.berkeley.edu/IH.
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