Hope for Cynics
The Surprising Science Of Human Goodness
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Hope for Cynics
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Narrated by:
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Jamil Zaki
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By:
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Jamil Zaki
About this listen
Cynicism is making us sick; Stanford psychologist Dr Jamil Zaki has the cure - a 'ray of light for dark days' (Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author).
For thousands of years, people have argued about whether humanity is selfish or generous, cruel or kind. But recently, our answers have changed. In 1972, half of Americans agreed that most people can be trusted; by 2018, that figure had fallen to 30%. Different generations, genders, religions and political parties can't seem to agree on anything, except that they all think human virtue is evaporating.
Cynicism is a perfectly understandable response to a world full of injustice and inequality. But in many cases, cynicism is misplaced. Dozens of studies find that people fail to realise how kind, generous and open-minded others really are. And cynical thinking worsens social problems, because our beliefs don't just interpret the world; they change it. When we expect people to be awful, we coax awfulness out of them. Cynicism is a disease, with a history, symptoms and a cure. Through science and storytelling, Jamil Zaki imparts the secret for beating back cynicism: hopeful scepticism. This approach doesn't mean putting our faith in every politician or influencer. It means thinking critically about people and our problems, while simultaneously acknowledging and encouraging our strengths. Far from being naïve, hopeful scepticism is a more precise way of understanding others, and paying closer attention re-balances how you think about human nature. As more of us do this, we can take steps towards building the world we truly want.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2024 Jamil Zaki (P)2024 Little, Brown AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
'I can't imagine a more timely topic. Hope is a skill, and one of my favourite psychologists has written its playbook. Hope for Cynics is grounded in fascinating research yet deeply personal, with an outstanding practical appendix of 'try this' tips for escaping the snare of cynicism' (Angela Duckworth, author of the New York Times bestseller Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance)
'There has always been an emotional case for hope, but now there is a rational one. Jamil Zaki's new book is beautiful, wise, and important-a sensible, scientific, and much-needed tonic for what ails us' (Daniel Gilbert, author of the New York Times bestseller Stumbling on Happiness)
'Magnificently written and powerfully moving, Hope for Cynics is *the* societal medicine we all need right now. Filled with the latest science, practical tips and moving stories, Zaki provides an inspiring example of how each and every one of us can turn towards more optimism, connection and joy' (Laurie Santos, Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and host of The Happiness Lab podcast)
What listeners say about Hope for Cynics
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- kate
- 04-10-24
Excellent
Great book. Love the insights. Well researched and wonderfully put together. I will recommend and gift widely.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bradley Barnes
- 03-12-24
A book that challenges you
This book contains a very challenging take on like and your place in society. It is both very powerful and very difficult to digest, I'm still not sure how I feel about what is written but it is well written and presented, the ideas themselves will take much longer to process.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Gas_geek
- 07-10-24
Must read gem I need more words for the title
If you are the ultimate cynic then just jump straight i the end and read the appendix where they review the evidence n the book. Then go back to read it . Fantastic. In a world where the loud opinions disguised as facts rule the social media this is a welcome measured point of difference. You don’t have to trust - you can verify the studies.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Apollo
- 12-09-24
What a disappointment
I was looking forward to listening to this book after I came across the author on the Huberman's podcast. However if you are here wondering if you should listen to this book, I'd say save yourself the time, and just listen to the podcast instead.
Sadly, the book is full of 'left wing academic' bias, and the author appears to be oblivious and rather insensitive to views different to his own, and most importantly extreme lack of nuance in understanding politics. This is disappointing, given the book's important message, and the book's evidence-based aura.
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1 person found this helpful