From Boris Johnson's pandemic parties to climate change denial, the author of 'The Hypocrisy Trap' traces how exposed inconsistency poisons trust and how societies can balance calling out harmful behavior with tolerating human imperfection.
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Today, we’re putting The Tonearm's needle on author and behavioral scientist Michael Hallsworth.
Michel has spent the last two decades applying behavioral science to real-world problems at the Behavioural Insights Team. He's held positions at Princeton, Columbia, Imperial College London, and the University of Pennsylvania.
Michael's new book, 'The Hypocrisy Trap,' takes on something we all recognize instantly but rarely understand: why we're so quick to spot hypocrisy in others yet are blind to it in ourselves. He shows how our hunt for inconsistency has become a weapon in politics and daily life, one that actually breeds more of what it tries to eliminate. The book reveals why some hypocrisy might be unavoidable in functioning democracies, and how our relentless attacks on it can backfire in dangerous ways.
We talk about double standards, the psychology behind moral accusations, and why the most authentic-seeming politicians might be the most deceptive. Michael explains how we can tell the difference between hypocrisy that harms society and the everyday compromises that allow us to function together.
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[00:01:45] What is behavioral science?
[00:03:15] Applied vs. theoretical behavioral science
[00:04:14] Evolutionary psychology and mental shortcuts
[00:06:13] Hallsworth's career in social benefits research
[00:09:19] Private confrontation vs. public shaming
[00:12:29] The opening story: catching hypocrisy early
[00:16:43] How COVID hypocrisy poisoned climate action
[00:17:49] False signals vs. morality
[00:22:06] The honest hypocrite explained
[00:24:42] Virtuous and relatable hypocrites
[00:27:53] Children, candy, and double standards
[00:30:02] Status: prestige vs. dominance
[00:32:12] The counterproductive effects of constant accusations
[00:35:57] Can societies escape the hypocrisy trap?
[00:39:37] Political hypocrisy and Boris Johnson
[00:41:45] The dangers of purity regimes
[00:43:06] How the book's thesis evolved
[00:45:21] Why hypocrisy research is surprisingly recent
[00:47:27] Practical advice for navigating inconsistency
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Visit Michael Hallsworth at → https://www.michaelhallsworth.com
Purchase Michael Hallsworth's 'The Hypocrisy Trap: How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives' from MIT Press → https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262050944/the-hypocrisy-trap
Penguin Random House → https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790338/the-hypocrisy-trap-by-michael-hallsworth/9780262050944
Bookshop → https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-hypocrisy-trap-how-changing-what-we-criticize-can-improve-our-lives-michael-hallsworth/ef52494d5a2aa69d
Barnes and Noble → https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-hypocrisy-trap-michael-hallsworth/1146800073?ean=9780262050944 or Amazon → https://www.amazon.com/Hypocrisy-Trap-Changing-Criticize-Improve/dp/0262050943
For extensive show notes, links, and podcast information, go to https://podcast.thetonearm.com
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