Why do some people become radicalized?
Who is most susceptible to ideological thinking?
Can we unchain our minds from toxic dogmas?
‘If I had to pick one, Zmigrod’s would be my book to watch out for in
2025’ Simon Ings, New Scientist
‘Filled with insightful findings, this book shows that ideological
extremism and polarization are not just problems to fret about but
puzzles that can be studied and understood’
Steven Pinker
The human brain faces a set of dilemmas every day: how to achieve
coherence from fragmented sensory inputs and how to attain connection
with other people in an increasingly atomized and isolating world.
Ideologies offer a shortcut, providing easy answers, scripts to follow,
and a sense of shared identity. Whether our ideologies are far-right,
far-left, nationalist, religious, or even progressive, they simplify
our understanding and give us organizing frameworks through which to
act and interact with others. But ideologies come at a cost: demanding
conformity and suppressing individuality through rigid rules,
repetitive rituals, and intolerance. Once ideologies grip our minds,
they fundamentally transform us, making us less sensitive and adaptable.
Drawing on her groundbreaking research, Dr Leor Zmigrod uncovers the
hidden mechanisms driving our beliefs and behaviours. She uses the
powerful tools of neuroscience to show that our political beliefs are
not transient thoughts in our minds, divorced from our bodies –
ideologies actually change our neural architecture, our cells. For
instance, she demonstrates how a simple card sorting game can reveal
your entire approach to life. Cognitive rigidity in such tasks –
struggling to adapt to new rules – mirrors the rigidity with which you
cling to social and political ideologies. While some individuals are
more susceptible to dogmatic thinking than others, all of us can strive
to be more flexible.
The Ideological Brain is essential reading in today’s polarized and
polarizing world. To foster a more informed, resilient and freer
society, we need to zoom into the processes happening inside each of us
and learn to spot rigid thinking in ourselves and others. We need to
learn to avoid black-and-white thinking and embrace ambiguity. We need
to recognize our ability to resist irrational rules and authority.
Regardless of your political stance, this book will challenge you to
reassess your convictions – and what they are doing to your brain.
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