The Certainty Trap cover art

The Certainty Trap

Why We Need to Question Ourselves More—and How We Can Judge Others Less

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Certainty Trap

By: Ilana Redstone, Joe Walsh - foreword
Narrated by: Lisa Larsen, Qarie Marshall
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

When we’re in the Certainty Trap, we tend to view people who disagree with us as hateful, ignorant, or just plain stupid. When it comes to heated social and political issues in particular, many of us know this feeling well—a consuming state of righteous indignation and moral outrage. And this response makes sense because our very certainty tells us that there are simple and obvious causes and solutions to the hot-button issues we care about most.

But the things we care about the most are—far more often than not—morally and ethically complex. If the problems that divide us are inherently complicated, then a sense that the answers are obvious—and that anyone who disagrees must be deficient in some way—is misplaced. It's an oversimplification that both leads to and reflects faulty thinking. When we’re certain, we not only fail to recognize the possibility that we’re wrong but also fail to be clear about the principles and values that drive our disagreement in the first place.

By committing to challenging and clarifying our thinking—by avoiding the trap certainty sets for us—we can increase social trust, reduce political polarization, and better address the world’s pressing challenges.

©2024 Ilana Redstone (P)2024 Dreamscape Media
Civics & Citizenship Social Psychology & Interactions

What listeners say about The Certainty Trap

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.