Page 1 - [[pdf]] Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness by Jamil Zaki,Grand Central Publishing

[[pdf]] Hope for Cynics: The

Surprising Science of Human

Goodness by Jamil Zaki,Grand

Central Publishing

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, only a third did. 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, it is misplaced. Dozens of studies find that people fail to realize how kind,
generous, and open-minded others really are. Cynical thinking worsens social problems, because our beliefs
don’t just interpret the world—they change it. When we expect the worst in people, we often bring it 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 skepticism. This approach doesn’t mean putting
our faith in every politician or influencer. It means thinking critically about people and our problems, while