Most people want to be happy. Yet, the moral fabric of society lays prey to degradation caused by our evolutionary need to tribalize. The reduction of our critical thinking abilities allows for mind parasites to take hold and inhibit well-being. Is it possible to inoculate our minds and make them immune to untruths and bad ideas that spread through social media? To unveil mental methods that keep our minds happy and healthy amidst the barrage of media input we receive, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors about their books on the subject. Andy Norman created a new spin on aged philosophy to vaccinate minds. He shares key takeaways from his book, Mental Immunity. Allen Buchanan recounts key chapters from his book, Our Moral Fate: Evolution and the Escape from Tribalism and discusses the shaky ground on which democracy sits.

About Lisa’s guests: 

Andy Norman, Ph.D. teaches philosophy and directs the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University. Andy authored the popular “Brainstormin” column for the Humanist Network News and works at understanding how ideologies corrupt moral understanding. His work has appeared in Free Inquiry, Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, and dozens of other journals. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife of 20 years, two fascinating kids, and a dog. 

Allen Edward Buchanan is a Professor of philosophy at the University of Arizona and also a professor of the Philosophy of International Law at the Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College, London. He received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1975. He now researches for The University of Arizona.