Words of Wisdom — October 25, 2014

Nicholas Kristof: We Need to Overcome the Human Bias Toward Helping Only One Person

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof recently visited Big Think to discuss his new book A Path Appears and talk about the tactics advocates must employ to raise awareness for a good cause.

bigthinkeditor

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof recently visited Big Think to discuss his new book A Path Appearsand talk about the tactics advocates must employ to raise awareness for a good cause.

“People are less willing to contribute to a fund to save kids from cancer if the same amount of money is going to save not one life but eight lives. Really it’s this bias to help an individual. So we have to figure out, how to open these lines of communication to move people at an emotional level to help an individual. But then use that empathy then to broaden and to serve so many other people who need help.”

Watch as Nicholas Kristof discusses strategic storytelling and how to make a difference, in the following clip from his Big Think Interview:

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Thinking

The great free will debate featuring Michio Kaku and Steven Pinker

Who — or what — really controls your mind?

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The Past

The largest accidental explosion of all time

More than a century ago, Halifax suffered an accidental blast one-fifth the size of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

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High Culture

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The Well

Signs you’re burned out — and how to bounce back

If you don’t feel better after the weekend, the “burnout paradox” could explain why.

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7 min

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with

Laurie Santos

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