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Epiphany: Could This Be the Winning Strategy to Bridge the Divide?

For the past year, Glenn has been trying to figure out two things:

1. How do we talk to the American people?

2. How do we talk in a different way when there is so much fear and anger is happening?

He may have found the way in a book written by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt titled, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion.

The book covers what's called the Moral Foundations Theory. Not surprisingly, conservatives and liberals approach big issues from completely different moral perspectives or pillars.

"He said at the beginning of his book, 'I thought, before doing all of this research, that I was a deep progressive. As it turns out, I'm not, but I didn't understand the right because they never spoke my language. I didn't think they cared about people,'" Glenn explained.

Haidt actually studied Glenn to research hate-filled speech, but realized he'd been under a misconception --- and it was an eye-opening awakening.

"He realized . . . I think I've misunderstood this entire thing. Now, he's come up [with a way ] to explain what's happening to us," Glenn said.

That way could be the key to bridging the divide.

In the coming months, Glenn will take a deep dive into the moral pillars to teach how learning this second language, if you will, can engage people with opposite ideologies. In the meantime, he introduced the moral pillars on radio today.

Enjoy the complimentary clip or read the transcript for details.

GLENN: There's -- there's really three or four books that I would like you to read. And we'll talk about those in the coming days. But one of them is called The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt. And he is a -- a -- a New York liberal NYU professor, who is not liberal anymore. He said at the beginning of his book: I thought, before doing all of this research, that I was a deep progressive. As it turns out, I'm not. But I didn't understand the right because they never spoke my language. I didn't think they cared about people.

Now, here's an educated man and an honest guy, who says, "As I started doing research, I realized, 'Wait. That's not who they are.'"

And the reason why he came to that is because a couple of people started speaking his language. In talking to him, you know, off air and talking about his theories, I found out that I'm one of the guys that was speaking his language. And he was shocked because I was one of the guys he was studying because I'm so hate-filled.

And what he realized is, wait. I think I've misunderstood this entire thing. Now, he's come up to explain what's happening to us.

And -- and he was looking for a way for people to be able to reach out to each other. But he doesn't think he found it. I do. And it's a fantastic read that -- that describes what's happening to the human brain. And how he describes this -- this is an older theory, but he's really kind of made this -- he's brought it to life.

What happens is, we -- our brain -- our choices -- so much of our choices are guttural. We're presented -- for instance, I don't know if you know this, this is crazy. Five thousand advertisements a day. We see 5,000 advertisements a day. Now, that doesn't even seem possible. But that's the average that the Americans see every single day. So we're weeding those things out. Because how many of them make it to us recognizing that's an ad?

We make 15,000 yes or no choices every single day. I don't think that's even possible.

But at least 15,000 on average. So much of what we do is what he calls the elephant part of the brain. And the elephant is this big, huge immovable object, that reason is sitting on top of. And reason is sitting on top of this elephant. And it's really rarely consulted by the elephant. Because the elephant is just moving.

And it's moving, based on what it has experienced. What its upbringing was. What its first reaction is. What first impressions are.

You know, you meet somebody, and your first impression is, I don't know if I really trust them. I don't know if I like them. Sometimes, if you have to, you will say, wait a minute. Let me reason this out. But most times, you just kind of let that go, and it builds one way or the other.

Well, that's the elephant. And then before you know it, you just don't trust that guy. And you're not really sure why. I just don't trust him. That's the elephant.

When it comes to critical decisions -- especially when fear is introduced -- we know that fear shuts reason down. And that's because the elephant just says, through experience, we're going that way.

And the writer -- because this -- this part of the brain -- this intuition and this X factor in the brain is so big and so lumbering, the writer -- the reason can rarely turn it.

Now, it can be turned. But it usually is turned, not by a great argument. We always say, how are we losing? We have the great argument. Well, it's not turned by the great argument. It's actually more likely to have the writer stop and wake up and tell the elephant, "Stop for a minute," from peer pressure.

It's more likely to be stopped when a bunch of people that the elephant trusts says, "You got this wrong. You got to listen. You have this wrong."

That's really the only time you have a chance that the elephant stops. The other time is when the elephant meets somebody new and likes them and has a general feeling of, this is a good guy. And that person gently challenges the elephant's belief, in a kind and friendly way. And then the elephant kind of looks up to the writer and says, "Does that make sense?" But that rarely happens.

Does this make sense so far? Do you understand?

STU: Uh-huh.

GLENN: So my job has been for the last year, to figure out two things: How do we talk to the American people? How do we talk to them in a different way, when so much rhetoric and so much fear and anger is happening?

Remember, I've made a pledge to myself, and I've asked to you make this pledge years ago: I will not go over the cliff with the rest of humanity.

So now, here we are. Humanity is going over a cliff. How do we stop our friends? I've said to you for many years: You're going to have to be the one that says, "Stop. Don't go that way." Well, when they're panicked, when they're fearful and the elephant is in charge, how do you wake the writer up?

Well, first, you have to be a trusted friend. You have to be kind. The best book you can read right now -- this is according to Jonathan Haidt. One of the best ways to do it is start with How to Win Friends and Influence People. Norman Vincent Peale, because the whole thing was actually care about the other person. Listen to them. Listen to them.

I would have behaved much differently in the last 18 months had I not been so arrogant. And I would have listened to you more. But I didn't.

And what I was talking about was principles. And those principles are great. And we all agreed on those principles. And I thought I was talking to the writer. What I didn't -- what I didn't realize is that you are struggling so hard with insurance. You're struggling so hard -- I know the chaos -- what you're feeling. But, honestly, I thought it was at more at our level, that we're looking at the news and can't figure it out. And that -- I just didn't -- I didn't see you. I was too egotistical. I saw me.

And that ended in disaster. That's not good. Many of us aren't friends now. Many of the people who are with me for a long time, they're not friends anymore.

Well, that's not -- how did that happen? My fault. Okay. I got that.

So now, how do we repair that, and how do we now reach out to people who have never liked any of us?

I'm going to explain this quickly. It's called the moral foundations theory. And what he has done -- and I urge you to watch it on TheBlaze TV. If you have a subscription, just watch it right now. This is actually in my office. And this is something I'm actually taking the staff through every day. And we just started. But let me show you how it works.

There are five -- there are five moral foundations that our society generally runs on. And it's loyalty and betrayal. Sanctity and disgust. Authority and subversion. Care and harm. Liberty and oppression. So the flipside of five moral pillars.

What Jonathan Haidt found in his research is that conservatives have loyalty and betrayal, sanctity and disgust, authority and subversion. We have those strongly. Liberals have care and harm and liberty and oppression. And they really have care and oppression. They don't focus on liberty as much as they focus on oppression.

Libertarians happen to have all five. And you'll see, Libertarians always seem to get a bunch of liberals to join them. Why?

Because they're the only ones speaking from a place of -- of authenticity on care and harm, liberty and oppression.

Conservatives do have all five, but they -- but they -- they don't exercise all five very often. And on top of that, liberals only have two. And they never go up to the top three.

So let me just show you how this works. When it comes to health care, they argue health care, you don't care -- you want to harm the -- you want to kill people. You don't care about anybody. You don't care about children.

When it comes to school vouchers, you don't care about children. You don't care about them having education. You know, you want to cut welfare. You don't care about people. They're all there, care and harm.

When it comes to things like moms at home. What do we argue? We argue moms -- because that's a sacred job -- we're arguing sanctity. We look at motherhood as a sacred job, a sacred responsibility with your child. And that children -- that's a sacred duty to us as parents. That's not what they're arguing. They're arguing oppression.

You are oppressing the woman by making her stay at home. And they mean that as much as we mean it's sacred.

But they don't relate to sacred responsibilities. And I'm speaking generally. And we don't relate to oppression, speaking generally. We don't relate to that.

So we're using different languages. It's like going to Mexico and speaking French.

So what we have to do is we have to move -- for instance, under sanctity and disgust, have you ever noticed how disgusting the left can get in things? Like there's nothing too vile. Occupy Wall Street, there's a protest, we can't relate to them because they're crapping on cars and smearing feces on things. There's no -- there's no -- there's no disgust that is too low for them. Because they don't have the sanctity bar.

We talk about sex, marriage, and God. We're up at sanctity. But they bring the sex, marriage, and God down to oppression. That's why we're not able to understand each other.

We literally are speaking two different languages.

And somebody has to master the second language. And I am asking you to help us and let us help you master a second language.

And begin to speak a different language. Because if there's enough of us doing it, we can stop humanity from going over the cliff. And we're never going to win with just a great argument. Because we're not speaking the same language.

RADIO

Shocking train video: Passengers wait while woman bleeds out

Surveillance footage of the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, NC, reveals that the other passengers on the train took a long time to help her. Glenn, Stu, and Jason debate whether they were right or wrong to do so.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: You know, I'm -- I'm torn on how I feel about the people on the train.

Because my first instinct is, they did nothing! They did nothing! Then my -- well, sit down and, you know -- you know, you're going to be judged. So be careful on judging others.

What would I have done? What would I want my wife to do in that situation?


STU: Yeah. Are those two different questions, by the way.

GLENN: Yeah, they are.

STU: I think they go far apart from each other. What would I want myself to do. I mean, it's tough to put yourself in a situation. It's very easy to watch a video on the internet and talk about your heroism. Everybody can do that very easily on Twitter. And everybody is.

You know, when you're in a vehicle that doesn't have an exit with a guy who just murdered somebody in front of you, and has a dripping blood off of a knife that's standing 10 feet away from you, 15 feet away from you.

There's probably a different standard there, that we should all kind of consider. And maybe give a little grace to what I saw at least was a woman, sitting across the -- the -- the aisle.

I think there is a difference there. But when you talk about that question. Those two questions are definitive.

You know, I know what I would want myself to do. I would hope I would act in a way that didn't completely embarrass myself afterward.

But I also think, when I'm thinking of my wife. My advice to my wife would not be to jump into the middle of that situation at all costs. She might do that anyway. She actually is a heck of a lot stronger than I am.

But she might do it anyway.

GLENN: How pathetic, but how true.

STU: Yes. But that would not be my advice to her.

GLENN: Uh-huh.

STU: Now, maybe once the guy has certainly -- is out of the area. And you don't think the moment you step into that situation. He will turn around and kill you too. Then, of course, obviously. Anything you can do to step in.

Not that there was much anyone on the train could do.

I mean, I don't think there was an outcome change, no matter what anyone on that train did.

Unfortunately.

But would I want her to step in?

Of course. If she felt she was safe, yes.

Think about, you said, your wife. Think about your daughter. Your daughter is on that train, just watching someone else getting murdered like that. Would you advise your daughter to jump into a situation like that?

That girl sitting across the aisle was somebody's daughter. I don't know, man.

JASON: I would. You know, as a dad, would I advise.

Hmm. No.

As a human being, would I hope that my daughter or my wife or that I would get up and at least comfort that woman while she's dying on the floor of a train?

Yeah.

I would hope that my daughter, my son, that I would -- and, you know, I have more confidence in my son or daughter or my wife doing something courageous more than I would.

But, you know, I think I have a more realistic picture of myself than anybody else.

And I'm not sure that -- I'm not sure what I would do in that situation. I know what I would hope I would do. But I also know what I fear I would do. But I would have hoped that I would have gotten up and at least tried to help her. You know, help her up off the floor. At least be there with her, as she's seeing her life, you know, spill out in under a minute.

And that's it other thing we have to keep in mind. This all happened so rapidly.

A minute is -- will seem like a very long period of time in that situation. But it's a very short period of time in real life.

STU: Yeah. You watch the video, Glenn. You know, I don't need the video to -- to change my -- my position on this.

But at his seem like there was a -- someone who did get there, eventually, to help, right? I saw someone seemingly trying to put pressure on her neck.

GLENN: Yeah. And tried to give her CPR.

STU: You know, no hope at that point. How long of a time period would you say that was?

Do you know off the top of your head?

GLENN: I don't know. I don't know. I know that we watched the video that I saw. I haven't seen past 30 seconds after she --

STU: Yeah.

GLENN: -- is down. And, you know, for 30 seconds nothing is happening. You know, that is -- that is not a very long period of time.

STU: Right.

GLENN: In reality.

STU: And especially, I saw the pace he was walking. He certainly can't be -- you know, he may have left the actual train car by 30 seconds to a minute. But he wasn't that far away. Like he was still in visual.

He could still turn around and look and see what's going on at that point. So certainly still a threat is my point. He has not, like, left the area. This is not that type of situation.

You know, I -- look, as you point out, I think if I could be super duper sexist for a moment here, sort of my dividing line might just be men and women.

You know, I don't know if it's that a -- you're not supposed to say that, I suppose these days. But, like, there is a difference there. If I'm a man, you know, I would be -- I would want my son to jump in on that, I suppose. I don't know if he could do anything about it. But you would expect at least a grown man to be able to go in there and do something about it. A woman, you know, I don't know.

Maybe I'm -- I hope --

GLENN: Here's the thing I -- here's the thing that I -- that causes me to say, no. You should have jumped in.

And that is, you know, you've already killed one person on the train. So you've proven that you're a killer. And anybody who would have screamed and got up and was with her, she's dying. She's dying. Get him. Get him.

Then the whole train is responsible for stopping that guy. You know. And if you don't stop him, after he's killed one person, if you're not all as members of that train, if you're not stopping him, you know, the person at the side of that girl would be the least likely to be killed. It would be the ones that are standing you up and trying to stop him from getting back to your daughter or your wife or you.

JASON: There was a -- speaking of men and women and their roles in this. There was a video circling social media yesterday. In Sweden. There was a group of officials up on a stage. And one of the main. I think it was health official woman collapses on stage. Completely passes out.

All the men kind of look away. Or I don't know if they're looking away. Or pretending that they didn't know what was going on. There was another woman standing directly behind the woman passed out.

Immediately springs into action. Jumps on top. Grabs her pant leg. Grabs her shoulder. Spins her over and starts providing care.

What did she have that the other guys did not? Or women?

She was a sheepdog. There is a -- this is my issue. And I completely agree with Stu. I completely agree with you. There's some people that do not respond this way. My issue is the proportion of sheepdogs versus people that don't really know how to act. That is diminishing in western society. And American society.

We see it all the time in these critical actions. I mean, circumstances.

There are men and women, and it's actually a meme. That fantasize about hoards of people coming to attack their home and family. And they sit there and say, I've got it. You guys go. I'm staying behind, while I smoke my cigarette and wait for the hoards to come, because I will sacrifice myself. There are men and women that fantasize of block my highway. Go ahead. Block my highway. I'm going to do something about it. They fantasize about someone holding up -- not a liquor store. A convenience store or something. Because they will step in and do something. My issue now is that proportion of sheepdogs in society is disappearing. Just on statistical fact, there should be one within that train car, and there were none.

STU: Yeah. I mean --

JASON: They did not respond.

STU: We see what happens when they do, with Daniel Penny. Our society tries to vilify them and crush their existence. Now, there weren't that many people on that train. Right?

At least on that car. At least it's limited. I only saw three or four people there, there may have been more. I agree with you, though. Like, you see what happens when we actually do have a really recent example of someone doing exactly what Jason wants and what I would want a guy to do. Especially a marine to step up and stop this from happening. And the man was dragged by our legal system to a position where he nearly had to spend the rest of his life in prison.

I mean, I -- it's insanity. Thankfully, they came to their senses on that one.

GLENN: Well, the difference between that one and this one though is that the guy was threatening. This one, he killed somebody.

STU: Yeah. Right. Well, but -- I think -- but it's the opposite way. The debate with Penny, was should he have recognize that had this person might have just been crazy and not done anything?

Maybe. He hadn't actually acted yet. He was just saying things.

GLENN: Yeah. Well --

STU: He didn't wind up stabbing someone. This is a situation where these people have already seen what this man will do to you, even when you don't do anything to try to stop him. So if this woman, who is, again, looks to be an average American woman.

Across the aisle. Steps in and tries to do something. This guy could easily turn around and just make another pile of dead bodies next to the one that already exists.

And, you know, whether that is an optimal solution for our society, I don't know that that's helpful.

In that situation.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Max Lucado on Overcoming Grief in Dark Times | The Glenn Beck Podcast | Ep 266

Disclaimer: This episode was filmed prior to the assassination of Charlie Kirk. But Glenn believes Max's message is needed now more than ever.
The political world is divided, constantly at war with itself. In many ways, our own lives are not much different. Why do we constantly focus on the negative? Why are we in pain? Where is God amid our anxiety and fear? Why can’t we ever seem to change? Pastor Max Lucado has found the solution: Stop thinking like that! It may seem easier said than done, but Max joins Glenn Beck to unpack the three tools he describes in his new book, “Tame Your Thoughts,” that make it easy for us to reset the way we think back to God’s factory settings. In this much-needed conversation, Max and Glenn tackle everything from feeling doubt as a parent to facing unfair hardships to ... UFOs?! Plus, Max shares what he recently got tattooed on his arm.

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Are Demonic Forces to Blame for Charlie Kirk, Minnesota & Charlotte Killings?

This week has seen some of the most heinous actions in recent memory. Glenn has been discussing the growth of evil in our society, and with the assassination of civil rights leader Charlie Kirk, the recent transgender shooter who took the lives of two children at a Catholic school, and the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, how can we make sense of all this evil? On today's Friday Exclusive, Glenn speaks with BlazeTV host of "Strange Encounters" Rick Burgess to discuss the demon-possessed transgender shooter and the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. Rick breaks down the reality of demon possession and how individuals wind up possessed. Rick and Glenn also discuss the dangers of the grotesque things we see online and in movies, TV shows, and video games on a daily basis. Rick warns that when we allow our minds to be altered by substances like drugs or alcohol, it opens a door for the enemy to take control. A supernatural war is waging in our society, and it’s a Christian’s job to fight this war. Glenn and Rick remind Christians of what their first citizenship is.

RADIO

Here’s what we know about the suspected Charlie Kirk assassin

The FBI has arrested a suspect for allegedly assassinating civil rights leader Charlie Kirk. Just The News CEO and editor-in-chief John Solomon joins Glenn Beck to discuss what we know so far about the suspect, his weapon, and his possible motives.