Outraged

About Outraged

A groundbreaking new framework for the moral mind that rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from, and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us

It’s easy to assume that liberals and conservatives have radically different moral foundations. In Outraged, Kurt Gray showcases the latest science to demonstrate that we all have the same moral mind—that everyone’s moral judgments stem from feelings of threat and worries about harm.

Although we all care about protecting ourselves and the vulnerable, conflict arises when we have different perceptions of harm. We get outraged when we disagree about who the “real” victim is, whether we’re talking about political issues, fights with our in-laws, or arguments on the playground.

In laying out a new vision of our moral minds, Gray tackles three common myths that prevent us from understanding ourselves and those around us. One myth is that our ancestors were apex predators. In reality, we were more hunted than hunter. This explains why our minds are hard-wired to perceive threats, and why we’re so preoccupied with danger. Gray also refutes the existence of harmless wrongs. Even if an immoral act might be “objectively” harmless, new research finds that our moral judgments are not grounded in reasoning, but instead in gut feelings. We condemn acts that feel harmful. Finally, Gray dispels the myth that facts are the best way to bridge divides. In political arguments, facts fail to provide the right kind of truth, because morality is more about subjective perceptions than objective statistics. Instead, sharing stories of personal suffering can help to create more common ground.

In this insightful tour of our moral minds, Gray draws on groundbreaking research and fascinating stories to provide a new explanation for our moral outrage, and unpacks how to best bridge divides. If you want to understand the morals of the “other side,” ask yourself a simple question—what harms do they see?