Don’t Talk about Politics (and What to Do Instead)

Democracy is dying because we are clinging to a dangerous and outdated myth: talking about politics can change people’s minds. It doesn’t.

This provocative debut from a bold new voice combines a fascinating range of research to show us the psychological and sociological factors that really shape our politics.

Drawing from ancient philosophy to modern neuroscience and social science, Dr Sarah Stein Lubrano reveals the surprising truth about how people think and behave politically. From friendship to community organizing and social infrastructure, she explores the actions that actually do change minds.

In a world where politics keeps getting more irrational, dishonest, violent and chaotic, it’s getting much harder to reach people with words alone. So people who really care about democracy must ask: how can we stop arguing and do the deep work to build stronger foundations for political life, and a better world for us all?

Sarah Stein Lubrano is spokesperson and researcher at Alain de Botton’s School of Life. Sarah’s research on politics, communication and activism began at Harvard, and then Cambridge University and continues at Oxford University. Her academic work focuses on cognitive dissonance, a psychological phenomenon where people experience discomfort when faced with a contradiction between two or more of their beliefs or actions.