Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Kurt Gray on How to Bridge Moral Divides and Rebuild Trust | EP 591
28 Mar 2025
In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Kurt Gray, professor of psychology and author of the new book Outraged, joins John R. Miles to explore why we live in such a morally charged world—and what we can do to repair it. Together, they unpack the psychology behind outrage, the evolutionary roots of our moral minds, and why our perceptions of harm often drive us apart.Kurt shares powerful stories and groundbreaking research to help us understand competitive victimhood, moral typecasting, and the dangers of social media-fueled moral panics. They also dive into practical strategies—like intentional listening, empathy, and storytelling—for bridging divides in families, communities, and politics. Whether you're trying to heal a relationship or navigate the culture wars, this episode is a must-listen.Full Shownotes here: https://passionstruck.com/kurt-gray-on-how-to-bridge-moral-divides/What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Harm Is the Master Key: Our moral minds evolved to detect and respond to harm—especially within our groups. This evolutionary lens explains much of today's outrage. Social Media Fuels Moral Panics: Platforms are wired to pair threats with virality, causing us to spiral into outrage and reactivity. Moral Typecasting Limits Empathy: We label people as either victims or villains, which prevents us from seeing their full humanity. Outrage Is Often Rooted in Unseen Pain: People’s perceptions of harm are deeply personal, shaped by past trauma, loss, or unacknowledged suffering. Mattering Matters: Feeling unseen or dismissed heightens moral conflict. Recognizing someone’s pain helps defuse moral tension. Connect with Kurt Gray: https://www.kurtjgray.com/Sponsors: Factor Meals: http://factormeals.com/factormeals50off and use code “FACTOR MEALS 50 OFF” Rosetta Stone: Unlock 25 languages for life at “ROSETTASTONE.com/passionstruck.” Prolon: Reset your health with 15% off at “ProlonLife.com/passionstruck.” Mint Mobile: Cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at “MINT MOBILE dot com slash PASSION.” Hims: Start your journey to regrowing hair with Hims. Visit hims.com/PASSIONSTRUCK for your free online visit. Quince: Discover luxury at affordable prices with Quince. Enjoy free shipping and 365-day returns at quince.com/PASSION Next on Passion Struck:In the next episode of Passion Struck, John sits down with Anne Marie Anderson, an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, sports journalist, and leadership expert. Anne Marie has spent years breaking barriers in sports media, navigating high-stakes environments, and coaching top athletes and executives on leadership, resilience, and communication. 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Full Episode
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We have to contend with this idea that like within our tribes now, there's potentials for violence, potentials for harm. And so we needed a moral sense, a psychological tool to ensure that others didn't harm us, to safeguard us from interpersonal harm. And so that moral sense is just this kind of like moral conviction that those who perpetrate harm, especially within our in-group,
Daniel Katz- are immoral and if someone does something bad we get outraged at them and we kick them out of the group or we punish them somehow. Daniel Katz- And so, this kind of moral sense that we have today still really has its roots back in our kind of evolutionary past, where we first got into groups and we were first confronted with other people and their capacity to harm us.
Welcome to Passion Struck. Hi, I'm your host, John R. Miles, and on the show, we decipher the secrets, tips, and guidance of the world's most inspiring people and turn their wisdom into practical advice for you and those around you. Our mission is to help you unlock the power of intentionality so that you can become the best version of yourself.
If you're new to the show, I offer advice and answer listener questions on Fridays. We have long-form interviews the rest of the week with guests ranging from astronauts to authors, CEOs, creators, innovators, scientists, military leaders, visionaries, and athletes. Now, let's go out there and become PassionStruck. Hey, PassionStruck fam. Welcome to episode 591 of the PassionStruck podcast.
Have you ever wondered why we seem to be morally outraged all the time? Why even small disagreements can spiral into division and conflict? What if the root of our polarization wasn't just ideological, but deeply psychological? Today we're exploring these urgent questions with someone who has dedicated his life to Decoding the Moral Mind, Dr. Kurt Gray.
Kurt is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina and the incoming Weary Family Foundation Endowed Chair in the Social Psychology of Polarization and Misinformation Department at The Ohio State University. He's a social psychologist who studies how our moral minds work
and how we can use that understanding to bridge political and ideological divides he's also the author of the groundbreaking new book outraged why we fight about morality and politics and how to find common ground a must read for anyone navigating today's fractured world if you're new here thank you for joining us you're now part of a global movement of change makers living intentionally unlocking their potential and choosing to matter
And if you're a returning listener, welcome back. I am so grateful for your continued support. Let's take a quick look back at our recent episodes. On Tuesday, Wes Adams and Tamara Miles joined me to explore how to create meaningful work that fuels performance and purpose.
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