Commonwealth Club of California – Sep 6, 2022
First in a Series on False Narratives.
Why does a lie travel around the world while the truth is still lacing up its boots? In all areas, not just politics, science, and medicine, outrageous or fascinating false information outpaces truth, which is often more nuanced. False narratives pose a real danger to democracy, to our health, and to society. This series will discuss the reasons for that destructive state of affairs and what we can do about it, as individuals and as a society.
In this first part of our series, Dr. Joe Pierre, health sciences clinical professor at UCLA and specialist in delusional thinking and conspiracy theories, will discuss the age-old psychological reasons that conspiracy theories and other false narratives have been successful throughout human history. He will also look at how false narratives have been noticeably empowered and accelerated during the past few years by COVID isolation and modern technologies, among other factors.
This will be an intense, information-packed event; be sure to bring your questions or send them to us in advance at personalgrowthmlf. Also look for the next events in this series, which will use the insights from this event to discuss how we can reach out to a friend who has become ensnared in a conspiracy theory, and actions we can take as individuals and as a society.
SPEAKERS
Joe Pierre
M.D., Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA. Author; Expert Witness; Legal Consultant
Eric Siegel
Chair, Personal Growth Member-led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California—Moderator
My Friend Is A Science Denier; What Can I Do?
Commonwealth Club of California – Sep 13, 2022
In this second part of our series on conspiracy theories and other false narratives, we’ll look at practical actions we can take and tools we can use to have fruitful discussions with friends and family who have been misled.
There are ways that we can help untangle the snare of a mind-gripping false narrative. They’re usually not easy, and they’re usually not fast, but they can work in most cases. To help us learn how, Dr. Lee McIntyre, author of How to Talk to a Science Denier, will provide detailed recommendations for countering science denial and other false narratives in one-on-one discussions with friends and family.
This will be an intense, information-packed event; be sure to bring your questions or send them to us in advance at personalgrowthmlf. You may also want to review the first event in this series, “Why Have False Beliefs and Conspiracy Theories Become So Powerful?” before attending. And be sure to look for the next event in this series, which will discuss actions society can take to defend itself.
Photo courtesy the speaker.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2022
SPEAKERS
Lee McIntyre
Ph.D., Research Fellow, Center for Philosophy and History of Science, Boston University, Former Executive Director, Institute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University; Author, How To Talk To A Science Denier and Post-Truth
Eric Siegel
Chair, Personal Growth Member-led Forum, The Commonwealth Club of California—Moderator
Transition Studies 