There's an age-old question: Are humans fundamentally good or evil? Are we hardwired towards greed and cynicism... or towards compassion and goodness?

Our guest today, Dr. Jamil Zaki, is a leading psychologist and empathy researcher who has dedicated his career to exploring this question. He believes that humans are fundamentally good – and he has the science to back it up.

Jamil is at the forefront of research at Stanford's Social Neuroscience Lab, where he's exploring how we understand emotions, conform to social norms, and choose to do good.

Cynicism is on the rise in the United States, and Jamil refers to this rising tide as a disease. But the good news? There is hope for a cure.

His latest book, Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness, lays out a practical roadmap to transform cynicism into hopeful skepticism—an approach that could make our world a better place.

In this conversation, we dive deep into actionable strategies to build trust and empathy, like "social savoring" and "positive gossip." If you’re looking to create lasting positive change in your life and those around you, this episode is for you.

With Fire,
The FM Team

Chapters

00:00 Introduction: The Rise of Cynicism
07:09 The Origins of Cynicism
14:47 The Power of Trust
19:36 Feeling Safe in a Dangerous World
30:54 Cultivating Hopeful Skepticism
38:41 Understanding Cynicism and Skepticism
44:20 Cynicism, Intuition, and Anxiety
51:17 Underestimating People's Goodness
56:02 The Power of Positive Experiences
01:00:51 Overcoming Cynicism
01:05:40 Building Trust: Earned and Given
01:07:35 Helping Children Build Trust
01:14:18 AI and the Need for Skepticism