Ideas worth spreading

Can a divided America heal?

2,303,599 views | Jonathan Haidt • TEDNYC

How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -- and provides a vision for how the country might move forward.

How can the US recover after the negative, partisan presidential election of 2016? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the morals that form the basis of our political choices. In conversation with TED Curator Chris Anderson, he describes the patterns of thinking and historical causes that have led to such sharp divisions in America -- and provides a vision for how the country might move forward.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speakers

Jonathan Haidt

Social psychologist

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Jonathan Haidt studies how -- and why -- we evolved to be moral and political creatures.

Chris Anderson

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After a long career in journalism and publishing, Chris Anderson became the curator of the TED Conference in 2002 and has developed it as a platform for identifying and disseminating ideas worth spreading.

Jonathan Haidt and Sam Abrams | The Washington Post, January 7, 2015 | Article

"The top 10 reasons American politics are so broken"

Jonathan Haidt | The American Interest, July 10, 2016 | Article

"When and Why Nationalism Beats Globalism"

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.