Jun 3, 2020
Justin Tosi is
the author of the recently released book, Grandstanding: The Use and Abuse of Moral
Talk. Such
one-upmanship is not just annoying, but dangerous. Using the
analytic tools of psychology and moral philosophy, Justin explains
what drives us to behave in this way, and what we stand to lose by
taking it too far.
Key Takeaways
[2:50] Grandstanding is the use
and abuse of moral talk for self-promotion.
[5:45] As we see ourselves in
such a positive light, it makes sense why we want to grandstand and
let the whole world know how great we are.
[9:50] The difference between
morality and ethics is that ethics showcases a general baseline on
how to live, what’s good for you and others around you. Morality,
on the other hand, is much narrower.
[14:25] No matter what you
believe or the environment you are in, you will have people try to
move up in status within their peer group.
[20:15] Leaders don’t need an
official ideology when it comes to politics. We’re here to do good
work and your political views don’t necessarily impact the quality
of your work.
[23:10] It’s important to treat
people the way they like to be treated, so politics aside, it’s
also important to understand their points of view and
beliefs.
[25:50] We want to bring intense
culture to an organization, and this is important, but when you do
it, the main motivation should not be trying to impress
people.
[30:50] Morality is about
helping other people, it’s not about helping yourself look
good.
[34:35] Figuring out what a good
life is to you is one of the most important questions, not just in
moral philosophy, but also in life.
[40:45] Listener challenge: Stop
grandstanding yourself!
Quotable Quotes
- “People
want recognition for being morally good.”
- “Shallow
agreement is your friend. You can agree on a general principle
without getting into definite disputes.”
- “Do
what’s right, do your best, and treat others as they’d like to be
treated.”
- “How
can you talk about values without slipping into this trap of trying
to show other people how good you are?”
- “Am I
trying to do good or just look good?”
Resources Mentioned
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