Undermining our sympathy towards people with different beliefs or different demographic characteristics.Accentuating perceived differences between citizens based upon their demographic characteristics.Undermining our ability to work together as groups to solve common problems.Creating a perception that something is fundamentally wrong with American society.Over the last 10-15 years, intense ideologies have been undermining progress by: While the dangers of ideology were once relatively safely contained to our politics, it is now taking over large portions of American society. This leads constantly expanding the domain of politics into new domains where it was not previously considered respectable. Ideology has become a “reverse hive switch,” which turns otherwise rational and productive people into “bees” with an intense desire to sting anyone with a different opinion. Unfortunately, the latter is increasingly happening in the Western world, particularly in the United States. Those beliefs can bind us together, but they can also tear us apart. While I do not necessarily agree with his “6-taste” theory of morality or his proposed solution, I believe that Haidt’s perspective helps us to understand why religion and ideology are so important to us. If you would like to learn more about how ideology, politics and religion have undermined progress and people’s perception that progress exists, read my book From Poverty to Progress: How Humans Invented Progress, and How We Can Keep It Going. By understanding its psychological roots, Haidt hopes that we can ramp down the ideological division that is increasingly dividing us. Haidt explores the role that biology and morality play in systems of thought, such as politics, ideology and religion. If you enjoy this summary, please support the author by buying the book. Title: Righteous Mind: Why People Are Divided by Politics and Reason

The righteous mind summary