Society Archives

The 6 Moral Foundations: Beyond the Harm Principle

What are the six moral foundations? How can our view of morality expand in order to understand others better? Everyone is accustomed to a certain moral framework, and it can be hard to accept that another morality is moral or even possible. Also, people respond to the six moral foundations in different ways. These factors contribute to the difficulty we have in understanding each other. Gaining insight into how moral foundations work can help us empathize with others. Read more to learn about the six moral foundations.

The Karmic Law: Liberal/Conservative Divide

How do liberals and conservatives view karmic law? How does karma fit in with our values of liberty and fairness? In his book The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discusses how karmic law is part of the philosophy behind the Tea Party movement. This is because karma is entwined with our ideas of fairness and liberty. He explains how liberals and conservatives prioritize these values differently. Read more to learn how karmic law relates to our ideas of liberty and fairness.

Global Population Growth: Consequences and Solutions

How fast is the world’s population growing? Which countries are contributing the most? What are the main challenges of global population growth? The United Nations predicts that in 2050, the earth’s population will be 9.7 billion. Most of this growth will come from nine countries, including India, Nigeria, and the United States. Many of these countries are already contending with poverty, resource limitation, environmental destruction, or political conflict. Adding more people to the mix will multiply these issues. In this article, we’ll discuss the effects and implications of global population growth and take a look at some solutions.

St. Louis Park: A Safe Haven West of Minneapolis

What is St. Louis Park famous for? Why did the Jewish population of North Minneapolis relocate to St. Louis Park? St. Louis Park is a suburb west of Minneapolis that became a safe haven for Jewish immigrants during the anti-Semitic discrimination in the 1880s and early 1900s. St. Louis park was more welcoming than other suburbs, and it was platted with started homes and realtors didn’t mind selling to Jews. Many Jews left North Minneapolis and relocated to St. Louis Park to escape the discrimination. Keep reading to learn more about St. Louis Park’s community.

Why Different Societies Have Different Moral Codes

Why do different societies have different moral codes? Why is a certain behavior “good“ here—but “bad“ over there? Jonathan Haidt, in his book The Righteous Mind, argues that morality is culture-dependent—that different societies have different moral codes. Studying people in Philadelphia and Brazil, he found that even groups within societies have different moralities from one another. Read more to learn why different societies have different moral codes.

The Role of Morality in the Political Divide

What are the underlying reasons for the political divide in America? How could we understand each other better? Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory can help us answer these questions. In The Righteous Mind, Haidt explains how moral foundations work in the context of politics in the U.S. This application provides insight into today’s political divide. Read more to learn how different moral foundations contribute to the political divide.

Thomas Friedman: Thank You for Being Late—Overview

What is Thomas Friedman’s Thank You for Being Late about? What are the three main forces that, according to the author, are shaping the current landscape of the world? In Thank You for Being Late, Thomas Friedman aims to explain: what the current conditions (as of 2016) are and how we can best adapt to them. He discusses how these conditions arose as the three forces that shape the world (technology, globalization, and climate change) all accelerated at once—and how we can adapt to them. Below is a brief overview of the takeaways from Thank You for Being Late by

Group Mentality: The Social Psychology of Groupism

Where does our group mentality come from? How does it benefit us? In his book The Righteous Mind, Jonathan Haidt argues that we can’t fully understand morality until we understand group mentality. He explains how we’ve learned to work together for the betterment of the whole, not just ourselves. Read more to learn about the origin of group mentality and how it relates to morality.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Abdul’s Legal Limbo

Why the Beautiful Forevers' Abdul Is in Legal Limbo

Why is Abdul in legal limbo in the book Behind the Beautiful Forevers? How did Abdul get out of jail? Abdul got out of jail after a judge ruled that he was not a flight risk and could live at home until his trial. Abdul waited for months and never got any clarity on when his trial would begin. He has been condemned to the legal limbo of awaiting trial forever. Read on to discover why Abdul is stuck in legal limbo.

Serve Other People: The Key to a Fulfilling Life

Are you the kind of person who always seeks ways to contribute to the greater good? Why do you think it is important to serve other people? Just as sharing your wealth brings you prosperity, serving others enriches your life while making the world a better place. There are endless options when it comes to contributing to the greater good, but as with anything, some will be more meaningful than others—it all depends on your values, personality, and life experience. Read more about how to serve other people, and the success stories of those who have started on this path.