Outraged

Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground

By: Kurt Gray

Length: 9 hrs

Publisher's summary

A groundbreaking new perspective on the moral mind that rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from, and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us

It’s easy to assume that liberals and conservatives have radically different moral foundations. In Outraged, Kurt Gray showcases the latest science to demonstrate that we all have the same moral mind—that everyone’s moral judgments stem from feeling threatened or vulnerable to harm.

We all care about protecting ourselves and the vulnerable. Conflict arises, however, when we have different perceptions of harm. We get outraged when we disagree about who the “real” victim is, whether we’re talking about political issues, fights with our in-laws, or arguments on the playground.

In this fascinating and insightful tour of our moral minds, Gray tackles popular myths that prevent us from understanding ourselves and those around us. While it is commonly believed that our ancestors were apex predators, Gray argues that for the majority of our evolutionary history, humans were more hunted than hunter. This explains why our minds are hard-wired to perceive threats, and provides surprising insights on the scientific origins of our values and beliefs. Though we might think ourselves driven by objective reasoning, Gray unveils new research that finds our moral judgments are based on gut feelings rather than rational thought, and presents a compelling reminder that we are more alike than we might think.

Drawing on groundbreaking research, Gray provides a captivating new explanation for our moral outrage, and unpacks how to best bridge divides. If you want to understand the morals of the “other side,” ask yourself a simple question—what harms do they see?

©2025 Kurt Gray (P)2025 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A riveting read on the roots of our bitterest conflicts—and the remedies for them. One of the leading lights in moral psychology overturns widespread assumptions about why we’re divided and reveals how we can come together.”—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know and host of the podcast Re: Thinking

“Moral outrage ruins friendships, families, democracies, and lives. Where does it come from, how much is too much, and what can be done about it? In this deeply and thoughtful and highly readable book, Kurt Gray offers provocative answers to these and other important questions about the endless seething to with Americans are becoming increasingly addicted.”—Daniel Gilbert, New York Times best-selling author of Stumbling on Happiness, Edgar Pierce Professor of Psychology, and host of the PBS television series This Emotional Life

“Powerful insights that will change how you see the world (and hopefully make you a little less angry).”—Jonah Berger, best-selling author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On and The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind, and Wharton Professor