Today we’re putting The Tonearm's needle on author and behavioral scientist Michael Hallsworth.

Michel has spent the last two decades applying behavioral science to real-world problems at the Behavioural Insights Team. He's held positions at Princeton, Columbia, Imperial College London, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael's new book, The Hypocrisy Trap, takes on something we all recognize instantly but rarely understand: why we're so quick to spot hypocrisy in others yet are blind to it in ourselves. He shows how our hunt for inconsistency has become a weapon in politics and daily life, one that actually breeds more of what it tries to eliminate. The book reveals why some hypocrisy might be unavoidable in functioning democracies, and how our relentless attacks on it can backfire in dangerous ways.

We talk about double standards, the psychology behind moral accusations, and why the most authentic-seeming politicians might be the most deceptive. Michael explains how we can tell the difference between hypocrisy that harms society and the everyday compromises that allow us to function together.

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Dig DeeperGuest and Books

• Visit Michael Hallsworth at michaelhallsworth.com
• Purchase Michael Hallsworth's The Hypocrisy Trap: How Changing What We Criticize Can Improve Our Lives from MIT Press, Penguin Random House, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon
• Michael Hallsworth and Elspeth Kirkman's Behavioral Insights from MIT Press
• Connect with Michael Hallsworth on LinkedIn
• Behavioral Scientist column by Michael Hallsworth

Organizations and Institutions

• The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) - World-leading organization applying behavioral science in support of social purpose goals
• Dr. Michael Hallsworth at BIT
• Master of Behavioral and Decision Sciences Program at University of Pennsylvania
• Imperial College London
• Columbia University
• Princeton University

Key Concepts and Research

• Behavioral economics and public policy - Michael Hallsworth's Google Scholar profile
• Nature Human Behaviour - Journal featuring Hallsworth's research
• Journal of Public Economics
• The Lancet

Historical and Philosophical References

• Hannah Arendt's On Revolution - Analysis of the French and American Revolutions
• Hannah Arendt on hypocrisy and the Reign of Terror - "Robespierre's war upon hypocrisy transformed the 'despotism of liberty' into the Reign of Terror"
• The French Revolution Reign of Terror - Historical context
• Maximilien Robespierre - Key figure in the French Revolution

Political Examples Discussed

• Boris Johnson's COVID-19 party scandal - The "Partygate" scandal discussed in the episode
• Brexit and UK politics

Related Reading

• "Our Hypocrisy Blind Spot" by Michael Hallsworth - Essay in Behavioral Scientist
• "The Future of Behavioral Insights Demands Human-Centered Design" - Hallsworth and Kirkman on behavioral science
• Hannah Arendt quotes on hypocrisy - "What makes it so plausible to assume that hypocrisy is the vice of vices is that integrity can indeed exist under the cover of all other vices except this one"

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• Dig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com

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