Podcast about freedom of thought and emotional sanity with Andy Norman, PhD

Freedom of Thought: Emotional Sanity Amidst Chaos with Andy Norman PhD

The widespread adoption of smartphones over the past two decades has created new avenues for remote influence and manipulation, reducing freedoms many took for granted. The extent of the emotional chaos this causes may only be partially understood. Is it possible to restore equanimity during chaos?

For tips on finding inner peace and calm amidst turmoil and disorder, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author, researcher, and founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), Dr. Andy Norman.

Andy offers his experienced insights on consumer culture, the goal of those who dehumanize others, and the benefits of emotional self-regulation for achieving sanity and mental immunity.

This episode is part of The Good Citizen’s Election Season Survival Guide to Restoring Common Sense and Sanity in a Crazy World—produced in collaboration with renowned, fair-minded subject matter experts who provide strategies that enhance critical thinking, increase civic engagement, and foster healthy pleasure to boost personal well-being and relationship satisfaction.

Want more on this topic? Tune into More Mental Fitness for the BONUS SESSION available NOW!

*Original Air Date Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

Tune in:

Meet Our Guest:

Andy Norman, PhD, is the award-winning author of Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think. His research illuminates the evolutionary origins of human reasoning, the norms that make dialogue fruitful, and the workings of the mind’s immune system.

Andy champions the emerging science of mental immunity as the antidote to disinformation, propaganda, hate, and division. He founded the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), a global think-tank leading the effort to inoculate humanity against cognitive contagions.

Andy Norman — Freedom of Thought:

The philosophy of freedom. {6:45}
Consumer culture creates an addiction to our desires. {11:12}
Practice self-regulation amidst chaos. {17:06}
Building mental immunity to maintain sanity. {21:06}

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Shareables:

“If we react and lose control of the only thing we can control, which is ourselves, we give away our power and freedom.” @LisaKamen on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “When we all started wandering around with smartphones in our pockets just less than 20 years ago, we gave distant people the chance to hack into our minds and control us in ways we only dimly perceive.” @DrAndyNo on @HHTalkRadioo Share on X “Our best selves come out when we pause, take a deep breath, and step back from our emotions and reflect.” @DrAndyNo on @HHTalkRadio Share on X “Taking responsibility to modulate your own emotions and not be trigger-able is incredibly freeing.” @DrAndyNo on @HHTalkRadio Share on X

Grab More Joy Below:

Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life — A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now?

H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.