Ilana Redstone says the Certainty Trap happens when we have moral principles we are 100% sure of and shut out any objections to the contrary.
| Download Transcript |
[0:15] Jean introduces Dr. Ilana Redstone and “The Certainty Trap.”
[3:49] Ilana describes her education and travel.
[5:34] Ilana says her core belief is things we care about tend to be morally and ethically complex. When we judge others, we’re coming from some belief we consider certain, but we must accept that at some place we may be wrong.
[16:04] Jean: Things you don’t question are what we call undiscussables.
[16:19] Ilana: Undiscussables are bad for society, because if we don’t want to talk about them, they have power over the conversation. It doesn’t change what people think but forces them to retreat to areas where everyone agrees with them.
[21:40] Jean: Are you saying that "The Certainty Trap” is having certainty about our assumptions? Not naming them, and assuming anyone who acts contrary to our noble assumptions is an idiot?
[22:43] Ilana: Instead we should be naming our assumptions and accepting that nothing is immune from questioning.
[25:28] Jean: Certainty is either/or. Confidence is being 99% sure but allowing room for the 1%.
[35:30] Ilana: Terms must be defined. When we talk about antiracism, what does it mean to the people claiming to have the correct definition? What does it mean to the company?
[43:49] Jean: Example: If someone comes to my workplace who endorses the Klan, can I allow that person to have a viewpoint?
[45:39] Ilana: I have two answers. Analytic answer: We should judge that person by work performance. Gut answer: I don’t want to work with this person.
[Summary] Jean: Those of us who want certainty in these times and in our relationships would do well to learn how to stretch our capacity to tolerate differences. We need to define our terms, and we just have to be willing to be wrong.
 Ilana Redstone Ilana is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is also the Faculty Director of the Mill Institute at UATX as well as a Founding Faculty Fellow at UATX. She is the creator of the "Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes" video series, the author of “The Certainty Trap," and a co-author of "Unassailable Ideas: How Unwritten Rules and Social Media Shape Discourse in American Higher Education." She has a joint Ph.D. in demography and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. |
Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this or other blog posts at www.leadingconsciously.com are those of the guest author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Leading Consciously. Any content provided by our bloggers or authors are of their opinion, and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. |
Questions to ask yourself
|
Email us for a pro bono discovery call at jeanLC@leadingconsciously.com
We are a leadership development firm that helps people and organizations create resilient, sustainable, multicultural, and inclusive settings. The ability to lead consciously can help you gain true awareness and earn the respect and trust of others.
It’s the assumptions we have about people’s lives that are the biggest obstacles to growth, awareness, and success. We help you understand how those assumptions are preventing you from becoming the best you can be as an organization, an inclusive leader, and a person.
