Outraged: Why We Fight about Morality and Politics

A new framework for the moral mind that completely rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us

For a very long time, humans were considered ＂killer apes,＂ apex predators. But when you’re standing alone in the forest, do you feel strong, ready to take on anything? Or do you feel vulnerable to every sound and movement? Chances are, it’s the latter. We descend from a long line of hominids who were prey at least as often as they were predator. Our minds are hard-wired to perceive threats in the world around us, and we are quick to react. And this realization about our ancestors has profound implications for our moral psychology and why it is so easy to feel outraged.

The received wisdom in moral psycology divides morality into different pillars, but Gray’s grand unifying theory is that all morality stems from our perception of threat and harm, and who’s being harmed in a given situation. It explains why we overreact to everything from minor irritations to perceived threats. It can also help explain why you’re a Democrat or Republican and how each side sees the world differently. In all cases, moral outrage is the result of seeing someone acting in a way that causes harm, whether to ourselves, to those we care about, or to society.

Outraged presents a fascinating, groundbreaking new view on moral conflict that explores why harm is so central to morality, why and how people disagree about perceptions of harm, and how understanding this fundamental principle can help us bridge moral divides.

KURT GRAY is a Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding. He is also an Adjunct Professor in Organizational Behavior at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC, where he teaches about organizational ethics and team processes. Dr. Gray received his PhD from Harvard University.