Cultures of Self-Silencing: An interview with Jenara Nerenberg

Issue 180: On self-silencing and the discomfort of disagreement (plus a book giveaway!)

Our tolerance for differing opinions is narrowing. We live in a censorious time where one misstep or out-of-context sound-bite can spark digital outrage, shunning, and even campaigns to fire people. Therefore, the everyday environments we live in can make us feel like we shouldn’t speak our mind. Bestselling author and journalist, Jenara Nerenberg’s new book, Trust Your Mind: Embracing Nuance in a World of Self-Silencing, examines the cultural forces behind self-silencing and groupthink. Specifically, she traces how these dynamics shape our classrooms, workplaces, and communities. The topic is both extremely timely and necessary.

In Jenara’s interview with us, she unpacks how our human needs for safety, connection, purpose, and acceptance can both bind us together and drive us apart. She introduces readers to theories like Michael Hogg’s uncertainty-identity theory and the concept of entitativity, which can explain why people gravitate toward groups with strong norms and identities, so…