Dr. Jamil Zaki

And it turns out the data are clear. And as I'm sure you all know, real success, even at a bottom line level, but of course at a human level, requires working with people and building collaboration and coalition and partnership. And so if you immediately, in trying to succeed, write off all of those strategies, you'll actually fall flat more often than not.

The bad news continues. The train rolls on. So it turns out that cynical people compared to non-cynics suffer enormously. And this gets back to this idea of safety, right? We think that it's safe. to cut off connection to people because at least we won't get hurt. But it turns out that we get hurt almost certainly just in very slow motion.

The bad news continues. The train rolls on. So it turns out that cynical people compared to non-cynics suffer enormously. And this gets back to this idea of safety, right? We think that it's safe. to cut off connection to people because at least we won't get hurt. But it turns out that we get hurt almost certainly just in very slow motion.

The bad news continues. The train rolls on. So it turns out that cynical people compared to non-cynics suffer enormously. And this gets back to this idea of safety, right? We think that it's safe. to cut off connection to people because at least we won't get hurt. But it turns out that we get hurt almost certainly just in very slow motion.

One of the things that keeps us thriving is our connection to other people. It's like psychological nourishment. And if you are cynical, if you can't open up and be vulnerable to people, it's like you can't metabolize those calories. And so over time, cynical people suffer from more loneliness and depression, but also from more cellular aging and heart disease.

One of the things that keeps us thriving is our connection to other people. It's like psychological nourishment. And if you are cynical, if you can't open up and be vulnerable to people, it's like you can't metabolize those calories. And so over time, cynical people suffer from more loneliness and depression, but also from more cellular aging and heart disease.

One of the things that keeps us thriving is our connection to other people. It's like psychological nourishment. And if you are cynical, if you can't open up and be vulnerable to people, it's like you can't metabolize those calories. And so over time, cynical people suffer from more loneliness and depression, but also from more cellular aging and heart disease.

And there's a lot of prospective studies with tens of thousands of people that find that folks who are low in trust and more cynical actually die younger than people who are able to connect more deeply, in part because it's those connections that don't just keep us healthy, but literally keep us alive.

And there's a lot of prospective studies with tens of thousands of people that find that folks who are low in trust and more cynical actually die younger than people who are able to connect more deeply, in part because it's those connections that don't just keep us healthy, but literally keep us alive.

And there's a lot of prospective studies with tens of thousands of people that find that folks who are low in trust and more cynical actually die younger than people who are able to connect more deeply, in part because it's those connections that don't just keep us healthy, but literally keep us alive.

Well, they might not be as delightful at parties as other folks, but they might actually. So one of the most classic tests of cynicism is just a set of statements. And you're asked, do you think each one of these is true or false? So for instance, people don't like helping one another very much. False. False. Thank you, Abby. Yes, I agree. Or let's try another one.

Well, they might not be as delightful at parties as other folks, but they might actually. So one of the most classic tests of cynicism is just a set of statements. And you're asked, do you think each one of these is true or false? So for instance, people don't like helping one another very much. False. False. Thank you, Abby. Yes, I agree. Or let's try another one.

Well, they might not be as delightful at parties as other folks, but they might actually. So one of the most classic tests of cynicism is just a set of statements. And you're asked, do you think each one of these is true or false? So for instance, people don't like helping one another very much. False. False. Thank you, Abby. Yes, I agree. Or let's try another one.

People are honest chiefly through fear of getting caught.

People are honest chiefly through fear of getting caught.

People are honest chiefly through fear of getting caught.

Amanda?

Amanda?

Amanda?

Okay, well, we've got a non-cynical bunch here so far. So yes, statements like these probe, the more you agree with these statements, the more that you might present as a cynic. But Glennon, you ask a good question, not just what do cynics think, but how do they act, right? How do they present to other people? And there's a few different things that you might notice.