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Are You a Cynic, Optimist, or Skeptic? Dr. Jamil Zaki Shares Which Type is Happiest  by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

Are You a Cynic, Optimist, or Skeptic? Dr. Jamil Zaki Shares Which Type is Happiest

from We Can Do Hard Things

by Glennon Doyle and Audacy

Published: Tue May 13 2025

Show Notes

410. Are You a Cynic, Optimist, or Skeptic? Dr. Jamil Zaki Shares Which Way is Happiest

Dr. Jamil Zaki–a Stanford psychologist and director of their Social Neuroscience Lab–discusses how worldviews like optimism, cynicism, and skepticism shape our lives, health, and relationships.

-The three lies we tell ourselves about cynicism

-Why we need to stop putting faith in people who don’t put faith in people

-The quiz you need to know if you’re a cynic

-Why hope could very well save your life


Dr. Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. He trained at Columbia and Harvard, studying empathy and kindness in the human brain. He is interested in how we can learn to connect better. Dr. Zaki is the author of The War For Kindness and, most recently, Hope for Cynics.

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