Stay Tuned with Preet Common Knowledge in the Trump Era (with Steven Pinker)
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Sep 25, 2025 
Steven Pinker, a renowned cognitive psychologist and Harvard professor, delves into his book on common knowledge and its impact on social norms. He explains how shared awareness shapes collective behavior and why clear academic writing is essential. Pinker connects common knowledge to everything from traffic norms to market speculation, highlighting how misinformation can undermine trust. The conversation also touches on how political dynamics have shifted under Trump's influence, showing the fragility of established norms.
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How Norms Depend On Mutual Awareness
- Social norms function only when people expect others to know and enforce them informally.
- Common knowledge allows bystanders to sanction violators because they trust collective backing.
Bubbles Are Mutual Mind-Reading
- Many economic bubbles and panics arise from people predicting what others expect, not fundamental value.
- Common expectation—thinking about others' expectations—can sustain irrational price swings.
GameStop As A Common-Knowledge Case
- The GameStop meme-stock surge began when an influencer repeatedly signaled interest and followers acted together.
- Viral attention created common expectation that others would buy, driving a temporary price spike.
