Episode 11: It is Morally Wrong to Kill Morgan Freeman (with Yoel Inbar)

In 'On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society,' Lt. Col. Dave Grossman explores the psychology of the act of killing and its implications on soldiers and society. The book is based on S.L. A. Marshall's studies from World War II, which revealed that most soldiers do not fire their weapons due to an innate resistance to killing. Grossman details how military training has evolved to overcome this resistance, resulting in significantly higher firing rates in subsequent wars. He also discusses the psychological costs of killing, including post-traumatic stress, and raises questions about the impact of escalating violence in society. The book has been widely acclaimed and is on the U.S. Marine Corps' Commandant’s Required Reading List and required reading at the FBI Academy.

In 'Out of Character,' psychologists David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo challenge the idea of stable character traits, showing how emotions, situational contexts, and unconscious forces lead people to act in unexpectedly virtuous or villainous ways. Drawing from lab experiments and real-life examples, the book examines phenomena like hypocrisy, compassion, pride, gratitude, and biases, explaining why good people sometimes cheat or sinners show generosity. It provides insights into the fluid nature of morality and behavior to foster greater self-awareness.