All language subtitles for Why.We.Hate.S01E01.WEBRip.x264-ION10

HUMANS HAVE
AN UNPARALLELED ABILITY

TO LOVE AND COOPERATE.

SO, WHY DO WE SOMETIMES
ACT CRUEL AND HATEFUL...

WE ALL HATE YOU!
WE HATE AMERICAN.

YOU HATE US?
YES, I HATE YOU.

...NOT JUST AS INDIVIDUALS BUT
AS WHOLE COMMUNITIES OR NATIONS?

HEIL!

HATE BREEDS BULLYING,
SOCIAL INJUSTICE, VIOLENCE, WAR,

EVEN GENOCIDE AND MASS MURDER.

WHERE DOES THAT IMPULSE
COME FROM?

INVESTIGATORS
SAY IT ALL HAPPENED

IN JUST 10 MINUTES OF TERROR.

WHAT'S THE ORIGIN
OF HUMAN HATE,

ORIGIN OF DEHUMANIZATION?

SEND THEM BACK TO THE DUSTBIN
THEY COME FROM,

AND LET THEM
GO SIT ON A CAMEL.

WHY IS IT
THAT HUMANS ARE ABLE TO HATE?

WHY DO WE HAVE THIS EMOTION?

YOU RACISTS, YOU FASCISTS,
YOU RIGHT-WING BASTARDS,

GET OUT OF HERE!

WHAT'S REALLY SHOCKING
IS THE SPEED AT WHICH

YOU CAN INCITE THIS KIND
OF BEHAVIOR IN ORDINARY PEOPLE.

I'M NOT A FASCIST.

WEARING THAT HAT
SAYS IT ALL.

HE'S MY PRESIDENT,
AND HE'S YOUR PRESIDENT!

IF YOU CREATE
AN ATMOSPHERE OF HATE,

IT'S GOING TO BE
REALLY HARD TO REVERSE.

WHY DO YOU HATE US?
BECAUSE YOU'RE MEXICANS.

BECAUSE WE'RE MEXICANS? YEAH.

WAIT, NO, NO, NO, NO!

CERTAINLY, HATE CAN EXIST
BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS,

BUT ALL THESE
PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCES

JUST AMPLIFY ANY CONFLICT
BETWEEN GROUPS.

WE HAVE SEEN
THAT THE PROPAGANDA

HAD BEEN USED EFFECTIVELY HERE

AS A PATHWAY TO GENOCIDE.

THE PROPAGANDA KILLS.

THERE WAS A TIME
WHEN WE THOUGHT

THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA

AS BEING KIND OF
A NEUTRAL DISPENSER OF FACTS,

AND THAT HAS CHANGED.

IT SEEMS AS IF THERE ARE TOOLS
THAT MAKE IT EASIER

TO GET PEOPLE TO BEHAVE
IN WAYS

THAT ARE INHUMANE,
THAT ARE HATEFUL.

I DEFINE TERRORISM
AS MAKING THEM FEARFUL

SO THAT THEY THINK TWICE.

SIEG HEIL! SIEG HEIL!

IN FACT, THEY SAID,
"HIS CRIMES WERE

AMONG THE MOST HEINOUS
THAT ANYONE HAD EVER COMMITTED.

THEY WERE AN AFFRONT,"
THEY SAID, "TO ALL HUMANITY."

YOU CAN HAVE
A LEGAL UNDERSTANDING

OF THE EVIDENCE,
OF THE FACTS,

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS
THAT HUMAN QUESTION

OF, "WHY DID THEY DO IT?
HOW COULD THEY DO IT?"

- ARE YOU READY?
- ALRIGHT, HERE WE GO. READY?

THINKING ABOUT THE ORIGIN
OF HATE, REALLY, FOR ME,

THE STORY OF HATE STARTS
WITH THINKING

ABOUT OUR SPECIES' EVOLUTION.

WHY IS IT THAT HUMANS HATE?

WHERE DOES THIS EMOTION
COME FROM?

HOW OLD IS HATE?

IS IT THAT SOMEHOW
IT'S UNIQUE TO OUR SPECIES?

MAYBE IT'S IN OTHER SPECIES,
AS WELL?

FOR ME, AS SOMEBODY WHO'S
INTERESTED IN HUMAN EVOLUTION,

I HAVE TO START EXACTLY THERE.

IS IT SOMETHING
ABOUT HOW WE EVOLVE

THAT LEADS US TO HATE?

BRIAN HARE INTRO,
TAKE ONE, MARK.

I'M AN EVOLUTIONARY
ANTHROPOLOGIST,

SO THE GOAL OF MY WORK

IS REALLY TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT IS TO BE HUMAN.

AND HOW WE TRY TO ADDRESS THAT
IS ACTUALLY BETTER UNDERSTANDING

WHAT IT IS TO BE NOTHUMAN,
AND THE THINKING IS

THAT IF WE CAN UNDERSTAND
WHAT IT IS TO BE NOTHUMAN,

WE CAN IDENTIFY
WHAT PART OF OURSELVES

IS REALLY ONLY FOUND IN HUMANS.

HE GET THAT TREAT?

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN FASCINATED
BY ANIMALS

BECAUSE I HAD A DOG, GROWING UP,
WHO WAS MY BEST FRIEND,

AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE,
LIKE ANYBODY WHO'S A DOG OWNER,

NOT TO WONDER,
"WELL, HOW DOES MY DOG THINK?"

OKAY, CONGO, WHERE IS IT?

NICE! YOU GOT IT!

GOOD BOY!

GOOD BOY! ALRIGHT!

"DOES HE THINK LIKE ME,

OR DOES HE THINK
IN A DIFFERENT WAY?"

GOOD BOY!
PIECE OF CAKE FOR YOU, HUH?

PIECE OF CAKE FOR YOU.

"DOES HE LOVE ME
LIKE I LOVE HIM?"

I MEAN, I SURE THOUGHT HE DID,

BUT WOULDN'T IT BE INTERESTING
TO KNOW FOR SURE?

AND WHEN I WENT OFF TO SCHOOL,

I FOUND OUT
THERE WERE PEOPLE

WHO THIS IS WHAT THEY DO
FOR THEIR LIVES!

THEY TRY TO UNDERSTAND
HOW ANIMALS THINK,

COMPARED TO HUMANS.

SO WHAT THAT LED TO WAS
ME SPENDING A LOT OF TIME

WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT SPECIES

BUT ESPECIALLY OUR CLOSEST
LIVING ANIMAL RELATIVES,

CHIMPANZEES AND BONOBOS.

CHIMPANZEES
AND BONOBOS ARE ACTUALLY

MORE CLOSELY RELATED TO US
GENETICALLY

THAN THEY ARE TO GORILLAS.

REALLY, GENETICALLY,
THEY'RE 99% HUMAN!

WHOO, WHOO, WHOO!

THAT THEN LED ME TO WONDER,
"ARE THEY CAPABLE OF HATE,

OR IS HOW WE CAN
HATE ONE ANOTHER

REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT US?"

BONOBOS AND CHIMPANZEES
ARE FASCINATING

BECAUSE THEY ARE
VERY SIMILAR TO ONE ANOTHER.

THEY HAVE RICH
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS.

THEY HAVE LONG-TERM BONDS
WITH EACH OTHER.

THEY EAT MUCH OF THE SAME STUFF.

WHAT MAKES THE TWO SPECIES
SO INTERESTING TO STUDY

IS HOW THEY'RE DIFFERENT,
AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT IN WAYS

THAT ARE SO FUNDAMENTAL
TO UNDERSTANDING OURSELVES.

YOU REALLY
CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN CHIMPANZEES AND BONOBOS
JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM.

THEY LOOK ALMOST THE SAME.

I COULDN'T TELL
A CHIMPANZEE FROM A BONOBO

WHEN I FIRST STARTED.

THE DIFFERENCES REALLY COME
WHEN YOU WATCH THEIR BEHAVIOR

AND SEE THE WAY
THEIR SOCIETIES ARE MADE UP.

MOST PEOPLE ARE MORE
FAMILIAR WITH CHIMPANZEES.

THEY'RE MALE-DOMINATED,

AND FEMALES HAVE TO ENDURE
A LOT OF AGGRESSION FROM MALES.

IN CHIMPANZEES,

AGGRESSION IS VERY MUCH TO
ESTABLISH DOMINANCE

AND MAINTAIN CONTROL,
SO IF AN ALPHA MALE COMES IN,

THE FIRST THING HE'LL DO
IS HE'LL KILL ALL THE BABIES.

BONOBOS HAVE NONE OF THAT.

THEY ARE
FEMALE-DOMINATED,

AND INFANTS AND BABIES
ARE ALMOST NEVER HARMED.

SO, THEN, OF COURSE,
YOU HAVE TO WONDER,

"WELL, HOW DID THEY BECOME
SO DIFFERENT?"

WE THINK
THAT CHIMPANZEES AND BONOBOS

SPLIT FROM OUR LINEAGE
ABOUT 6 MILLION YEARS AGO.

AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS,
THE CONGO RIVER,

IT SORT OF ARCS LIKE A RAINBOW
THROUGH THE CONTINENT,

AND GORILLAS AND CHIMPANZEES
KIND OF, LIKE,

COEVOLVED AT THE TOP,

AND THEN BONOBOS WERE SORT OF,
LIKE, SOUTH OF THE CONGO RIVER.

AND JUST THAT RIVER
AND THAT SPLIT

CREATED SOME REALLY
EXTRAORDINARY DIFFERENCES.

BONOBOS,
SOUTH OF THE CONGO RIVER,

THEY DON'T LIVE IN A WORLD

WHERE THEY HAVE TO WORRY
AS MUCH ABOUT FOOD.

SO, WITH CHIMPANZEES, THEY
HAVE TO COMPETE FOR RESOURCES,

WHICH MEANS THAT WHEN
THEY SEE ANOTHER GROUP,

THEY SEE THEM AS A COMPETITOR.

THEY'VE EVOLVED A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF HOSTILITY

TOWARDS OTHER GROUPS
BECAUSE OF THAT COMPETITION.

BONOBOS HAVE THIS ABILITY
TO BE MORE SOCIAL,

TO BE TOGETHER
AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER

BECAUSE THEY HAVE
MORE RESOURCES.

THEY HAVE A MUCH EASIER TIME
AT FINDING FOOD

THAN CHIMPANZEES DO.

CHIMPANZEES CAN BE FRIENDLY,

BUT IF A STRANGE
CHIMPANZEE GROUP

MEETS ANOTHER GROUP
OF STRANGE CHIMPANZEES,

IT'S GOING TO BE HOSTILE.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE AGGRESSIVE
TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER,

AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE
COMPETING FOR RESOURCES.

YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY
AS 40 ADULT MALES

WILL WORK TOGETHER TO PATROL
THE BORDER OF THEIR TERRITORY,

AND IT'S DONE
VERY INTENTIONALLY.

THEY BECOME VERY QUIET.

THEY NO LONGER VOCALIZE.

THEY'RE HUNTING --

HUNTING ON THE BORDER
OF THEIR TERRITORY.

AND WHAT THEY'RE
LISTENING FOR

IS ANY SIGN THAT
ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS,

ESPECIALLY A MALE OR A MOTHER
WITH A YOUNG INFANT, IS ALONE.

AND IF THEY MAKE THE ESTIMATION
THAT THEIR NUMBERS

ARE OVERWHELMINGLY LARGE,
COMPARED TO THEIR NEIGHBORS,

THEY WILL RUN INTO
THE NEIGHBORING TERRITORY...

...GRAB THEM OUT OF THE TREE.

IF IT'S AN INFANT,
THEY'LL TEAR IT OFF THE MOTHER,

AND THEY'LL EAT THEM ALIVE,
RIGHT THERE.

BONOBO AND CHIMPANZEES
HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN SEPARATED

FOR OVER A MILLION YEARS,
AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS

THAT THEY HAVE EVOLVED
TO BE DIFFERENT.

IT'S A STORY OF ECOLOGY,
OF HOW THE FOREST IS BUILT,

THAT'S REALLY SHAPED
WHO THEY EVOLVED TO BE.

IN BONOBO LAND, IT'S A RICHER,
MORE PREDICTABLE RESOURCE.

THE MALE AGGRESSION,
IT JUST DOESN'T PAY,

AND CHIMPANZEE AGGRESSION

IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL STRATEGY
IN THAT ECOLOGY.

CHIMPANZEES ARE, YOU KNOW,

ALMOST THIS PERFECT
REFLECTION OF OURSELVES

BECAUSE THEY HAVE
A WONDERFUL SIDE --

AND I'VE RAISED
ORPHAN CHIMPANZEES BEFORE,

AND YOU'VE NEVER MET, LIKE,
A MORE LOVING,

MORE COMPASSIONATE,
EMPATHETIC, MORE HUMAN ANIMAL --

AND YET THEY ALSO HAVE
THIS DARK SIDE,

WITH, LIKE, A LOT OF
VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION

TOWARDS PROVING THEIR STATUS.

AND THIS IS EXACTLY
WHAT HUMANS DO.

A STATUS-STRIVING,
DOMINANCE-STRIVING BEHAVIOR

IS SOMETHING WE SEE EVERYWHERE
WHEN IT'S ADVANTAGEOUS.

WITHIN OUR OWN GROUPS,

WE CAN BE EVEN MORE LOVING
AND KIND THAN BONOBOS.

BUT WE'RE STILL
A COMPETITIVE SPECIES.

AND BETWEEN GROUPS,
WE CAN ACT MORE AGGRESSIVE

AND VIOLENT
THAN EVEN CHIMPANZEES.

AND THAT THEN ALLOWS US
TO BE SO CRUEL, SO AWFUL,

AND THE MOST HATEFUL SPECIES
PROBABLY THAT'S EVER EVOLVED.

50,000 YEARS AGO,
THERE WERE OTHER HUMANS!

SO, HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE
THE LAST HUMANS STANDING?

HOW IS IT THAT WE COULD BE
THE SPECIES THAT'S STILL HERE,

AND THE OTHERS AREN'T,
WHEN THEY ALL HAD BIG BRAINS,

WERE CULTURAL, AND
HAD LINGUISTIC ABILITIES?

I THINK WE BECAME FRIENDLIER.

I THINK WE'RE
THE ONLY HUMAN SPECIES

THAT ACTUALLY BECAME BETTER
AT WORKING TOGETHER

WITHIN OUR OWN GROUPS.

YET WE HAVE ALSO EVOLVED
THE CAPACITY

TO BE INCREDIBLY HOSTILE
AND CRUEL IN SOME SITUATIONS.

OH, OH!

SOMETIMES, HUMAN SOCIETY
EVEN REWARDS

HATEFUL AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
LIKE BULLYING.

THIS SHOCKING VIDEO,
TAKEN 2 WEEKS AGO,

AND POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
AFTER 14-YEAR-OLD JORDAN PEISNER

WAS SUCKER-PUNCHED
BY A 15-YEAR-OLD --

A HIT THAT FRACTURED HIS SKULL,
RUPTURED HIS EARDRUM...

OH!

****
BACK OFF.

I GET ASKED A LOT

IF PEOPLE
ARE PREWIRED TO BULLY.

HEY!

BULLYING OCCURS IN EVERY CONTEXT
IN WHICH IT'S BEEN STUDIED.

- ****
- GO! BEAT IT.

GO.
- ****.

SO, IT HAPPENS AROUND THE WORLD,
AND WHAT'S REALLY STRIKING

IS THAT THE PREVALENCE RATES
ARE VERY SIMILAR.

ABOUT 30% OF YOUTH
ARE BULLIED OCCASIONALLY,

AND ABOUT 7% TO 10% OF YOUTH

ARE BULLIED RUTHLESSLY
EVERY DAY.

IT SUGGESTS THAT IT'S PERHAPS
ROOTED IN OUR EVOLUTIONARY PAST.

UP UNTIL JUST VERY RECENTLY,

THE MENTALITY ABOUT BULLYING
WAS THAT IT'S A RITE OF PASSAGE,

THAT IT'S JUST
SOMETHING KIDS DO,

THAT IT MAKES THEM STRONGER.

AND THE ONLY REASON
WE'RE CHANGING THAT ZEITGEIST

IS BECAUSE KIDS ARE
KILLING THEMSELVES OVER THIS.

MY NAME IS OLIVER GRAVES.

GROWING UP, I WAS ALWAYS
A DIFFERENT KID.

I MOVED AROUND A LOT,
AND I WAS SUCH AN OUTSIDER.

AS I GREW UP,

I GREW INCREASINGLY
UNCOMFORTABLE IN MY OWN BODY,

AND I COULDN'T EXACTLY
UNDERSTAND IT.

WHEN I GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL,

I STARTED LEARNING
ABOUT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE

AND WHAT EXACTLY
BEING TRANSGENDER WAS.

I REALIZED THAT THAT WAS
EXACTLY HOW I WAS FEELING.

AND AFTER COMING OUT,

I WAS PUSHED IN THE HALLWAY,
BEAT UP.

I'VE BEEN CALLED, "FAGGOT,"
"TRANNY," "DIKE,"

JUST...

YOU COULD WRITE A BOOK

ON EVERY WORD
THAT I'VE BEEN CALLED.

I CAME OUT IN APRIL,

AND I WAS HOSPITALIZED
IN OCTOBER

FOR A SUICIDE ATTEMPT.

IT WAS REALLY HARD
IN HIGH SCHOOL

BECAUSE THE POPULAR PEOPLE,

WHO WERE DOING THE BULLYING
IN THE FIRST PLACE,

STAYED AT THE TOP
OF THE FOOD CHAIN,

AND THEY STILL BASICALLY
RAN THE SCHOOL.

WE TEND TO THINK ABOUT BULLIES

AS THE STEREOTYPICAL
OR TRADITIONAL BULLY.

THESE INDIVIDUALS
ARE MARGINALIZED,

THEY'RE IMPULSIVE.

BUT MOST KIDS WHO BULLY OTHERS
AREN'T LIKE THAT,

AND IN FACT, MOST KIDS
WHO BULLY OTHERS,

AND THE ONES WHO BULLY
WITH THE GREATEST EFFECT,

ARE THE ONES
WHO ARE QUITE POPULAR.

AND THEN THEY ABUSE
THEIR POWER WITH IMPUNITY,

SO THE PEER GROUP SUPPORTS
THEIR ABUSE OF OTHERS,

WHICH MAKES IT INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT TO COMBAT, THEN.

THE BULLYING, FOR ME,

STARTED WHEN I WAS
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BECAUSE I WAS MOVING
BACK AND FORTH

FROM STATE TO STATE,
FROM TEXAS TO TENNESSEE.

IT STARTED BECAUSE
I WAS DIFFERENT FROM...

WELL, I SEEMED TO LOOK
DIFFERENT FROM EVERYBODY.

BECAUSE MY MOM AND MY DAD

WEREN'T INVOLVED
IN MY LIFE AS MUCH,

I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.

SO I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
HOW TO, LIKE, COMB MY HAIR

OR, LIKE, CERTAIN THINGS
THAT OTHER GIRLS KNEW HOW TO.

AND SO IT SEEMED LIKE
GIRLS IN MY CLASS

WOULD NOTICE
THOSE LITTLE THINGS,

AND THEY WOULD PICK ON ME
BECAUSE OF THAT.

SO, THEN, TRANSITIONING
TO MIDDLE SCHOOL

IS WHEN I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT
TO GET PICKED ON ANYMORE,

AND SO I BECAME THE BULLY.

I WILL NEVER FORGET
WHAT I DID IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I WOULD TAKE GIRLS
TO THE RESTROOM.

AND I REMEMBER
A SPECIFIC STUDENT,

I TOOK HER TO THE RESTROOM.

I TOOK HER
INTO ONE OF THOSE STALLS

AND JUST PUNCHED HER
BECAUSE I JUST THOUGHT

SHE WAS SO WEAK
AND VULNERABLE, YOU KNOW?

I DID SEE MYSELF IN HER,

AND SO THAT ALWAYS ANGERED ME
TO SEE HER THAT WAY.

I REALLY SAW MYSELF AS, LIKE,
THE BADDEST GIRL, YOU KNOW?

THE POPULAR PEOPLE,

IT WAS MY, LIKE,
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS, RIGHT?

LIKE, THEY RESPECTED ME
BECAUSE I WAS MEAN TO OTHERS,

AND SO WHEN I FELT THAT,

IT WAS LIKE,
"HOW DO I GIVE THIS UP?"

IN HIGH SCHOOL, ONE DAY,
I REMEMBER I WAS IN CLASS,

AND THE TEACHER YELLED AT ME

AND SAID, "GET OUT."
YOU KNOW?

SHE TOLD ME TO GO STRAIGHT
TO THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE.

WHEN I GOT HALFWAY THERE,
I CROSSED PATHS

WITH A TEACHER'S AIDE
FROM THE SCHOOL,

AND HE STOPPED ME.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN MY WHOLE EDUCATION LIFE,

SOMEBODY ASKED ME,
"WHAT'S WRONG?"

AND "HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"

AND I REMEMBER, THAT
CONVERSATION WE HAD THAT DAY

CHANGED MY LIFE COMPLETELY.

HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAD SEEN ME
BE SO MEAN TO OTHER KIDS.

YOU KNOW?
AND SO TO ME,

THAT KIND OF MADE ME
FEEL HUMILIATED IN A WAY,

AND SO I DECIDED TO CHANGE.

BUT I FEEL REALLY BAD OF MYSELF,
YOU KNOW,

AND EMBARRASSED TO KIND OF SAY,
"WOW. DID I REALLY DO THAT?"

SO, IN THINKING ABOUT HOW HUMANS

ARE CAPABLE OF LOVE AND HATE,

THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES,

"WHAT PUSHES US
ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?

ARE WE GUIDED BY OUR SENSE
OF WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG?

IS THIS SOMETHING
THAT'S ALSO EVOLVED,

OR IS IT INSTEAD

THAT WE'RE SHAPED TO BE
MORAL BY OUR SURROUNDINGS?"

WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF HATE,

YOU MUST THINK
ABOUT CHILDHOOD, INFANCY.

AS A PARENT, WE WORK REALLY HARD
TO TRY TO GET OUR KIDS

TO DO THE RIGHT THING,
NOT THE WRONG THING.

THE QUESTION
EVERYBODY ALWAYS ASKS

IS ABOUT NATURE AND NURTURE --

"TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE BORN
A CERTAIN WAY,

EITHER AS INDIVIDUALS
OR AS MEMBERS OF A SPECIES,

AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES
THE WORLD CHANGE US?

DO BABIES HAVE
A SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG,

A SENSE OF GOOD AND EVIL?"

OKAY, HERE WE ARE,
AT THE INFANT COGNITION CENTER,

WHERE ALL THE BABY
TESTING HAPPENS.

IN MY INFANT COGNITION LAB,

WE STUDY CHILDREN
FROM 3 MONTHS OF AGE,

UP UNTIL EVEN
4 OR 5 YEARS OF AGE.

ALRIGHT, NOAH.
YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB!

SO MUCH OF MY WORK FOCUSES ON,
"WHAT ARE WE BUILT WITH

THAT WE'RE BRINGING AS PART
OF OUR INHERENT HUMAN NATURE,

EVEN FROM VERY YOUNG INFANCY?"

SO WE DO
THESE EXPERIMENTS

THAT INVOLVE SHOWING BABIES

DIFFERENT SORT OF INTERACTIONS,
ONE-ACT PLAYS,

AND SEEING HOW
THEY MAKE SENSE OF THEM.

UP GOES THE CURTAIN!

WELL, THE FIRST STUDY
THAT WE DID,

REALLY FOCUSING IN ON THE
ORIGINS OF OUR MORAL CAPACITY,

OUR CAPACITY TO MAKE
RENDERED JUDGMENTS

ABOUT OTHER INDIVIDUALS
BASED ON HOW THEY TREAT SOMEONE,

WE WERE VERY INTERESTED
IN THE QUESTION OF,

"DO BABIES JUDGE OTHERS?"

AND SO WE DEVISED SEVERAL
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS

WHERE WE INTRODUCED
BABIES TO CHARACTERS.

ONE CHARACTER
TREATS ANOTHER WELL,

HELPS IT OPEN A BOX.

AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL COMES

AND TREATS
THE SAME CHARACTER BADLY,

SLAMS THE BOX CLOSED.

OUR QUESTION
WAS VERY, VERY SIMPLE --

"DOES THE BABY
HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE

TOWARDS THE HELPFUL CHARACTER
AND THE UNHELPFUL?"

ALRIGHT, JACK.

YOU'RE DOING
A GREAT JOB, BUDDY.

HI!
HI!

SO WE SIMPLY
HAND OUT THE TWO PUPPETS,

HOLD THEM OUT TO THE BABY,
AND SEE WHO THEY REACH FOR.

OKAY.

LITERALLY, WHO DO THEY WANT
TO HANG OUT WITH?

OKAY.

WHAT WE HAVE FOUND,
EVER SINCE WE STARTED THIS,

WAS, OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN,

BABIES CHOOSE
THE NICE INDIVIDUAL.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

THESE STUDIES
AND OTHER STUDIES

FROM MANY OTHER LABORATORIES
SUGGEST

THAT A LOT OF THE MORALITY
THAT WE USED TO BELIEVE

IS THE PRODUCT OF CULTURE
AND EDUCATION AND LEARNING

IS ACTUALLY THE PRODUCT
OF BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTION.

DO YOU SEE THESE GUYS?

THEY SEEM TO HAVE
SOME SORT OF MORAL SENSE

THAT SHOWS UP VERY EARLY

IN THEIR JUDGMENTS
OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS --

"THIS IS A GOOD GUY,
THIS IS A BAD GUY" --

BUT ALSO INVOLVING JUSTICE --

"THIS CHARACTER
SHOULD BE PUNISHED,

THIS CHARACTER
SHOULD BE REWARDED."

AND IN SOME WAY, THAT'S GREAT,
BUT IT CAN ALSO FUEL HATRED.

RUFF, RUFF!

SO, WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT HUMANS,

ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT MIGHT COME TO MIND,

THAT MUST BE SOMETHING
THAT ONLY WE DO,

IS HAVING A SENSE OF FAIRNESS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE
WHO STUDY ANIMALS HAVE

BEEN REALLY INTERESTED IN IS,
"WHAT'S THE ORIGIN OF FAIRNESS?

IS IT THAT OUR SENSE OF FAIRNESS
IS SOMETHING

THAT EVOLVED UNIQUELY
IN OUR SPECIES,

OR IS THIS SOMETHING
THAT WE SEE THROUGHOUT NATURE?"

WE'RE NOT SURE
IF ANIMALS HAVE FAIRNESS.

CERTAINLY, THERE'S SOME
SCIENTISTS WHO WOULD ARGUE

THEY DO IN SOME CASES.

IT'S A HOT AREA.

IT'S VERY CONTROVERSIAL
AND DEBATED.

BUT PROFESSOR FRANS DE WAAL,
WHO IS AT EMORY UNIVERSITY

AND HAS SPENT DECADES
STUDYING ANIMALS

AND HOW THEY THINK -- IN FACT,
WAS ONE OF MY MENTORS --

DID A BRILLIANT EXPERIMENT
WITH CAPUCHIN MONKEYS,

A VERY DISTANT RELATIVE TO US
IN THE PRIMATE FAMILY

THAT SEEMS TO SHOW
A SENSE OF FAIRNESS.

THE CAPUCHIN MONKEYS
IN THE EXPERIMENT

ARE TRYING
TO SOLVE A PROBLEM,

AND IF THEY SOLVE IT,
THEY GET PAID.

THEY GET PAID SOME KIND OF FOOD
AND SOMETHING THEY LIKE.

THEY LOVE FRUIT, AND
SO YOU GIVE CAPUCHIN MONKEY BOB

AND CAPUCHIN MONKEY SALLY --
THEY SOLVE THE PROBLEM,

YOU GIVE THEM THE SAME THING.
THEY BOTH GET GRAPES.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IF,
FOR THE SAME JOB

AND SOLVING THE SAME PROBLEM,

YOU START GIVING SALLY
A CUCUMBER,

WHICH ISN'T SOMETHING
THEY LIKE AS MUCH AS A GRAPE.

IF YOU GIVE ONE OF THEM
CUCUMBER FOR THE TASK,

AND YOU DO IT
MANY TIMES IN A ROW,

AND THE OTHER ONE,
YOU GIVE GRAPES,

THEN THE ONE WHO GETS CUCUMBER
GETS VERY UPSET.

THE AGITATION,
THE EMOTION THAT THEY SHOW...

...IS WHAT IN HUMANS
YOU WOULD CALL ENVY OR JEALOUSY.

THEIR SENSE OF FAIRNESS
COMES IN,

IN THAT IT'S,
FOR THEM, A COMPARISON.

BUT THE HUMAN SENSE OF FAIRNESS
IS UBIQUITOUS.

WITNESSES SAY THIS
FIGHT IN HOUSTON OVER THE WEEKEND

BROKE OUT OVER A RIGHT TURN.

IT PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE

IN GOVERNING ALMOST ALL
OUR SOCIAL INTERACTIONS,

WHETHER IT'S AT HOME,
AT WORK, OR EVEN ON THE ROAD.

AND THIS BEATDOWN OF
A DRIVER NEAR TAMPA LAST MONTH

ONLY ENDED WHEN
THE DRIVER'S WIFE

PULLED OUT A PISTOL.

IF WE FEEL LIKE
WE'VE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY,

WE CAN ALSO FEEL LIKE WE'RE
BEING PERSECUTED, THREATENED,

AND IT CAN REALLY RELEASE
THE DARKER SIDE OF OUR NATURE.

GET ****SOMEBODY BEHIND THE ****

****
STOP IT!

STOP IT!

HATE, EVEN VIOLENCE,
CAN FLOW WHEN WE FEEL INJUSTICE.

**** CUT ME OFF!
I'M ALMOST **** WRECKED,

YOU ****!

FILM THAT!

BRIAN HARE INTROS,
TAKE 6, MARK.

SO THERE'S
ONE EXPRESSION OF HATE

THAT IS EXPLODING IN FREQUENCY
IN RECENT YEARS.

THREE OF THE 10
DEADLIEST SHOOTINGS

IN AMERICAN HISTORY

HAVE COME
IN THE LAST 5 MONTHS.

WELL, THEY'RE SCARED
TO GO TO SCHOOL.

THAT'S --
THAT'S, UH...

WELL, THIS HAS BECOME
AN EPIDEMIC.

WHAT WOULD DRIVE SOMEONE
TO SEEK REVENGE

AGAINST A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE,

CREATE VICTIMS
THAT WERE COMPLETELY INNOCENT?

WHAT IS IT THAT TURNS HATE
INTO MASS MURDER?

THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE

ACTUALLY COMMITTING
MASS SHOOTINGS,

EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS REALLY BIG,
IT'S ACTUALLY VERY SMALL.

THE RATE HAS GONE UP
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,

AND IT'S CONTINUING TO RISE
IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS.

BUT THE TINY SLIVER OF DEATHS
THAT HAPPEN

IN THE CONTEXT
OF MASS SHOOTINGS,

THEY COULD HAPPEN TO ANY OF US.

ANYONE WHO GOES TO SCHOOL,
CHURCH, A MALL, A MOVIE THEATER,

WE'RE ALL VULNERABLE TO THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT RECENT CASES

OF MASS KILLINGS,
THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CAUSES.

I MEAN, THIS KID
WAS FLASHING RED.

THERE WERE NEON SIGNS
OVER HIS LEFT SHOULDER,

FROM HIS
SOCIAL-MEDIA POSTS,

HE WAS -- HE WAS
ABOUT TO GO OFF.

SOME OF THEM ARE DUE
TO RELIGIOUS ZEALOTRY.

SOME OF THEM ARE DUE
TO MENTAL ILLNESS.

SOME OF THEM ARE DUE
TO MISOGYNY, OF ALL THINGS.

CAN YOU AT LEAST SAY
IF THE SUSPECT WAS FRUSTRATED

WITH HIS RELATIONSHIPS
WITH WOMEN?

AGAIN, BECAUSE THAT'S
PART OF THE EVIDENCE,

THAT'S GOING TO BE PART
OF OUR INVESTIGATION.

HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY
IS COMPLICATED,

AND THE RANGE OF
UGLY MENTAL SYSTEMS

THAT CAN EVOLVE
IS QUITE, QUITE BROAD,

AND FOR EVERY UGLY THOUGHT THAT
COULD DANCE ACROSS YOUR HEAD,

THERE'S A MOB OF PEOPLE ONLINE

WILLING TO ENCOURAGE YOU
AND ROOT YOU ON,

PEOPLE WHO WILL SUPPORT
YOUR NARRATIVE,

YOUR NARRATIVE BEING
THAT BLACKS

ARE GOING TO
TAKE OVER THE COUNTRY,

THAT THERE'S
A JEWISH CONSPIRACY,

THAT WOMEN ARE HORRIBLE
AND DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED.

THIS CONCEPT THAT I THINK

IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO THE MASS SHOOTER

IS SOMEBODY WHO IS
EXPECTING THINGS FROM THE WORLD

AND IS NOT GETTING THEM --

EVERY WOMAN
WHO TURNS THEM DOWN,

EVERY PEER WHO DRIVES
A NICER CAR THAN THEY DO,

EVERY GUY WHO WALKS
PAST THEM IN THE HALLWAY

AND BUMPS THEM
AND DIDN'T SAY "SORRY."

THEY REMEMBER
ALL OF THOSE THINGS,

AND THEY COLLECT THEM
AND THEY HOLD ON TO THEM,

AND THEY JUST LET THEM STEW.

ALL YOU POPULAR KIDS,
YOU'VE NEVER ACCEPTED ME,

AND NOW YOU'LL ALL PAY FOR IT.

IN 2014,
ELLIOT RODGER KILLED SIX PEOPLE

AND THEN KILLED HIMSELF,
AS WELL AS WOUNDED 14 OTHERS

IN ISLA VISTA, CALIFORNIA.

SO HE, AS A CHILD,

WAS AT ONE POINT DIAGNOSED
WITH AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

AND HISTORIES OF OCD
OR OCD SYMPTOMS,

BOUTS OF DEPRESSION,
HISTORIES OF STALKING WOMEN,

AND THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'VE SEEN REPEATEDLY

IN OTHER MASS SHOOTERS,
AND THEY ALSO HAVE A HARD TIME

SEEING THEIR PEERS EMPATHICALLY,
SEEING THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS.

I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE

AGAINST HUMANITY,
AGAINST ALL OF YOU.

SOMETHING THAT'S
HARD TO AVOID NOTICING

IS THAT ALMOST ALWAYS,
IT'S YOUNG MEN.

THERE'S AN AREA OF THE BRAIN
CALLED THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX,

WHICH IS THE AREA
JUST BEHIND THE FOREHEAD HERE,

AND THAT IS WHAT ALLOWS US
TO CONSIDER

AND TO SIMULATE
POSSIBLE FUTURES,

TO EVALUATE
POSSIBLE HYPOTHESES.

THAT IS THE MOST SLOWLY
DEVELOPING PART OF THE BRAIN.

SO, WHAT HAPPENS
IN A YOUNG MAN IS,

THEY DEVELOP THEIR FULL
PHYSICAL STRENGTH

AND THEIR NOTIONS
OF THE WORLD

AND THEIR NOTIONS
OF FAIRNESS AND UNFAIRNESS,

BUT THIS PART OF THEIR BRAIN,

WHICH GIVES THEM WISDOM,
IN A SENSE,

HAS NOT YET FULLY DEVELOPED,

AND IT DOESN'T DEVELOP
TILL THEY'RE ABOUT 25.

IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A CHOICE
THAT A MASS MURDERER MAKES.

WHO YOU ARE IS YOUR BRAIN,

AND YOUR BRAIN IS DEFINED

BY THE GENETICS THAT YOU
COME TO THE TABLE WITH,

MIXED IN WITH
ALL THE EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE,

ESPECIALLY AS A CHILD, AND YOU
DON'T CHOOSE EITHER OF THOSE.

YOU DON'T CHOOSE YOUR GENES
OR YOUR EXPERIENCES,

BUT THAT SETS BRAINS OFF
ON VERY PARTICULAR TRAJECTORIES.

MY NAME IS NIK,
AND I'M GOING TO BE

THE NEXT SCHOOL SHOOTER
OF 2018.

IN THINKING ABOUT MASS SHOOTERS

AND THEIR SPECIAL
BRAND OF HATRED,

THEY COLLECT THESE INJUSTICES,
AND THEY MAKE THESE PLANS,

THESE SORT OF FANTASIES
ABOUT REVENGE,

AND THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING
THAT THEY, YOU KNOW,

ENACT IN A COURSE OF DAYS
OR A WEEK.

THIS IS STUFF
THAT MOST OF THESE GUYS

HAVE PLANNED
FOR MONTHS, IF NOT YEARS.

THEY WRITE ABOUT IT.
THEY LOOK UP THINGS ONLINE.

THEY STOCKPILE DIFFERENT KINDS
OF WEAPONS AND AMMUNITION.

I HAVE THE GUNSHOT VICTIM.

HE'S BY THE -- ON
THE WEST SIDE OF THE SCHOOL.

THE MEDIA BEARS
SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE.

YOU KNOW,
IT'S COVERED EXTENSIVELY.

EVERY TIME WE TALK
ABOUT SCHOOL SHOOTERS,

EVERY TIME WE HAVE IT
IN THE MEDIA,

WE ARE THEN ADDING
TO A REVENGE FANTASY

OF SOMEBODY
WHO WANTS TO CAUSE HARM

IN A VERY PUBLIC
AND ENORMOUS WAY.

CRUZ HAD LEGALLY PURCHASED

SEVEN GUNS INCLUDING AN AK-47

AND THE AR-15 ALLEGEDLY
USED IN THE MASSACRE.

SO, MOST INDIVIDUALS

WHO BULLY OTHERS
DON'T BECOME MASS SHOOTERS,

BUT THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS

WHO WE'RE FINDING OUT
WERE BULLIED,

AND THEN THEY'RE, YOU KNOW,
ENACTING A REVENGE.

I KNOW I WASN'T
THE NICEST TO YOU.

I KNOW I PROBABLY MADE YOU
FEEL LIKE ****.

YOU TOLD ME THAT.

I'M PRETTY SURE
THAT YOU TOLD ME

THAT I MADE YOU WANT
TO KILL YOURSELF OR SOMETHING.

YOU KNOW, YOU WONDER,
"HOW COULD THIS BE?

LIKE, HOW COULD A PERSON
WHO'S TREATED SO POORLY

WANT TO THEN TREAT OTHERS
IN AN EVEN WORSE WAY?"

I MADE FUN OF YOU
AND DIDN'T WANT YOU

TO HANG OUT
WITH MY FRIENDS,

EVEN THOUGH YOU DID
NOTHING WRONG, LIKE...

BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY
WHAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS.

I'M SORRY.
I LOVE YOU.

YES, I LOVE YOU,
TOO, BRO.

SOCIAL EXCLUSION,

LIKE IF YOU'RE THE ONE
CHOSEN LAST FOR THE TEAM,

HURTS IN EXACTLY
THE SAME WAY AS PHYSICAL PAIN,

BY WHICH I MEAN
WHEN YOU MEASURE THE BRAIN,

YOU FIND THE SAME AREAS
LIGHTING UP,

WHETHER IT'S PHYSICAL PAIN
OR SOCIAL EXCLUSION.

THIS IS WHAT CAUSES US TO WANT
TO BE PART OF GROUPS.

IT HURTS VERY MUCH
TO NOT BE PART OF GROUPS.

NOW, THIS IS NO EXCUSE
FOR PEOPLE

WHO TAKE THAT SORT OF PAIN
AND TURN IT INTO MASS MURDER.

IT'S ONLY
A VERY, VERY RARE SUBSET

OF THE POPULATION
THAT WOULD DO THAT.

IT'S HARD FOR ME
TO THINK OF PEOPLE

AS BEING BORN GOOD
OR BORN EVIL,

BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE
ARE BORN AS THEY ARE.

A LOT OF THOSE THINGS DO HAVE
A COMPONENT OF GENETICS TO THEM,

AND THEY'RE PREWIRED,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE
NOT MALLEABLE LATER IN LIFE,

DEPENDING ON THE ENVIRONMENT
THOSE PEOPLE GET PUT IN.

SO I BELIEVE YOU COULD
TAKE THE SAME PERSON

AND PUT THEM IN TWO
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS

AND HAVE THEM TURN OUT
VERY DIFFERENTLY,

DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR --
THE INTERACTION WAS

BETWEEN THEIR HARDWIRED TRAITS
AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT.

AND PSYCHOLOGISTS
ARE OFTEN INTERESTED

IN HOW PEOPLE WHO GREW UP

IN A NURTURING,
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

TURN OUT TO BE TERRIBLE PEOPLE.

BUT WHAT I REALLY
WANT TO KNOW IS,

HOW DO YOU GET SOMEBODY
WHO GROWS UP

IN THE WORST OF ENVIRONMENTS,

SURROUNDED
BY HATRED AND CRUELTY,

AND THEN TURNS OUT
TO BE A GREAT PERSON,

MANAGES TO TRANSCEND THE WORLD
THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN?

SO, HATE GIVES US A WAY
TO DEAL WITH OUR SURROUNDINGS.

WHEN WE FEEL THAT THERE'S BEEN
INJUSTICE COMMITTED AGAINST US,

OR THERE ARE THREATS
IN OUR ENVIRONMENT FROM OTHERS,

THERE'S A FUNCTION
TO OUR HATE.

THEN THE QUESTION BECOMES,
"ARE WE STUCK WITH IT,

OR DO WE ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY

TO CHANGE OUR FEELINGS
TOWARDS THOSE WE HATE?"

THE BRAIN IS
A COLLECTION OF NEURONS

THAT SELF-ORGANIZE
AND ADAPT TO EXPERIENCE.

ONCE THE BRAIN
HAS LEARNED SOMETHING,

ONCE IT HAS DEVELOPED A HABIT
OF DOING THINGS A CERTAIN WAY,

OF UNDERSTANDING THINGS
A CERTAIN WAY,

IT HAS NOW BECOME OPTIMAL
FOR DOING THAT THING.

AND SO SOMEONE BORN
INTO A PARTICULAR FAMILY,

IN A PARTICULAR COMMUNITY,
IN A PARTICULAR NATION,

HAS THEIR POSSIBLE
EXPERIENCES CONSTRAINED

BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES
OF THEIR BIRTH,

AND SO IT'S NO WONDER
THAT WE GROW UP

WITH CERTAIN POINTS OF VIEW.

MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

ARE FULL OF
PLAYING WITH MY SIBLINGS.

AND WE HAD A POOL --
A SWIMMING POOL --

AND SO ALL OF
THOSE TOTALLY NORMAL,

HAPPY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES.

READY, GO!
GO, GO, GO, GO, GO!

AND THEY'RE MIXED IN
WITH STANDING ON A PICKET LINE,

HANGING OUT WITH MY COUSINS,

AND TELLING PEOPLE
THEY WERE GOING TO HELL.

GO TO HELL!

THE WELL-KNOWN HATE GROUP

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH,

THEY ARE KNOWN
FOR THEIR ANTIGAY,

ANTI-CATHOLIC,
ANTI-JEWISH

AND ANTIMILITARY
DEMONSTRATIONS.

♪ BECAUSE GOD,
YOUR GOD HATES YOU ♪

♪ WE'RE MARCHING ♪

♪ WE'RE MARCHING ♪

♪ WE'RE MARCHING
TO ZION, LORD ♪

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH

IS A SMALL CHURCH
IN TOPEKA, KANSAS.

IT'S USUALLY
AROUND 70 TO 80 MEMBERS.

IT'S POPULATED ALMOST ENTIRELY

BY MY IMMEDIATE
AND EXTENDED FAMILY.

WESTBORO WAS STARTED
BY MY GRANDFATHER IN 1955.

BUT WHAT REALLY STARTED
GETTING HIM

A LOT OF NATIONAL
AND INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

WAS, IN 1991,
WE STARTED PROTESTING.

WE PROTESTED, EVERY DAY,
GAYS ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

AND THEN ANYONE
WHO OPPOSED US,

ANYONE WHO BELIEVED
DIFFERENTLY THAN WE DID.

PEOPLE STARTED CALLING US
A HATE GROUP ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

PEOPLE WOULD, LIKE, LITERALLY
JUST STOP THEIR CARS

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET,
THROW IT INTO PARK,

LEAVE THE DOORS
HANGING WIDE-OPEN,

JUST TO COME AFTER US.

ALRIGHT,
GOT TO PUNCH A WINDOW!

WHEN YOU SEE THAT
FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE,

IT REINFORCES ALL THE THINGS

THAT YOU'RE LEARNING
ABOUT OUTSIDERS.

BITCH.ANY CRITICISM THAT WE FACED

WAS ESSENTIALLY IRRELEVANT
AND ILLEGITIMATE.

LEAVING HAD ALL OF THE APPEAL

OF JUMPING INTO
SHARK-INFESTED WATERS

AFTER HAVING CUT OFF
A COUPLE OF YOUR LIMBS.

LIKE, THE IDEA,
IT JUST DOES NOT COMPUTE.

LIKE, IT -- IT
WAS NEVER A POSSIBILITY,

AND IT DIDN'T FIT
WITH MY IMAGE OF MYSELF,

TO SEE MYSELF AS
THIS REBELLIOUS PERSON

WHO WAS GETTING READY TO COMMIT
THE ULTIMATE ACT OF BETRAYAL.

MEGAN PHELPS-ROPER,

THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF
WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH PASTOR

FRED PHELPS,
LEFT THE CHURCH.

SHE'S APOLOGIZING TO ALL
OF THE PEOPLE HURT BY WESTBORO

AND WHAT THE CHURCH HAS DONE.

IN A BLOG POST,
PHELPS-ROPER EXPLAINED

SHE AND HER
19-YEAR-OLD SISTER, GRACE,

SUDDENLY CHANGED
THEIR WAY OF THINKING.

OUR CHURCH WAS TINY,
BUT WHAT WE LACKED IN SIZE,

WE MADE UP FOR
IN THE FORCE OF OUR BELIEFS.

I GREW UP WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT I WAS

IN GRAVE DANGER
AT ALL TIMES,

THAT THE WORLD AND ITS
INHABITANTS WERE FULL OF EVIL

AND THAT THEY WOULD
SEDUCE ME AWAY FROM THE TRUTH

UNLESS I MAINTAINED
CONSTANT VIGILANCE.

THIS WAS THE STORY
THAT I WAS TOLD

AND THAT I BELIEVED FOR
THE FIRST 26 YEARS OF MY LIFE.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE THINK THAT
IT'S A CHOICE TO STAY THERE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT WAY
OF SEEING IT, BUT IT --

I CAN ALSO SAY IT SURE
DIDN'T FEEL LIKE A CHOICE.

I HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING
THAT TWITTER, OF ALL THINGS,

WOULD BE THE BEGINNING OF
THE END OF MY UNSHAKABLE FAITH

IN THE GOD AND WORLDVIEW
OF WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH.

THE CHURCH,
WE WERE SUPER ACTIVE IN,

MORE THAN EVER BEFORE OR SINCE,

AND JUST CONSTANTLY
IN THE MEDIA.

I WAS GETTING, YOU KNOW,

HUNDREDS OF TWEETS
A DAY, AT THE TIME.

THIS TWEET SAYS, "WE NEED
A MEDIA BLACKOUT

OF THE WESTBORO
BAPTIST CHURCH."

IN 2009, LIKE, WE REALLY
SHIFTED OUR FOCUS,

AND SO WE HAD
THIS LIST OF, LIKE,

CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITH
THE HIGHEST JEWISH POPULATIONS,

AND WE WOULD GO TO THESE
CITIES AND PROTEST

AS MANY JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
AS WE COULD FIND.

LOOK AT THIS SORRY
SUBSTITUTE FOR OBEDIENCE TO GOD!

SO, ON TWITTER,

MY COUSIN WAS HELPING ME
FIND PEOPLE,

AND SHE SENT ME
THIS LIST OF THE 100

MOST INFLUENTIAL JEWS
ON TWITTER.

AND DAVID ABITBOL
WAS NUMBER TWO,

AND HE RUNS A BLOG
CALLED JEWLICIOUS.

WE STARTED HAVING
THIS BACK-AND-FORTH,

AND HE STARTS ASKING ME
ALL THESE QUESTIONS

ABOUT OUR PICKET SIGNS,

AND I'M ASKING HIM QUESTIONS
ABOUT JEWISH THEOLOGY

SO THAT I CAN BETTER,
YOU KNOW, FROM THE BIBLE,

SHOW HIM WHY THEY'RE WRONG.

AND HE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,

"WELL, I SEE WHY
YOU MIGHT THINK THAT,

BUT IF YOU KNEW HEBREW,
THEN YOU WOULD KNOW

THAT THAT'S NOT
WHAT THAT VERSE SAYS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT
THAT VERSE MEANS."

AND SO I BOUGHT ROSETTA STONE
AND STARTED LEARNING HEBREW.

HE HAS TOLD ME SINCE THEN,
HE REALIZED THAT I WAS SINCERE,

THAT I THOUGHT WHAT
WE WERE DOING WAS RIGHT.

AND SO PART OF THE REASON
HE REALIZED

THAT HE SHOULD CONTINUE
THIS CONVERSATION

WAS THAT I WAS ACTUALLY
LISTENING TO HIM, TOO.

HAVING PEOPLE REACH OUT

WHEN I SEEMED
TO DESERVE IT NOT AT ALL,

THAT WAS THE WEDGE.

THAT WAS THE THREAD THAT BEGAN
TO REALLY UNRAVEL THESE IDEAS.

HOW I TALKED TO OUTSIDERS
CHANGED.

HOW I FELT ABOUT OUTSIDERS
CHANGED.

AND THEN, AS PART OF THIS
UNRAVELING PROCESS, LIKE,

IT'S INSANE TO THINK ABOUT IT,
LIKE, TO HAVE THESE TWO BELIEFS,

TO BELIEVE THAT WE WERE
LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR

AND ALSO THAT WE WERE PRAYING
FOR TERRIBLE THINGS

TO HAPPEN TO THEM...

...AND REALIZING THAT I HAD HELD
THESE TWO IDEAS IN MY MIND

AT THE SAME TIME,
JUST NEVER IN THE SAME MOMENT.

UNTIL I FIRST THOUGHT
OF LEAVING,

THIS CONTRADICTION ELUDED ME.

I DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE.
I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO LEAVE.

IT WAS SO IMPOSSIBLE, IT SEEMS,
AND DEVASTATING.

IT'S NOW BEEN 5 YEARS SINCE
I LEFT WESTBORO AND MY FAMILY,

AND WHILE THE TRAUMA AND REGRET
OF THAT PART OF MY LIFE

WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME,
THEY ARE ACCOMPANIED

BY A DEEP AND ABIDING
SENSE OF HOPE.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
LESSONS I'VE LEARNED

SINCE LEAVING IS THAT
THIS ISN'T JUST THE STORY

OF THE DERADICALIZATION
OF ONE EXTREMIST.

IT'S ABOUT THE POWER
OF COMPASSION AND ENGAGEMENT

TO BRIDGE DIVIDES
THAT SEEM UNBRIDGEABLE.

THERE'S A LOT OF HOPE
FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE

WHO SEEM HOPELESSLY LOST,
EVEN THOSE LIKE ME,

WHO WERE RAISED FROM BIRTH
TO FEAR AND CONDEMN OTHERS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME
AND FOR COMING HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU CAN ONLY LEARN
WHAT YOU EXPERIENCE,

BUT THE EXPERIENCES
THAT YOU COLLECT

ACTUALLY CHANGE WHO YOU ARE

AND WILL DETERMINE
YOUR FUTURE EXPERIENCES.

AND SO THE COOL THING
ABOUT THE HUMAN BRAIN IS,

IT'S -- FUNDAMENTALLY,
IT'S A CHANGEABLE SYSTEM.

IT USUALLY ISN'T EASY --
OKAY? --

BUT AT THE SAME TIME,

WHEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES
ARE RIGHT,

THE CHANGES ARE RADICAL.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE
INCREMENTAL.

IN FACT, THEY OFTEN ARE NOT.

AWESOME.

EVEN THOUGH
WE HAVE EVOLVED

TO PERCEIVE THREATS,
TO FEEL HATE,

AND THAT THEN ALLOWS
FOR HORRIFIC VIOLENCE,

IT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT WE'RE LOCKED INTO

THAT EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSE.

WE CAN SUMMON OUR BETTER
ANGELS OF OUR NATURE.

WE CAN UNLEARN HATE.

WE, AS HUMANS, GO AROUND
JUST DIVIDING THE WORLD UP

INTO US VERSUS THEM.

WE WANT TO PROMOTE OUR TRIBE.

LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE,
SEPARATED BY GEOGRAPHY,

ARE NOW JUST A COUPLE OF CLICKS
AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU GOT
AN E-MAIL THAT SAID,

"HEY, I'M
A FORMER JIHADIST,

AND I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT YOUR IDEAS"?

I HAVE THIS STRONG BELIEF
THAT SCIENCE

IS A REALLY POWERFUL TOOL
TO HELP US UNDERSTAND

WHAT'S DRIVING CONFLICT
AND HOW WE CAN GET PAST IT.