A timely guide to help you re-examine your ideas, encounter debate, and navigate a polarized world with calm rationality. "Nerenberg offers ways to speak up, stand alone, and be true to ourselves. . . . Nerenberg’s timely and thought-provoking analysis is sure to spark discussion." – Booklist Trust Your Mind takes you on a stunning tour of self-silencing, groupthink, and their antidote: critical reasoning. From conducting in-depth interviews to uncovering scientific research and sharing her own personal story, bestselling author Jenara Nerenberg offers searing insights on how to identify and exit everyday extremism and transform fear and hesitation into courageous dialogue that embraces dissent. If you’ve ever felt suddenly silenced or taken over by your own self-censorship, Trust Your Mind has been praised as “compelling, lucid and timely” by social psychologist Ethan Kross and hailed as “a bold call to think deeper and speak truer” by social psychologist Kurt Gray for how the book reinvigorates an ethic of pluralism at a time when respect for differing viewpoints is narrowing: Contradictory ideas spark hysteria and backlash —resulting in mobbing and “cancel culture” - A “wrong” remark or comment, no matter how seemingly innocent, gets twisted and results in banishment - Polarization and pressure to conform to “the group”—friends, families, workplaces, and communities—fuels alienation and threatens the fabric of a connected society Trust Your Mind guides you along the difficult path toward critical thinking and illuminates: The origins of self-silencing culture and how to counter the devastating loss of independent thought - The inner workings of critical reasoning and how to “come down to earth” away from everyday extremist thinking - How to forge existential survival skills and what Nerenberg calls “an emotional backbone" Communication has become increasingly divisive; Nerenberg calmly shows readers how to walk through discomfort, stay grounded in one’s own viewpoint while encountering opposition, and stay connected. To examine and communicate one’s own ideas—like a deep-sea diver, investigator or anthropologist—is a vital, strategic skill and exploration for individuals in the 21 st century. “A deeply human book that masterfully addresses one of the great problems of our times. Compelling, lucid and timely, it should be required reading as it not only explains the complex stew of social psychological forces that have gotten us to this point, but also provides readers with a science-informed blueprint for skillfully navigating the cultural headwinds they face.” - Ethan Kross, International Bestselling Author of Chatter and Shift “As an educator, philosopher, and advocate for liberal learning, I deeply appreciate Nerenberg’s rich exploration of the harms of self-censorship and groupthink. She makes a compelling case for thinking for ourselves by seeking out honest, open, courageous, and humble conversations with each other. This book is a welcome intervention in a polarized age.” - Jennifer Frey, Dean of the Honors College at The University of Tulsa and Professor of Philosophy in the Department of Philosophy & Religion “How have we fallen so deeply into groupthink, even in institutions that are meant to facilitate an exchange of diverse views like college campuses? In this highly accessible book, Jenara Nerenberg explains how we got into cul de sacs of dogmatism, and how we can get out of them.” - Eboo Patel, founder and president of Interfaith America and author of We Need To Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy " Trust Your Mind  is a bold call to think deeper and speak truer. Jenara Nerenberg shows how self-censorship holds us back from authentic connection and how to combat our habit of self-enforced silence for better conversations, a stronger society, and more personal resilience.” - Kurt Gray, author of Outraged and director of the Deepest Beliefs Lab at UNC Chapel Hill "A perceptive exploration of the forces driving self-silencing, loneliness, and social isolation in a polarized world. Jenara Nerenberg provides a thoughtful guide to reclaiming individuality, embracing nuance, and building authentic connections. A must-read for anyone seeking to navigate modern discourse with clarity and humanity." - Joel Salinas, MD, co-author of Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In “ Trust Your Mind  is a timely exploration of the downsides of self-censorship and groupthink in a polarized world. Using sharp analysis and research, Jenara Nerenberg guides us all toward opening our minds, engaging in real communication, embracing nuance, and viewing people as the complex, multifaceted individuals that they are--not the identities or ideas we think they're supposed to represent.” - Andrew Boryga, author of VICTIM “ Trust Your Mind  creatively weaves together diverse developments over recent decades to illuminate the causes and impacts of the redu