The Rising Risks of Cancel Culture & The Psychology & Language That Built It! In this explosive episode of Mayim Bialik's Breakdown, Dr. Steven Pinker (renowned Harvard psychologist and author of When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows) joins Mayim Bialik and Jonathan Cohen for a no-holds-barred conversation that quickly turns into a fiery debate on the limits of science, belief, and human consciousness. From the hidden mechanics of social dynamics and language to the perils of thought policing and cancel culture, Dr. Pinker dives deep into how shared knowledge shapes society, why what people think others believe can shift power, and how social media became a modern-day coliseum for public shaming. But the sparks really fly when Mayim and Jonathan challenge Pinker’s staunchly materialist worldview — questioning whether extrasensory perception (ESP), near death experiences (NDEs), and higher consciousness might point to something beyond the reach of scientific instruments. Pinker doesn’t hold back, offering his sharply skeptical takes on mystical claims and pushing back against spiritual notions with cool-headed logic. Dr. Pinker also breaks down: - Why what others think of us actually matters - Dangers of being too direct or too indirect — especially for neurodivergent folks - How to create or hide common knowledge in relationships - The first case of cancel culture on social media (and its ancient roots!) - The thin line between freedom of speech and incitement to violence - How distrust in science fuels conspiracy theories - Can we depoliticize science? Or is it already too late? - The danger of defunding academic research - Why authoritarian regimes fear open communication - The healthcare system: overprescription, profit motives, and how to fix it - Is free will real? Or are we just dancing to the tune of biology and environment? Don’t miss MBB's first-ever toe-to-toe spiritual showdown between Mayim, Jonathan, and a die-hard materialist. Whether you lean scientific, spiritual, or somewhere in between, this conversation will challenge what you think you know about reality. --- CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Intro 04:04 - How Shared Knowledge Shapes Society 17:09 - Why What Others Think of Us Actually Matters 29:46 - What Happens When We Disagree on Moral Order? 38:51 - Dangers of Erosion of Trust in Institutions 52:40 - Freedom of Speech vs Incitement to Violence 1:00:45 - Dangers of Politicizing Science 1:05:10 - Dangers of Defunding Academia 1:11:52 - Mental Health System Challenges 1:17:15 - Mysticism vs Materialism Debate --- Get 3 months off the annual plan and start learning faster at http://shortform.com/dmb --- Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/ Listen on our website: https://www.bialikbreakdown.com​​ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6TgOe2poCdpZtQwKetQmU1 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayim-bialiks-breakdown/id1546456269 Check out our Merch: https://shop.bialikbreakdown.com/ Sign up for our Newsletter: https://www.bialikbreakdown.com​​ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bialikbreakdown/ Find Mayim Bialik: https://mayimbialik.substack.com/ https://www.facebook.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.twitter.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.instagram.com/MissMayim/​​​ https://www.tiktok.com/@mayimbialik Find Dr, Steven Pinker: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/sapinker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sapinker Dr. Steven Pinker's latest book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows: Common Knowledge And The Mysteries Of Money, Power, And Everyday Life: https://stevenpinker.com/publications/when-everyone-knows-everyone-knows-common-knowledge-and-mysteries-money-power-and If interested in partnerships please contact mbb.sponsor@impacttheory.com Theme Song Written, Produced, and Performed by Ed Robertson. Mixed by Kenny Luong. #MayimBialik​​​ #BialikBreakdown #StevenPinker #Debate #Materialism #Materialist #Language #Philosophy #Communication #ScienceandSpirituality #CancelCulture #FreeSpeech #Psychology #Harvard #Consciousness #NDE #NearDeathExperience #ESP #ExtrasensoryPerception #Society #SocialDynamics #SocietyandCulture #CommonKnowledge #SocialMedia #Skeptic #Skepticism #Neurodivergence #Autism #Politics #Authoritarianism #Trump #HealthcareSystem #Authoritarian #publicshaming #objectivetruth #censorshipdebate