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How Not to Be Wrong

The Art of Changing Your Mind

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How Not to Be Wrong

By: James O'Brien
Narrated by: James O'Brien
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

There's no point having a mind if you never change it.

In his best-selling How to Be Right, James provided an invigorating guide to how to talk to people with bad opinions. And yet the question he always gets asked is: 'if you're so sure about everything, haven't you ever changed your mind?'

In an age of us vs them, tribal loyalties and bitter divisions, the ability to change our minds may be the most important power we have. In this intimate, personal new book, James' focus shifts from talking to other people to how you talk to yourself about what you really think. Ranging across a dazzling array of big topics, cultural questions and political hot potatoes, James reveals where he has changed his mind, explains what convinced him and shows why all of us need to kick the tyres of our opinions, check our assumptions and make sure we really think what we think we do.

Coloured with stories of changing minds from the incredible guests on his podcasts and callers to his radio show, and spanning big ideas like press regulation and Brexit through to playful subjects like football and dog-ownership, How Not to Be Wrong is packed with revelations, outrage, conversations and lots of humour.

Because in a world that seems more divided than ever, if you can't change your own mind you'll never really be able to change anyone else's.

©2020 James O'Brien (P)2020 Penguin Audio
Politics & Government Social Sciences Thought-Provoking Sports
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[Cathartic, Brutal honesty, introspective ,Painful,sarcastic, Ill-informed,misunderstood,Sad Refreshing ,divisive,Numb, Healing, divorce, bittersweet, busy,biased, unhelpful,ungrateful, estranged,goodbye,good luck,opportunistic. ]I'm sorry you felt that way and I'm glad you got the help you needed as you seem like a very giving and forgiving person. You had very inadequate people in your life. Interesting story.

Like eating greens

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James O’Brien’s radio show is nothing if not thought provoking and he is no less so in this excellent book. Often self-deprecating and always insightful, How Not to Be Wrong, is a must for anyone seeking to navigate the ‘moral maze’. Thoroughly enjoyed. A BIG 5* review!

An excellent read

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thoroughly recommended. A deep dive into the barriers we construct against changing our minds. Personal and universal at the same time, there is something here for everyone. His honesty is brave but ultimately generous as it provides a model for us all in how to grow. The reading is as engaging and bright as you'd expect from a seasoned broadcaster. Don't hesitate to get this.

First rate

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I often find myself agreeing with JO’B and I find it encouraging to know that he continues to challenge himself as much as he does others.
Well worth a listen!

Compassionate and thought provoking

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How refreshing it is to hear someone argue strongly for the pursuit of knowledge while *also* inveighing against cheap oratorio tricks...the ones so often used to stir the pot, or shout down those presenting reasonable objections to outlandish or perverse propositions. If free speech survives this decade (against a slew of hatred and various credible dangers to life, limb, and public order), I rather hope this is what it will look like.

Engaging and thought-provoking

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