I'm Right and You're an Idiot - 2nd Edition: The Toxic State of Public Discourse and How to Clean it Up

(Paperback, Revised & Updated)

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Become a more effective and powerful communicator in today's highly polarised and polluted public square.

The most pressing problem we face today is not climate change. It is pollution in the public square, where a toxic smog of adversarial rhetoric, propaganda, and polarization stifles discussion and debate, creating resistance to change and thwarting our ability to solve our collective problems.

In this second edition of I'm Right and You're an Idiot , James Hoggan grapples with this critical issue, through interviews with outstanding thinkers and drawing on wisdom from highly regarded public figures. Featuring a new, radically revised prologue, afterword, and a new chapter addressing the changes in the public discourse since the 2016 United States election, his comprehensive analysis explores:

• How political will is manipulated
• How tribalism shuts down open-minded thinking, undermines trust, and helps misinformation thrive
• Why facts alone fail and how language is manipulated and dissent silenced
• The importance of dialogue, empathy, and pluralistic narrative reframing arguments to create compelling narratives and spur action

Our species' greatest survival strategy has always been foresight and the ability to leverage intelligence to overcome adversity. For too long now this capacity has been threatened by the sorry state of public discourse. Focusing on proven techniques to foster more powerful and effective communication, I'm Right and You're an Idiot will appeal to readers looking for deep insights and practical advice in these troubling times.

Author Bio

James Hoggan is a highly-respected and award-winning public relations expert who, for more than 30 years, has been involved in a wide range of both complex and controversial conversations. Jim is president of the Vancouver PR firm Hoggan & Associates, past chair of the David Suzuki Foundation board, and founder of the influential website DeSmogBlog, which exposes misinformation campaigns polluting the public debate around climate change and the environment. Jim has been called to assist a wide range of organizations such as Shell Global's External Review Committee, Al Gore's Climate Project Canada, Canadian Pacific Railways, the Dalai Lama Center, the BC Law Society, the Government of Ontario, and the B.C. Treaty Commission. Heis author of two previous books on the topic of integrity in public communication, Climate Cover-up and Do the Right Thing. He lives on Salt Spring Island, Canada.