Selects: How Forgiveness Works

The podcast explores the concept of forgiveness, contrasting it with revenge and examining its psychological, evolutionary, and physiological aspects. It challenges the notion that revenge is a base instinct while forgiveness is a higher virtue, suggesting both have evolutionary advantages in social groups. The hosts discuss how revenge signals that one is not to be exploited, while forgiveness repairs valuable relationships. They reference a study involving chimps that showed reconciliation after aggressive encounters. The hosts also examine the physiological effects of holding grudges, linking chronic anger to health problems, and discuss the REACH model as a method to learn forgiveness. They also acknowledge perspectives that suggest forgiveness is not always necessary for inner peace.