The Power of Common Knowledge: Steven Pinker on Language, Norms, and Punishment

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• Common knowledge, the state of knowing something and knowing that everyone else knows it, is a fundamental driver of human coordination, social relationships, and the enforcement of norms, often operating through subtle signals and indirect communication to avoid direct confrontation or the disruption of established social structures.  Copied to clipboard!
• The concept of common knowledge, particularly the infinite layers of mutual awareness, explains seemingly irrational human behaviors such as veiled threats, bribes, sexual innuendo, and the avoidance of direct speech, as these indirect methods allow for plausible deniability and preserve social relationships.  Copied to clipboard!
• The power of common knowledge is evident in phenomena ranging from financial bubbles and market equilibria (like Schelling points and bargaining) to the enforcement of social norms (like cancel culture and the nuclear taboo) and the stability of political regimes, all of which rely on shared understanding and mutual awareness to function.  Copied to clipboard!
• Humor, particularly jokes and teasing, serves as a powerful tool for generating common knowledge, reinforcing social bonds by signaling shared understanding and equality within a group, and can also be used to challenge dominance hierarchies.  Copied to clipboard!
• Radical honesty, while seemingly desirable, would undermine the fictions and commonly held assumptions that form the basis of stable relationships and social coordination, highlighting the necessity of implicit understandings and the avoidance of certain truths becoming common knowledge.  Copied to clipboard!

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Introduction and Pinker’s Work

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(00:01:07)

• Key Takeaway: Steven Pinker’s new book, ‘When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows,’ explores common knowledge, building on his extensive research in language, cognition, and social relations.
• Summary: The episode introduces Steven Pinker and his prolific career, highlighting his new book which delves into the concept of common knowledge. This work connects to his previous research on language and cognition, demonstrating a consistent focus on understanding human thought and interaction.

Common Knowledge Explained

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(00:07:03)

• Key Takeaway: Common knowledge is the state where everyone knows something, and everyone knows that everyone knows it, extending infinitely, which is distinct from mere mutual knowledge.
• Summary: Pinker defines common knowledge as a recursive state of awareness, where the knowledge is not just held by individuals but is mutually recognized and understood to be mutually recognized. This concept is crucial for understanding complex social phenomena.

Indirect Communication and Plausible Deniability

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(00:08:52)

• Key Takeaway: Indirect speech, euphemisms, and innuendo are used to avoid generating common knowledge, thereby preserving plausible deniability and maintaining social relationships.
• Summary: Human communication often relies on indirectness to avoid making intentions common knowledge. This allows individuals to maintain social relationships by providing a layer of plausible deniability, even when the underlying intent is understood.

Common Knowledge and Relationships

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(00:12:41)

• Key Takeaway: Common knowledge is essential for establishing and maintaining social relationships, as its absence or disruption can fundamentally alter the nature of those connections.
• Summary: Social relationships, whether friendships, hierarchies, or transactional partnerships, are built upon the foundation of common knowledge. Disrupting this shared understanding, even through indirect means, can challenge the very fabric of these relationships.

Coordination Games and Schelling Points

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(00:17:48)

• Key Takeaway: Common knowledge is critical for coordination in situations with multiple equilibria, where salient, conspicuous focal points (Schelling points) help parties converge on a mutually agreeable solution.
• Summary: In situations requiring coordination, such as military attacks or rendezvous, common knowledge is vital to overcome uncertainty. Thomas Schelling’s concept of focal points, or ‘Schelling points,’ highlights how obvious, arbitrary landmarks can serve as coordination devices when direct communication is insufficient.

Relational Models and Market Pricing

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(00:27:35)

• Key Takeaway: Fiske’s four relational models (communal sharing, authority ranking, equality matching, market pricing) describe how humans organize social interactions, with market pricing representing a rational-legal mode often distinct from natural human relationships.
• Summary: Human social interactions are structured by distinct relational models, ranging from intimate sharing to formal market transactions. Violations of these models, such as treating personal relationships as purely transactional, can lead to social awkwardness or outrage, highlighting the importance of context.

Cancel Culture and Norm Enforcement

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(00:36:16)

• Key Takeaway: Public shaming and ‘cancel culture’ are modern manifestations of norm enforcement, where common knowledge of an infraction is crucial for reinforcing social rules and preventing their erosion.
• Summary: The public punishment of norm violators, whether through social media shaming or formal sanctions, serves to reinforce social norms. This process relies on the infraction becoming common knowledge, signaling to the community that the norm is still in effect and will be upheld.

Nuclear Taboo and Territorial Integrity

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(00:41:12)

• Key Takeaway: The ’nuclear taboo’ and the norm of territorial integrity are examples of deeply entrenched common knowledge that have shaped international relations and prevented catastrophic conflicts.
• Summary: The norm against using nuclear weapons and the principle of respecting national borders are powerful examples of common knowledge shaping global behavior. These norms, reinforced over time, have contributed to periods of relative peace and stability by making certain actions unthinkable.

Money, Crypto, and Common Knowledge

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(00:50:13)

• Key Takeaway: The value of currencies, including fiat and cryptocurrency, is heavily reliant on common knowledge and network effects, where belief in future value and widespread acceptance are key drivers.
• Summary: The value of money, whether government-backed or cryptocurrency, is not inherent but derived from collective belief and common knowledge. Products and currencies that depend on network externalities, like cryptocurrencies or early computing devices, often leverage public events like the Super Bowl to generate this shared awareness.

Path Dependence and Lock-in

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(00:55:45)

• Key Takeaway: Historical lock-in and path dependence, exemplified by the QWERTY keyboard, demonstrate how suboptimal standards can persist due to established common knowledge and network effects.
• Summary: Once a standard becomes established, even if not the most efficient, it can persist due to the network effects and common knowledge it generates. This ‘path dependence’ explains why seemingly inferior technologies or systems can become entrenched, as changing them would require overcoming significant coordination challenges.

Authoritarian Control and Common Knowledge

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(01:01:01)

• Key Takeaway: Authoritarian regimes suppress common knowledge of dissent and coordination to maintain power, as collective awareness is a prerequisite for organized opposition.
• Summary: Dictatorial regimes fear public gatherings and open communication because common knowledge of discontent can lead to coordinated action against them. By controlling information and preventing the formation of shared awareness, these regimes aim to maintain their grip on power.

Social Norms and Public Shaming

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(01:05:54)

• Key Takeaway: The urge to report perceived norm violations, especially in the digital age, stems from a desire to reinforce fragile social norms through public or semi-public shaming, creating common knowledge of disapproval.
• Summary: The enforcement of social norms, particularly those related to inclusivity and respect, can lead to public denouncements and shaming. This behavior is driven by a perceived need to reinforce these norms, ensuring that deviations become common knowledge and are not tolerated.

Common Knowledge and Social Norms

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(01:09:33)

• Key Takeaway: The unspoken understanding of ‘common knowledge’ dictates social interactions, influencing how individuals navigate sensitive topics like sexual orientation and body image.
• Summary: The concept of common knowledge, where everyone knows something and knows that everyone else knows it, explains why certain truths are avoided in conversation, even when obvious. This phenomenon is illustrated through examples like the ‘closeted’ gay community and the social awkwardness surrounding discussions of weight. Navigating these unspoken rules shapes social relationships and personal comfort levels.

Communal Relationships and Verbal Formulas

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(01:13:25)

• Key Takeaway: Communal relationships are often ratified by ritualistic verbal formulas rather than explicit negotiation, with the performance of these phrases cementing bonds.
• Summary: Deep relationships like friendships and romantic partnerships are typically felt rather than verbally negotiated; attempting to define them explicitly can corrode the connection. However, ritualistic verbal formulas, such as pledges or cheers, can solidify these communal relationships by creating shared performative moments. The language used in these instances becomes performative, reinforcing the bond without explicit communication of its terms.

Humor as Common Knowledge Generator

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(01:18:22)

• Key Takeaway: Humor, especially when used in teasing or jokes, functions as a mechanism to generate common knowledge and reinforce social equality.
• Summary: Jokes and teasing among friends or within academic circles serve to establish common knowledge about shared understandings or perceived flaws, reinforcing the idea of equality. This ‘counter-dominance’ humor can playfully pull individuals down a few pegs, solidifying bonds by emphasizing that no one is superior. The effectiveness of humor lies in its ability to convey shared recognition of a situation or characteristic, making it common knowledge.

Taboo Topics and Research Ethics

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(01:27:34)

• Key Takeaway: Certain scientific research topics, particularly those concerning group differences, may be better left unresearched due to the potential for negative societal impact and the difficulty of maintaining individual treatment.
• Summary: The discussion explores why radical honesty is not always beneficial, as relationships rely on commonly held fictions that would be challenged if made explicit. Certain research areas, like race and IQ differences, are considered taboo because the common knowledge of statistical group differences can lead to prejudicial thoughts and discrimination against individuals. Prioritizing individual treatment over group statistics is a moral principle that becomes harder to uphold when group differences are widely known.

Sex Differences vs. Race Differences

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(01:32:50)

• Key Takeaway: While sex differences are fundamental biological realities, race is a continuous variation, and cultural obsession with race can obscure the focus on more impactful biological differences.
• Summary: The conversation contrasts the biological reality of sex differences with the social construct of race, arguing that an overemphasis on race can distract from understanding fundamental biological factors. The societal dogma that all ethnic group differences stem from racism is questioned, suggesting that some differences may have other origins. The French policy of not collecting race statistics is presented as a way to deprioritize race and uphold the principle of treating individuals as individuals.

Language and Identity Controversies

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(01:36:58)

• Key Takeaway: Current controversies surrounding language, such as pronoun usage and inclusive phrasing, highlight the complex interplay between language, identity, and common knowledge.
• Summary: The ongoing debates around language, identity, and pronouns, like ‘people who menstruate,’ illustrate how linguistic choices become focal points in societal discussions. These controversies revolve around what is considered common knowledge and how language shapes our understanding of identity. The challenge lies in navigating these evolving linguistic norms while upholding principles of individual treatment and avoiding prejudgment.