Why curiosity is the best way to start a conversation.

No matter how wide political, cultural, and generational divides seem to grow, Fareed Zakaria is convinced: communication has the power to connect.

Zakaria is the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, a Washington Post columnist, and author of Age of Revolutions, a book about the seismic societal shifts that define modern history. In his decades of translating complex geopolitical issues for broad audiences, he’s found the key to navigating change and conflict. “The most important thing is being genuinely curious,” he says, “genuinely believing that everybody has a story to tell. Everybody has something to teach you. Everybody has a lesson you can learn.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Zakaria and host Matt Abrahams explore how curiosity opens the door to conversation. Whether we’re communicating across ideological divides or bridging gaps between our past, present, and future, Zakaria shows why maintaining connection starts with a willingness to learn.

Episode Reference Links:

• Fareed Zakaria
• Fareed’s Book: Age of Revolutions
• Ep.161 Do Your Homework: Know What to Say by Knowing Who You're Talking To

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• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (00:51) - The “Age of Revolutions”
• (02:57) - Do Facts Still Matter?
• (04:28) - How To Persuade
• (06:32) - On-Camera Communication
• (09:00) - Making Radical Ideas Mainstream
• (10:29) - When To Change Your Mind
• (11:56) - Helping Adolescents Communicate
• (16:25) - The Final Three Questions
• (20:12) - Conclusion