Today an onslaught of unknowns fueled by unrest, recession, disaster, and plague drives laments about “these uncertain times” to fever pitch. We fear not-knowing and equate being unsure with paralysis and inefficiency. More than ever, a quick, sure answer seems the ticket to success. But at this historic juncture a rethink is due: the uncertainty that we shun turns out to be the mindset we most need in volatile times. Pioneering journalist and social critic Maggie Jackson takes us behind the scenes of a revolution in cognitive science to reveal uncertainty’s critical role in good thinking, from crisis-problem solving and creativity to superior collaboration. Through stories of a maverick surgeon, a contrarian activist, and a mutiny in space, Jackson details the unexpected secrets to conquering our fears of not-knowing and to harnessing the powers of uncertainty at home and at work. We gain the pathway to the better answer, the hidden nuance, and to the brilliance of an open mind. 

Our attention is embattled as never before, hijacked by “smart” software, undermined by relentless info-streams, and diluted by our own split-focus efforts to keep up with it all. How can we reclaim our focus, wake up to what matters, and once again manage our devices and our days? In this talk from the author who sounded the first warnings of our crisis of distraction, we learn the secrets to rekindling our highest human capacity, the key to good problem-solving, creativity, and human bonds. Drawing on exciting discoveries from the new science of attention, Maggie Jackson reveals what is at risk in this era of always-on connectivity and the secrets to turning data into knowledge and distraction into masterful attention. She offers both a wake-up call and a path forward as we reckon with one of the most pressing problems of our time.

In an era of echo-chamber news, social media flame wars, and rising divisions, how can we respect and value even extreme differences with others? Drawing from an astonishing chapter in US history and the latest in cognitive science, Maggie Jackson tells of a legendary friendship between a KKK leader and a civil rights activist that can help reveal the steps we can take to heal our divisions today. In this talk, we learn the ripple effects across communities of tiny acts of tolerance and discover why opening our gated minds makes us more creative, flexible thinkers in all walks of life. Jackson’s words tell a simple story: of seeing possibility where we least expect it in thought, in others, in the world.