Why Defiance Can Be a Virtue

为什么叛逆可以是美德

Science Quickly

2025-11-05

16 分钟
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单集简介 ...

Many of us are taught from a young age that being “good” means being obedient—but that conditioning can make it hard to speak up when it counts. In this episode, Cornell University professor Sunita Sah explains how defiance can be a powerful tool for challenging injustice, asserting boundaries and reclaiming our voice. Recommended Reading Sunita Sah’s website Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes, by Sunita Sah. One World, 2025  E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new every day: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura. Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck fact-check the show. The theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  • As children, many of us are taught that being good means being obedient.

  • doing what we're told by parents, teachers, and authority figures.

  • But that conditioning can make it incredibly difficult to speak up when we know something is wrong,

  • whether that means correcting a mishandled coffee order or standing up against injustice.

  • So how can we learn to overcome these instincts when it really counts?

  • My guest today is Sinita Sa,

  • a professor of management and organizations at Cornell University and the author of Defy,

  • the power of no in a world that demands yes.