Why Asking Questions Feels So Risky Right Now — Shira HofferUncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us • Season 2026, Episode 7
Feb 18, 2026 • 21m
What if the problem isn’t disagreement — it’s how we ask the question?
Shira Hoffer was a freshman at Harvard when she asked what she thought was a simple, honest question and got completely shut down. That moment launched her into studying and helping others with something all of us are wrestling with right now: how to stay curious when conversations get tense.
ABOUT GUEST
Shira Hoffer is the Executive Director of The Viewpoints Project (https://viewpointsproject.org).
CHAPTERS
(0:00) Introduction
(1:04) Meet Shira Hoffer
(1:25) Shira's Classroom Experience
(5:19) The Viewpoints Project
(6:27) The Science of Curiosity
(9:49) Navigating Difficult Conversations
(14:12) A Disagreement Gone Wrong
(19:26) Conclusion