I recently took a week-long break from the news. I had to. I was mentally exhausted. It’s ironic given that I recently wrote, “You can’t lead with cultural intelligence without consuming the news on a regular basis…leaders need to stay current.”

But there are times when staying current becomes too much. The headlines scream division. Social media fuels outrage. Everything feels like a fight. And conversations that once felt safe—at work, with family, or among friends—now seem like landmines. It’s exhausting.

The time away from the news and social media gave me renewed hope. Free from alarming headlines, I spent more time having real-life conversations and reflected on what research and history have to say for such a time as this. Here’s what gives me hope:

1. Most People Are Good—And We Have Data to Prove It

Despite how it feels, most people are not as extreme or divided as we’re led to believe. And more importantly, research indicates that people are inherently wired for goodness, cooperation, and fairness.

A few weeks ago I saw a young parent in New York struggling to carry her stroller up the stairs. A stranger came up from behind, picked up the other end of the stroller and helped her carry it to the top. Not a single word was exchanged between them but it reminded me that we aren’t as hopelessly selfish and polarized as many narratives suggest. I experienced something similar after a recent cycling accident. People immediately stopped to help me—both when it happened and in the follow-up days while I limped through airports, restaurants, and other public spaces.

Research offers proof of this kind of goodness in most people:

Innately Cooperative: There’s a whole body of research that has challenged the notion that personal survival is what motivates us most. Humans have an innate tendency toward cooperation and kindness rather than pure self-interest. Renowned experiments like the Prisoner’s Dilemma show that cooperation often emerges as a successful strategy in many economic games, even when individuals could maximize their personal gains by acting selfishly. While self-interest can influence behavior, cooperation is a deeply ingrained response, particularly when mutual benefits are clear.

Neuroscience and Altruism: Better yet, our brains are wired toward kindness. Acts of kindness activate the brain’s reward centers, including the ventral striatum, which is associated with pleasure and motivation. Researchers from Emory University found that engaging in generosity produces neural responses similar to receiving a reward, a phenomenon known as the “helper’s high.” And a study from Cedars-Sinai confirmed that kindness stimulates dopamine release, reinforcing prosocial behavior as neurologically satisfying. Findings from myriad other studies also suggest that cooperation and altruism are not just socially encouraged but biologically ingrained.

Prosocial and Kind: Another study reviewed decades of data on empathy, kindness, and generosity, finding no significant decrease in these virtuous behaviors. The belief in moral deterioration is more a reflection of negative news cycles and social media algorithms than reality. Economic experiments like the Ultimatum Game demonstrate that individuals often choose fairness over self-interest, sharing resources equitably when they could maximize their own gain. Even toddlers exhibit helping behaviors without prompting, showing that the roots of kindness and fairness emerge early in human development.

I’m not suggesting that humans are always good nor am I saying we can sit back and wait for our inherent goodness to take care of things. Our societies are facing real conflicts and dysfunction. But as we address the chaos and dysfunction, we’re wise to remember that most people, most of the time, are inclined toward fairness, cooperation, and kindness.

2. A New Generation is Emerging—And They Lead Differently

Meanwhile, we hear alarming reports about the rising misogyny and nationalism of young adults—particularly young men. But these soundbites misrepresent the majority of Gen Z. Globally, younger generations are skeptical of extremes and they don’t need to be convinced about diversity and global interconnectedness. They’ve grown up with in a hyper-connected world. They have an idealistic sense of making the world a better place and they own a sense of pragmatic responsibility for making that a reality.

Global Citizenship: Surveys of Gen Z across multiple countries show that they are less likely to see issues in purely left vs. right terms and are more likely to embrace complexity. Most of Gen Z identifies as “global citizens” but they don’t see this as conflicting with national loyalty or a cultural identity. Their allegiance to geo-political identities is notably weaker and that’s a good thing.

Calling-In: Gen Z and younger Millennials led the shift away from “call-out culture” and toward “call-in culture”—where the goal is to engage in difficult issues, not condemn. Younger employees consistently show a  preference for constructive dialogues over public shaming, fostering more inclusive workplace environments.​

Diversity is Normal: Cross-cultural collaboration is the norm for younger professionals, not the exception. They’re used to working with global teams, navigating cultural differences, and adapting in real time. According to Deloitte’s Millennial Survey, young Millennials and Gen Z respondents reported frequent interactions with peers from different cultural backgrounds, enhancing their adaptability and appetite for cultural intelligence.​

Gen Z intuitively understands the importance of CQ. Whether I’m interacting with our students at Boston University or talking with young professionals around the world, they have an easy resonance with the relevance of cultural intelligence

3. These Things Are Cyclical—And History Shows We Adapt

Furthermore, history reminds us that we have experienced this kind of polarization before:

Civil Rights Wars: The 1960s and 70s were filled with violent protests, political assassinations, and cultural upheaval. Many believed the US would never recover. Yet those same decades laid the foundation for civil rights, women’s rights, and greater global integration. What felt like societal collapse was, in many ways, a necessary reckoning that led to long-term progress.

Post Cold-War: The post-Cold War era saw a surge in globalization and international cooperation, despite the deep ideological divides of the previous decades. Countries that had been bitter enemies worked together in unprecedented ways, forming trade agreements, cross-border alliances, and diplomatic partnerships. Though today’s geopolitical tensions feel daunting, history reminds us that even deep divisions can give way to surprising collaborations. I expect the emerging generation of leadership will be the ones who will make this a reality.

DEI: 20 years ago, very few companies had dedicated DEI staff, much less entire departments focused on diversity and inclusion. While many companies are rolling back their commitments, others remain committed to the work. Cultural intelligence continues to be in high demand by companies around the world, as organizations recognize that the need to have teams that can work together effectively is as relevant as ever.

This is not to say that time will magically make things better nor am I dismissing the cost many individuals are experiencing at the moment. But the arc of history shows us that societies have a way of correcting course. The challenge is navigating these cycles without succumbing to the fear that this time is different.

4. Some Corrections Were Needed—And We’re Figuring It Out

Finally, not all conflict is bad. Some of the social and political tensions we’re experiencing are the result of necessary course corrections. I don’t have confidence that most of our politicians, at least in the US, will use these conflicts to constructively build a better future. But individual citizens, communities, and organizations are stepping in where political leadership falls short.

Societal corrections often feel like a pendulum swing—over-correcting in the opposite direction before settling into balance. But with culturally intelligent thinking and leadership, we can use the tensions to forge a better way forward on issues like these:

Balancing National and Global Interests: The evolving global landscape has led to a reevaluation of national priorities. For instance, the US is reassessing its foreign policy in relation to domestic needs. While I’m vehemently opposed to a retreat from NATO and abandoning Ukraine, the broader debate on how to allocate resources between domestic and global needs is worth having.

Addressing Working-Class Concerns: In many leading democracies, working-class people have felt overlooked. An important emphasis on race, sexual orientation, and refugee issues has sometimes come at the expense of acknowledging the struggle of those trying to survive on minimum wages in the US, Canada, and other developed nations. We need leaders who address economic inequality for any population. We’re capable of addressing inequities for more than one demographic at a time.

Reevaluating Diversity Initiatives: The current backlash against DEI hits a raw nerve for many of us. The way it’s being dismantled in the US is harmful. But how might we use this moment to refine diversity initiatives that weren’t working? Shaming certain groups as a way to promote equity didn’t work. And more importantly, too many diversity initiatives inadvertently stifled constructive dialogue rather than promoting it. I’m already seeing signs of a hopeful shift, where participants opt-into diversity sessions and use CQ to constructively voice their perspectives rather than staying silent or echoing what they assume is expected.

I can’t help but see the connections between all of this and the spirit that drives the cultural intelligence movement—drawing hope from what happens when we collaborate effectively, learning from a new generation of leaders, and using CQ to adapt to the increasing complexities of a connected, yet polarized world. Cultural intelligence begins with a spirit of generosity—starting with positive intent, recognizing the good in people, and resisting the pull of fear and outrage.

So with that, I’m resolved to consume the news in bite-sized portions while focusing my energy on real-life conversations and working with others who want to create a better world for all of us.

Together, we can:

• Step outside the outrage loop and look for the goodness of people all around us.
• Exercise our cultural intelligence by actively engaging with people who have different perspectives. 
• Remember that change takes time.
• Use our voices to call for solutions—rather than just echoing the outrage.

And together…we can strive to create a more culturally intelligent world for all.

David Livermore