At the crossroads between The Shallows and Presence, Hivemind is a provocative look at how communities can sync up around shared ideas, and how this hive mentality is contributing to today’s polarized times.

Hivemind is an engaging narrative about learning to listen, find common ground, and to evolve without the extreme rhetoric that shapes today’s dialogue. From a New England apiary to Charlottesville, from zombies to the KKK to the boardrooms of Facebook, Cavanagh leaves no stone unturned in her quest to understand how group behavior is evolving–and what we can do to come back from the polarized brink.

Tribalism has existed since the dawn of time, but social media and smartphones allow ideas to spread and coalesce faster than ever before. We hear more from people who share our views; we are exposed less to people who differ. It’s too easy to get trapped inside of echo chambers that isolate us from differing perspectives–sometimes without our even knowing–and the tension that surrounds us exists because we are losing the tools for ideological growth.

But there is a way back to the larger world. Dr. Cavanagh’s fascinating book explores the latest research that shows how we can cut through the tribalism, move away from the extremities, and rediscover the voices in between. With compelling storytelling and shocking research, Hivemind is a must read for anyone struggling to make sense of the dissonance around us.