Escaping Enemy Mode

How Our Brains Unite or Divide Us

By: E. James Wilder, Ray Woolridge

Narrated by: Ray Woolridge

Who’s your biggest enemy? Possibly you?

Enemy mode is an immensely damaging brain state that occurs in everyday life. In enemy mode, a person sees and experiences others as adversaries. Living in this mode poisons family and community bonds. It contributes to social stress, business failure, divorce, alienation, domestic violence, crime, racism, and international violence. Social media magnifies the impact of enemy mode toward almost all topics or persons imaginable.

Longtime author and neuropsychologist Dr. Jim Wilder explains how the brain develops enemy mode and searches for ways to get the brain to “refriend.” Since a brain in enemy mode cannot tell when someone is trying to help, it rejects or attacks its allies, including refrienders. Wilder puts his years of research to the test in assessing the impossible task put forth by the Christian faith: to love one’s enemies.

After being trained in enemy mode through the military, business, and even friendships, retired Brigadier General Ray Woolridge comes alongside Wilder, bringing the listener on his journey of learning to refriend. He interviews leaders in sports, business, the military, law enforcement, politics, health care, and education, assessing the enemy mode impact on lives and culture.

Can Wilder and Woolridge figure out how enemy mode works and craft a solution? And can they get people and institutions to implement those solutions? This audiobook is for all who desire to be better equipped to face the barrage of daily relational stressors that come at them. It’s for all who long for more harmonious relationships at home, in the workplace, and in their communities.

©2022 Jim Wilder and Ray Woolridge (P)2023 Jim Wilder and Ray Woolridge

Very insightful

Insightful book and encourage every Christian to read it. It takes one out of their comfort zone

Hope in relational restoration

This book is both cutting edge for clinical practice as well as cuts to the heart of every persons experience. I only have rave reviews about this book. The lens it sees the world and human value through is unmatched, refined and pure. It puts understandable language & personalized stories to the revolutionary idea of “love your enemies” [Jesus]. Although it is primarily research with a study group of Christians - this book is for everyone and will revolutionize the way you experience yourself and own your stuff in relationship to everyone and everything around you.

A needed book for ALL people

Enemy mode is something that all of us have experienced the pain of and all of us have given pain while we have been in it. Jim and Ray have done extensive research and interviews to validate and explain the types and impacts of enemy mode thinking and behaviors. Escaping enemy mode is something that is capable and needed by all l people and solutions are available in this book. This book is especially needed for Christian leaders who care for becoming more like Jesus themselves and/or want those they lead to do so. I was personally touched by the vulnerability both authors in sharing their own ongoing journey to escape mode thinking for them and their groups.

bogged down in detail that's in their other books

loved other books with Jim Wilder, but this is repetitive and not as helpful in actually escaping enemy mode as other books. Even in the middle and latter chapters when I was hoping for straight forward, "here's what we do about it" - there's some help - but they clutter it with repeating the brain science.