Volcanoes are erupting in The Philippines, but on-fire Australia received some welcome rain. The Iran war cries have been called off and The Donald’s military powers are about to be hamstrung by the Senate. Meanwhile, his impeachment trial is starting, and we’re all on Twitter for a front-row seat.
Article Source: Persuasion
Can We Build a More Rational World?
In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Steven Pinker sit down to discuss why we need to look to "nature" as well as "nurture" to understand the human condition, how to build institutions untainted by human biases, and whether human beings are inherently irrational.
12/12/2020
Is There Hope for Humanity? (Yes.)
In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Rutger Bregman discuss human nature; its implications for contemporary politics; and the policies which we need to create a more human-centric world.
12/05/2020
How Can Joe Biden Strengthen Democracy Around the World?
12/02/2020
To Fight Climate Change, Get Real
Activists want the Democrats to transform America. That isn't happening.
11/30/2020
Remember Martin Luther King Jr.?
It is time to revive the nonviolence movement.
11/09/2020
America Survived
Trump failed to destroy democracy. But he exposed flaws that demand attention.
11/02/2020
Don’t Panic
If Trump loses, he will not be able to remain in office or start a civil war
Trump still poses a serious threat to American democracy. If he wins re-election, the next four years will be very dangerous. But this Tuesday, Americans retain the ability to vote Trump out of office in reasonably free and fair elections. If they do, he won’t be able to incite a civil war or stop Joe Biden from taking office.
10/23/2020
How (Not) to Change Minds
Zion Lights has long been an environmental activist. When Extinction Rebellion was founded two years ago, she became one of its informal leaders, organizing highly disruptive events and representing the organization in high-profile media appearances. But over time, she came to doubt both its strategy and its policy commitments. Did disrupting public transport really help to persuade the public of the urgency of fighting climate change? And shouldn’t environmentalists who deeply care about climate change embrace nuclear energy?
In the latest episode of The Good Fight, Zion Lights and Yascha Mounk debate the best way to reduce carbon emissions; how activists can (and can’t) persuade the public; and what it is like to change your mind about an issue when your peers are outraged by the conclusion you have come to.
10/15/2020
The Simpleton Manifesto
Trump and radical activists all say it: "The answer is simple!" They are wrong.
Many on the resurgent far-left have joined the far-right in believing that the issues of the day could be overcome if only policymakers stopped tinkering at the edges of the system and adopted solutions that supposedly stare us in the face. Understanding the implications of this attitude is vital—now more than ever.
10/02/2020
Should There Be A Billion Americans?
For the past five years, Matt Yglesias dismissed worries about growing illiberalism on the left as a campus fad that is sure to fade. This year, he changed his mind, becoming increasingly vocal about his concerns, and co-signing the Harper’s letter. On the latest episode of The Good Fight, Yascha Mounk and Matthew Yglesias talk about how and why he changed his mind.
The podcast also discusses Matt’s latest book, One Billion Americans. The best way to bolster liberal values, he argues, is to make sure that the United States remains the world’s most powerful nation. That’s why politicians need to put in place policies that allow Americans to have more kids, and open the country’s borders to many more immigrants. Listen to Yascha and Matt discuss whether that really is the right goal—and, if so, how it can be achieved.
Quote worth repeating: “I ultimately have a hope that the real America is much better than the political scene.”