Village SquareCast

We're making our way through a time of extreme disruption, led by rapid transformation in technology, especially in how we communicate information. According to our special guest Renée DiResta, the way power and influence have been profoundly transformed reveals how a virtual rumor mill of niche propagandists increasingly shapes public opinion. By revealing the machinery and dynamics of the interplay between influencers, algorithms, and online crowds, DiResta vividly illustrates the way propagandists deliberately undermine belief in the fundamental legitimacy of institutions that make society work. Find the program online here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

https://tlh.villagesquare.us/event/america-fourth/Riffing along with our civic hero Dr. Danielle Allen, you have to start with basic agreements that are foundational (nonviolence as a basic norm, a supermajority for constitutional democracy, and full inclusion for all citizens). We're also wondering if the secret to a healthy America is to… wait for it… put “America Fourth!” Perhaps too much of our lives are now wrapped up in this life or death, us v. them struggle for us to be happy people. According to political scientist Eitan Hersh, this is making us insufferable “political hobbyists” who need to get a life? What if we can rediscover other higher loves — faith, family, art, travel, Star Wars trivia, whatever floats your particular boat. And in finding our loves again, maybe we even find each other? Facilitated by Pastor Latricia Scriven of St. Paul's United Methodist Church — God Squad is on it. Learn more about the program and meet the God Squad here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

  Introducing the newest thing in higher (and we really mean higher — like look UP) education: The Flying Pig Academy. A dream of The Village Square (with support from Florida Humanities) for many years, it's finally aloft. The division in American society is big and seems impossible at times to address.  The bigger, gnarlier and more all-encompassing a conflict grows, the more we naturally rush right to its epicenter to try to break it up.  It demands so much attention it's hard to look away. But we're going to give you our hottest tip for handling the most difficult conflicts — do it indirectly. Named by our very own Bill Mattox (this episode's guest), who may or may not know a lot about a carom shot in billiards (hitting a ball to hit another ball into the pocket), but he certainly knows a lot about human beings. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Featured in this episode: A reference to the Heineken Worlds Apart ad, which is well worth a watch. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.      

Introducing the newest thing in higher (and we really mean higher — like look UP) education: The Flying Pig Academy. A dream of The Village Square (with support from Florida Humanities) for many years, it's finally aloft. The division in American society is big and seems impossible at times to address.  The second in the series, after "Location, Location, Location" is an homage to our intellectual hero (and lucky for us, our friend and colleague) Dr. Jonathan Haidt who - literally - wrote the book for Pigs With Big Dreams. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Miss the first Flying Pig Academy Episode? Find it here. Oh and if you haven't watch the "hive switch-y" Almost Famous Tiny Dancer scene we mention toward the end of the episode, here's your chance. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Why does it feel like those on the “other side” are not just different but dangerous? According to our special guest UNC psychologist Kurt Gray in his new book OUTRAGED: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground the conflict lies in our human instinct to protect ourselves and the ones we love from harm. Find the program online here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We have become a most tediously offended people. We're not talking about the big stuff — it's the “little” things we wonder about. “Sticks and stones may break my bones” and “water off a duck's back” seem quaint and anachronistic in today's culture of maximal aggrievement. Provoked by even the slightest offense — that, mind you, we seem to be on constant vigilance to find — we're on a hair trigger that sends us into conjuring up “us vs. them” and “good vs. evil” thinking and language.  Scholars have written that this sad state of affairs reflects a wider shift in our culture, from what they call a “dignity culture” to an “honor and victimhood culture.” Humanity has been here before (in the days of yore when the Secretary of the Treasury killed a sitting vice president, or that one time a U.S. Senator was caned on the Senate floor) — and it doesn't end well. Led by Rev. Josh Hall of First Baptist Church — God Squad is on it. Learn more about the program and meet the God Squad here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Introducing the newest thing in higher (and we really mean higher — like look UP) education: The Flying Pig Academy. A dream of The Village Square (with support from Florida Humanities) for many years, it's finally aloft. The division in American society is big and seems impossible at times to address.  The first, second and third rule? Like buying a house: location, location, location OR local local local. This is easier to fix than you thought. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We claim to be a nation founded on an idea. But, especially in these times of civic rupture, are we even all talking about the same idea? Contributing Washington Post opinion writer Dr. Ted Johnson joins us again to discuss his beautiful, powerful new book “If We are Brave: Essays of Black Americana.” The program is faciliated by Dr. Nashid Madyun, Executive Director of Florida Humanities. Find hte program online here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

As we contemplated who we might invite for this post-election UNUM gathering, we were (temporarily) flummoxed. A week after the election would we be in need of an expert in election law, a therapist or an exorcist? Could we just place all three on speed dial? Then we realized that no matter what happens during – and after – the 2024 election, there will undoubtedly be some BIG feelings about it, so our task on November 12th is utterly clear even now: we'll need to take one step closer to each other. That journey has a sherpa, and her name is Mónica Guzmán. Mónica is the friend you'll want for that post-election drink, the one you can let your hair down with to just talk it all through. The program is faciliated by Angel Eduardo of FIRE. Learn more about Móni, Angel and this event here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

America's young adults are telling us they're not OK — in ways large and small. It's high time to take a good, close listen and have a frank conversation about the spiking anxiety & depression among adults coming of age in this time of disruption and disconnection. We're losing more young adults than we can bear. As successive generations move away from organized religion, perhaps there's a longing for spiritual direction that we have in our souls for relationship, community and ritual. Can religious congregations help to address this problem? If so, how do they connect and make spaces more welcoming for young people in our community's “third spaces” that help grow community and purpose? Led by Father Tim Holeda — who pastors to a large community of FSU students — God Squad is on it. Learn more about the program and meet the God Squad here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

What, exactly, is our problem? Author Tim Urban, known for his extended riff on procrastination in his endlessly wise, sidesplittingly funny, stick-figure illustrated Wait But Why blog, emerged from a 6-year deep think with an answer that has the power to save humanity (from itself).  In Urban's analysis, the primitive mind is a furry orange monster holding a burning torch, big dumb looking genies called golems roam the land — and we're going to need a resurgence of rival genies to save us. Oh and we're all moths wasting our lives circle the porch light. In this episode, Tim joins us to get us up to speed. This one is a must-listen. Learn more about Tim and his work online here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

As we barrel toward America's 250th, one could argue that if we crack up before we get there (some bad days we'd take even odds), it'll have something to do with the complexity of being in charge of executing one of the founders' biggest ideas — that the church and the state were to be separate in this new nation of theirs. (It had been so much “easier” when the king told all us peasants what religion we were.) Our framers, for the first time in history, asserted that a citizenry had “natural rights” as human beings, given to them only by God, to follow (and be responsible for) our individual consciences — including the right to not believe at all. These rights could then not be taken by the government. Those dudes in tights, both Christian and Deist, had birthed a country where all sorts of religious belief would thrive. Turns out high principles about freedom for everyone all at the same time wouldn't be a piece of cake and after 250-ish years of disagreement, we're still haggling over those darn specifics — partly because we're masters of not seeing the log in our own eyes. God Squad goes right to the real conversation on this age-old prickly topic. Learn more about the program and meet the God Squad here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

Friends since middle school, Berny Jacques and Geston Pierre are both children of Haitian political refugees who fled political instability that put their families at risk – with Geston's parents arriving a little earlier than Berny's.  Despite their friendship and shared family immigration story, they have reached very different conclusions about politics and social issues in the United States today. What Berny and Geston have found in the space and differences between them, we believe, has a lot to teach the country they both dearly love. In the lead-up to a contentious presidential election, it seemed like the perfect time to get to know these “frenemies” — and consider what we might be getting wrong about each other. Learn more about the program and about Berny and Geston here. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

Drawing on decades of experience addressing volatile disagreements surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Resetting the Table works to transform toxic polarization and destructive political conflict in the U.S. We'll be joined by Resetting the Table's Co-Founding CEO, Melissa Weintraub, a veteran peacebuilder and social entrepreneur who has spent her career building transformative communication across divides, overcoming dehumanization and distrust, and working toward a shared society in both the U.S. and Israel-Palestine. This program is part of the series in partnership with Florida Humanities — “UNUM: Democracy Reignited,” a multi-year digital offering exploring the past, present and future of the American idea — as it exists on paper, in the hearts of our people, and as it manifests (or sometimes fails to manifest) in our lives. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

In a culturally, religiously and racially diverse society like ours — with a single public school system designed to educate America's children — maybe we shouldn't be surprised that the culture wars have Officially Hit Our Schools. When you clear away the noise, at the core of the struggle is this: what should our schools teach our children—and who decides?  Joining us for this conversation are special guests school board member Dr. Marcus Nicolas and Lea Marshall, a beloved high school theatre teacher. God Squad joining us: Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Joseph Davis Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, and Betsy Ouellette Zierden former Pastor at Good Samaritan UMC, Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church, Latricia Scriven of Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, and Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

We were honored to hang out with our intellectural hero, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, a few weeks before the release of his recent book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Unsurprisingly, since its release, it became an instant #1 New York Times bestseller. If you have kids, if you know kids — heck, if you've ever seen a kid — you're just going to have to read this book. It gives us no less than a chance to rescue the coming generations from the devastating effects of an accidental social experiment run amok. Haidt argues we're overprotecting children in the real world — where they need to play, be exposed to challenge and freedom in order to learn to self-govern — and severely underprotect them in the digital world. He gives us concrete specific steps we can all take now to roll back the psychologically dangerous phone-based childhood. Don't miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time.   The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

“Fragile Neighborhoods is an essential and engaging read for everyone who wants to better understand the challenges facing our cities, towns and our nation at large.” Richard Florida – Bestselling Author of “The Rise of the Creative Class” Find the program online here: https://tlh.villagesquare.us/event/soul-of-civility/ While our special guest Alexandra O. Hudson, author of “The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves,” finds the challenges to civility today dire, she thinks they're not new — and they're most definitely not about being more polite. Lexi brings a deep and fresh appreciation for the wisdom of the ages to the moment we're in, from Socrates and Confucius to more contemporary thinkers such as Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and Henry David Thoreau. She joins forces with these heavyweights, along with a practically encyclopedic knowledge of our understanding of civility through the ages. We hope you'll join us for this inspiringly heartfelt and beautifully pitched argument that civility is not a luxury: it's necessary for the survival and flourishing of our species. ALEXANDRA O. HUDSON is a writer, popular speaker, and the founder of Civic Renaissance, a publication and intellectual community dedicated to beauty, goodness and truth. She contributes to Fox News, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, TIME Magazine, POLITICO Magazine, and Newsweek. She earned a master's degree in public policy at the London School of Economics and is an adjunct professor at the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy. Her first book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves, was published in October 2023. She lives in Indianapolis, IN with her husband and children. ______________ The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

“Fragile Neighborhoods is an essential and engaging read for everyone who wants to better understand the challenges facing our cities, towns and our nation at large.” Richard Florida – Bestselling Author of “The Rise of the Creative Class” Find the full program online here — and meet The God Squad: https://tlh.villagesquare.us/event/fragile-neighborhoods/ As we continue our “Join or Die” year—exploring how we build lives of connection and belonging inside a polarized America—we'd be remiss if we didn't turn our attention to the neighborhoods and the city where we live our lives. Too many of us live in neighborhoods plagued by rising crime, school violence, family disintegration, addiction, alienation, and despair. Even the wealthiest neighborhoods are not immune; while poverty exacerbates these challenges, they exist in zip codes rich and poor, rural and urban, and everything in between. Our special guest Seth D. Kaplan is an expert on fragile states across the world, consulting for the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as developing country governments and NGOs. His new book “Fragile Neighborhoods: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time” brings  Seth's experience overseas to our social decline in America—and Tallahassee— to revitalize our local institutions and the social ties that knit them together. Pick up a copy of Fragile Neighborhoods by swinging by Midtown Reader (or you can click here ) Seth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations around the world. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

Find the full program online here — and meet The God Squad: https://tlh.villagesquare.us/event/canceled/.  We're living in a time when a bad choice of words (much less a deeply held countercultural opinion) can tank your career, in a media environment where some are doing a near-professional job of elevating being offensive to an art form—almost begging to be “canceled” by those who care about maintaining at least a kindergarten-level decorum. Our culture wars have blinded us—gone are the deepest underpinnings of pluralism, where legitimately held beliefs are respected, even when they clash fiercely with our own. Never mind being canceled, this environment has many of us self-editing—choosing simply to not express ourselves so as to avoid risk altogether. So how's a person to live free in a culture that's this hostile and toxic to diverse opinion? We're going to call on the better angels of our nature — and The God Squad — to see if we can get back to a generosity of spirit where we support each other's right to live free by our conscience and beliefs — no matter how profoundly we disagree. Joining us for this God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Latricia Scriven of Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, Betsy Ouellette Zierden former Pastor at Good Samaritan UMC, Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church, and Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky of Temple Israel. Facilitated by Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

We wanted you wonderful SquareCast listeners to know that we didn't plan for this episode to drop on Leap Day and we didn't plan on it being (we kid you not) Episode 100. But both things just happened. At the very least, we think that's a sign that you really ought to listen. Were we "the universe has a plan" maximalists, though, we'd say it means you need to quit your day job and follow bridge builders like Jon Haidt and The Village Square around like Jack Kerouac groupies.  You pick. Here's our blurb to help inform your imminent life choice: What if, at a pinnacle of our civilization's technological achievement, everything just broke — the institutions we've come to rely upon in navigating a modern complex world, the shared stories that hold a large and diverse democratic republic together, and even a common language through which to navigate the rising tide of crisis.  According to renowned social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt, this describes our current reality, one that he calls “After Babel.” In this new normal, we are scattered by a digital environment into feuding tribes that are governed by mob dynamics and driven by a minority of ideological outliers, made stupid at warp speed by group think, and — thanks to social media — armed with billions of metaphorical “dart guns” with which to immediately wound “the enemy” in ways that are hardly only metaphorical. What could go wrong? Our very special guest, Dr. Jonathan Haidt, will delve into the profound impact of social media on democratic societies, dissecting the intricate web of challenges it poses to civic trust and civil discourse. Don't miss this chance to hear from one of the foremost thought leaders of our time — one who has generously given his counsel to The Village Square, and countless efforts like ours — on this existential challenge of our time. Read Why the Past Ten Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid  in The Atlantic and learn more about Dr. Haidt by clicking the MORE button, below. The program includes a preview of Haidt's highly anticipated upcoming book The Anxious Generation, available at the end of March. You're not going to want to miss it. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

Pulitzer Prize finalist journalist Bill Bishop joins The Village Square for Dinner at the Square. (See photos from the event here.) Turns out Americans have been sorting ourselves in every aspect of our lives – in the news we watch, the books we read, the churches we attend, even the neighborhoods we live in. Our special guest Pulitzer Prize finalist journalist Bill Bishop stumbled on this worrisome trend when he was doing research on an unrelated topic. That means that we're increasingly finding ourselves in the company of people who think just like we do. Inside these likeminded tribes, we find our views amplified and no counterbalance to help us understand what our “side” might be failing to see. The result? Likeminded groups grow more extreme in the direction of the majority view. Uh oh. Faciliating the conversation is Steve Seibert, formerly of Collins Center and Florida Humanities. Joining the conversation is Governor Jeb Bush's former Chief of Staff Sally Bradshaw, and former Florida Representative Loranne Ausley. Find the event online here. Find The Village Square online here.  The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

In this episode of SquareCast Village Square Founder & CEO Liz Joyner let Village SquareCast Corey Nathan talk her into being the guest in an episode. It's hard to get away from the doom scroll that typifies our life and times right now — we're clobbered with toxic sludge when we turn on the  news, catch up with friends on social media or just try to live life without someone forcing us to choose whether we're one of “us” or one of “them.” The signs of our difficulties are all around us and it's hard to underestimate its weight on our being. In this episode of Village SquareCast we'll chat with founder Liz Joyner about the unique journey of two decades seeking to (in the words of one of Liz's heroes, Patricia Nelson Limerick) “let friendship redeem the republic.” We'll travel from Washington, D.C. to Tallahassee, Florida in this epic tale of tilting at some serious windmills — while endeavoring to keep laughing. Find The Village Square online here.  The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

In this episode of SquareCast we're joined by the extraordinary Rachel Brown, the Founder of Over Zero—named in reference to the “zero sum game” that exists in sporting events, but becomes dangerous when it overtakes a society, as it has ours. Over Zero was founded to prevent identity-based violence and other forms of group-targeted harm around the world—and here at home. Rachel is one of the wisest, steadiest voices of our time in guiding us away from dangerous (but human) reactions, and toward calmer times. The program is facilitated by Dr. Theodore R. Johnson, previous UNUM guest and author of the book “When The Stars Begin to Fall.”  Find the program online at The Village Square here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

In this age of deep and growing civic divisions, perhaps it's time to revise the comic strip Pogo's iteration of U.S. Navy Master Commandant Oliver Perry's quote from the War of 1812: "We have met the enemy and it is us." From our special Dinner at the Square guest Stephen Kiernan's masterpiece book Authentic Patriotism: “The problems America faces are not going to be solved by either political party, nor are they exclusively the fault of any political party. I am reminded of the line in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet: “A plague on both your houses.” In a democracy politics are merely the manifestation of the people's will; if Congress is weak, it is because the public's leadership of politicians has been insufficient.” This throwback episode is part of The Village Square's return to some of the most basic, inspiring and effective ideas we've heard through our years about how to actually fix what ails us, leading up to the launch of our Flying Pig Academy, where we'll teach our model of returning to civic health. Stay tuned. We think it will inspire you. (You can also watch this program here.) The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

Americans are sad and lonely, and we don't feel like we belong. With depression and “deaths of despair” on the rise, over half of us say that no one knows us well—a truly alarming statistic that doesn't bode well for our future. As if matters weren't bad enough, we're not just sad and alone—we're becoming more mean to each other, and it's likely part of the same cycle of pain. With fewer human connections in our lives, more of us seek belonging in our venally angry civic life, so this crisis of belonging also fuels extremism for which violence is increasingly a downstream outcome. What if, at its core, the loneliness, bitterness, and anger is a failure of our society's moral compass?  We asked The God Squad to read David Brooks' Atlantic piece “How America Got Mean” before this conversation, but whether you've had a chance to read it or not, you're going to be inspired by this conversation. Meet the God Squad, the brains behind our series “God Squad: Improbable conversations for people of faith and no faith at all (because talking politics wasn't hard enough). Joining us for this edition of God Squad:  Joining us for this God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Dr. Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church, Rev. Betsy Ouellette-Zierden, Joseph Davis Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky of Temple Israel. The Reverend Dr. Latricia Scriven of St. Paul's United Methodist Church facilitates the conversation. Find bios for our participants and a full program description online here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities. This program is part of a larger project "Healing Starts Here" funded by New Pluralists. Learn more about our project, and other inspiring grantees here.

With our culture wars at a full rolling boil, apparently all it takes to send our enmity over the edge is…a good old-fashioned country song?? The furor over Jason Aldean's “Try That in A Small Town” (and then there's Oliver Anthony's “Rich Men North of Richmond”) is reminiscent of the old furor over The Dixie Chicks—only the “sides” have switched up.  As The Village Square embarks on a pluralism project to build a hometown where everyone belongs, it's possible that “round here we take care of our own” is a value we should all seek to restore to American civic life, but does it really need to come with all the guns? We'll bring The God Squad into this musical fracas (they dove right into this one in our planning meeting), so that they can do their usual thing and go high instead of the usual low. Can we find a place where perhaps we can tolerate each other and just SING? (Dolly Parton has something to say on that front…) Check out the “Try That In A Small Town” lyrics. And the lyrics to “Rich Men North of Richmond” are here. Joining us for this God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Josh Hall of First Baptist Church, Joseph Davis Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, and Rabbi Paul Sidlofsky of Temple Israel. Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel will be facilitating. Meet the God Squad, the brains behind our series “God Squad: Improbable conversations for people of faith and no faith at all (because talking politics wasn't hard enough). Joining us for this edition of God Squad:  Find bios for our participants and a full program description online here. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

At the core of the deep societal divisions we navigate every day is an assumption that we share little with “those people” with whom we share a country—a belief that leaves us on dangerous ground as a nation. But author and entrepreneur Dr. Todd Rose says we've got that all wrong. According to Dr. Rose, not only do we agree more often than we think but we're making terrible assumptions about what the people on our own side of the aisle think—then acting on those incorrect assumptions in a way that accelerates the divisions. Born of our highly social nature and hardwiring in our DNA, we so desperately want to protect our status and reputation inside our groups so we conform with what we think our group thinks—finding ourselves inside a “collective illusion” that is not only destabilizing society, it's making us personally miserable. Dr. Rose offers his compelling and revelatory insights about human forces that are far too easily ignored in his most recent book: “Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions.” We think his work is just so important that we're delighted to bring him to Tallahassee to meet you (and we'll be hosting book clubs to dive into “Collective Illusions” through the year). We don't think you'll ever see the world quite the same way again (trust us, that'll be a good thing). Learn more about Dr. Rose below. Pick up a copy of Collective Illusions (you'll thank us) at our partner bookseller Midtown (wherever you live). — The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“Our national myths often exaggerate the role of the individual heroes and understate the importance of collective effort. —Robert Putnam This is when you meet a living legend and get the benefit of his thinking on the topic he's been brilliantly, prophetically right about for more than three decades: the deterioration of our connectedness with each other across almost every demographic and every aspect of our lives—our loss of social capital.  And yet here we are, painfully and tragically paying the price for our failure to put our shoulders to this wheel when it was (almost eerily) knowable when Dr. Robert Putnam first articulated the societal trend in his iconic book “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of America Community” (we've just re-read it, and we're still not sure he's not secretly a time-traveler).  Joined by Shaylyn Romney Garrett, his co-author on “The Upswing: How America Came Together A Century Ago and How We Can Do It Again,” they're beseeching us to do it now (and we're doing just that, until the end of 2024). Bonus: they're showing us that what we need to do is actually fun, fills our souls—and might just save our country. Learn more about Dr. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett in the full program description online here. Pick up a copy of The Upswing and Bowling Alone (you'll thank us) at our partner bookseller Midtown (wherever you live). Please also take a moment to watch the trailer of "Join or Die: A film about why you should join a club - and why the fate of America depends on it," produced and directed by Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis.  Note that in the discussion Dr. Putnam references a chart in the discussion - you can find the two-slide chart here (the first is the imaginary picture we have in our minds about how race in America changed and is not correct; the second is correct).   — The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“A remarkable combination of scientific insight, practical guidance, and grounded hope.” —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THINK AGAIN Toxic polarization and conflict is exhausting. Whether it's in your family, at work or in our perpetually acrimonious civic life, it's like a suitcase full of big ole rocks we lug around while we try to get the usual tasks of life-y-ness done.  Our UNUM journey has brought us thinkers and leaders from sea to shining sea, but now we're turning intentionally to see THE WAY OUT — and it turns out that really being able to see it is a key first step in being able to do it. Columbia University's Peter T. Coleman brings us deep wisdom informed by a life in scholarship that leaves us more hopeful than the usual fare. Know that when we listen to Peter, we do cartwheels of joy — and who doesn't need joy right about now? Facilitated by BridgeUSA's Manu Meel, this is a must-listen if you're looking for The Way Out. Learn more about Dr. Coleman and read a full program description online here. Pick up a copy of The Way Out (you'll thank us) at our partner bookseller Midtown Reader (wherever you live). Peter T. Coleman is Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University where he holds a joint-appointment at Teachers College and The Earth Institute. Dr. Coleman directs the Morton Deutsch International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution.  — The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Funding for this podcast was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.  

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you a feed drop episode of Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other—a podcast we loved so much, we convinced its host to also be our host (that's fandom). Along with Village SquareCast, TP&R is also a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Listen to TP&R Here.   This episode, Tim Keller and Michael Gerson, A Tribute with Pete Wehner and Jonathan Rauch, is the most beautiful hour in the history of podcasting, in our highly informed opinion (culled from zero statistics and study... we just know). Please, whatever you do, listen—and share. Along with host Corey Nathan, Jon and Pete (both former Village Square in-person guests) zero in on the generosity of spirit that could—and should—transform everything about the world today. If we can only let it. Here's Pete, toward the end, about Tim and Michael, the gentlemen they give tribute to: "it's whether in discourse and conversations we can together refine each others' views, calibrate each others' views... and come closer to the true reality of things than we would without each other." We beseech you, please listen, and then subscribe to Corey's beautiful podcast, Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other. You're going to thank yourself for doing something so very smart. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall. Like crazy soon.  

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you a feed drop episode of When The People Decide, a podcast about how everyday people are shaping democracy. Along with Village SquareCast, they're a member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Listen to When The People Decide Here.   This episode, Libraries as civic spaces is thoroughly enchanting to us—featuring special guests Shamichael Hallman and Nancy Kranich: Librarians have spoken for years about “library faith,” the belief that public libraries are central to democracy because they contribute to an informed citizenry. Today, the idea is gaining even more traction, and even conservative crackdowns on what's permitted in libraries reinforce the idea that they're more than just “book warehouses” but centers for community engagement and representativeness.  And meet the host of When the People Decide, Jenna Spinelle (one of our favorite podcast hosts, don't tell the others). Be sure to catch Season 1 while you're there—an eight-episode series explores the promise — and sometimes peril — that ballot initiatives have brought to American democracy by telling the stories of people who have organized initiative campaigns across the country. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall.

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you a feed drop episode of Healing Race, from a pair of friends (one black, one white)—college friends who spent the first couple decades of their relationship not talking about race. Then they decided it was past time so they just jumped right in.  Find Healing Race on Apple podcasts. This episode ("Black" and White:" Should We Identify with the Color of Our Skin?") Todd asks Andre if he would ideally like to live in a world where we don't identify ourselves with the color of our skin. Should we want to live in a world where the groups we identify with are not based on our color, and what are the challenges in getting there? Here's more about their show: Talking about race isn't always easy. Andre and Todd decided to go deep on the role of race and the state of race relations in the U.S... and to make their conversations public so that others could see what a first conversation about race might look like, where no topic is off the table and no views are stifled or censored, but where they always listen, respect, and seek to understand - even and especially when they see things differently. And they are now welcoming guests on the show to experience that same kind of radical openness, honesty, and empathy. Healing Race is about having the real-deal, don't-filter-what-you-think conversation about race, and they would love for you to join.  We hope you'll spend some time getting to know Todd and Andre, as they really need to get to know each other—and show the rest of us how it's done. You can read more about the pair, and their friendship in The Fulcrum. Village SquareCast is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall.

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you a feed drop episode of the "How Do We Fix It?" podcast, from the coolest podcast hosting dynamic duo we know and love,  Richard Davies and Jim Meigs. These two have real fun together and with their guests—and we all get to listen. This episode of How Do We Fix It? "The Middle 70%: In This Together" features Bill Shireman, host of the podcast "A Moment of BS Bill Shireman Disrupts the Dividers". President of Future 500, where he invites Greenpeace, ExxonMobil, Rainforest Action Network, Mitsubishi and other corporate and environmental leaders to work together. We hope you'll take a moment to jump over to How Do We Fix It? right now to listen to more interviews with people like Jonathan Haidt, David Bornstein, Lenore Skenazy, Mike Rowe—and so many more (including our founder Liz Joyner) on "positive ideas for challenging times. Village SquareCast and How Do We Fix It? are both proud members of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall.

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you a feed drop episode of the "Let's Find Common Ground" podcast, from the extraordinary national leader in bridging divides Common Ground Committee.  (Shout out to the co-founders Bruce Bond and Erik Olsen. We're groupie fans.) Meet them: With polarization dominating public discourse, can we find a path back to the common good? Tune in as journalists Richard Davies and Ashley Milne-Tyte explore diverse solutions to today's most urgent issues with top thought leaders, journalists and others committed to bipartisan action. Tell us what you think! Rank recent episodes and issues that matter to you, and leave us a note or voice message. This episode of Let's Find Common Ground features the scholar Dr. Theodore Johnson, someone who has also been a guest on SquareCast. Dr. Johnson wrote the book "When the Stars Begin to Fall" about his unique journey to love of country—and the imperative that we seek racial healing together. We hope you'll take a moment to jump over to Let's Find Common Ground to listen to more great content (and subscribe). Village SquareCast and Let's Find Common Ground are both proud members of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall.

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer you an episode of one of the best podcasts in the democracy space—Democracy Works.  Meet them: The Democracy Works podcast seeks to answer that question by examining a different aspect of democratic life each week — from voting to criminal justice to the free press and everything in between. We interview experts who study democracy, as well as people who are out there doing the hard work of democracy day in and day out.  This episode of Democracy Works is Separating News From Noise, examining the very real dynamic of news avoidance.  How much news is too much? Or not enough? News Over Noise, the new podcast from Penn State's News Literacy Initiative explores that question and offers guidance on how to consume news that enhances your participation in our democracy without becoming overwhelmed by all the noise on social media and the 24/7 news cycle.  If your first reaction is to demonize people who don't want to read the news, hold up. Read this Washington Post piece by our favorite journalist Amanda Ripley "I stopped reading the news—is the problem me or the product." The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Both The Democracy Group and Democracy Works are projects led by the wise and wonderful Jenna Spinelle of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State University. If you don't know them already you should. Village SquareCast will be back with brand new episodes of Village SquareCast this fall.

The Village Square is truly delighted to offer our very favorite listeners (you) this feed drop of one of our very favorite podcasts (that isn't Village SquareCast)—Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other—with its host the one and only Corey Nathan. (Corey just happens to also be our co-host too we like him so much.) In this episode of TP&R Corey interviews Bob Cusack of THE HILL.  We hope if you love Corey as much as we do you'll hop on over to listen to more and subscribe. Find them online here or wherever you get your podcasts. Here's the TP&R description: Journalistic integrity. How can individual reporters and news outlets uphold their professional ethics? Is it possible in today's environment? How can a journalist get a coveted interview, yet be fair without it becoming a hit job or a puff piece? Is it any different now than 5 or 10 or 25+ years ago, when our guest Bob Cusack of THE HILL first entered the business? What is it like interviewing Donald Trump (which Bob has done 4 times)? How can reporters be equipped to deal with attacks from a subject like Trump who repeatedly refers to the press as "the enemy of the people"? What about situations when correspondents are in harm's way due to such attacks? What lessons can be learned from the demise of companies such as BuzzFeed and Vice Media? Oh, and of course we do a little political prognostication! Bob Cusack serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Hill, a media platform that provides nonpartisan reporting on the inner workings of Government and the nexus of politics and business. Bob has been reporting on policy and politics in Washington, D.C. since 1995 and has interviewed top newsmakers such as former President Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. He regularly appears on news networks as a non-partisan political analyst and has won six awards from the National Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. Bob is also an accomplished tennis player and has appeared in numerous movies and tv shows such as WONDER WOMAN and VEEP. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. —Abraham Lincoln. This episodes tells the story of one group of people who have risen. Built by patriotic volunteers, Braver Angels is a national movement to bridge the partisan divide, equally balanced between conservatives and progressives at every level of leadership. They work in communities, on college campuses, in the media, and in the halls of political power. We'll offer up a behind the scenes view of this extraordinary group of Americans—how they formed, what they've learned and what's next. Find bios for our participants and a full program description online here. We hope you'll join us as we explore what happens when people of goodwill who might not agree cross each others' thresholds and break a little bread together. Whoever you are, whatever your beliefs, bring an open mind, an open heart (and an empty stomach) for a continuing conversation on the two topics your mother taught you to never broach in polite company: politics and religion. We can't wait. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.  

Is political branding of everything really good for anyone? These days politicians aren't the only ones who have to state their opinion on every single political disagreement du jour. It seems like practically every religious, nonprofit and for-profit company has to do the same, with everyone from mom-and-pop operations to Fortune 500 companies forced to run the gauntlet through our cold civil war. Are you “us” or are you “them”? We'll talk about just how advisable this situation is and if there might be a better way. The God Squad concludes 13 years of talking about the challenging issues where faith intersects with the public square. Meet the God Squad, the brains behind our series “God Squad: Improbable conversations for people of faith and no faith at all (because talking politics wasn't hard enough). Joining us for God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Dr. Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church Tallahassee, Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel, and Jermaine White of JPMorgan Chase. Find bios for our participants and a full program description online here. We hope you'll join us as we explore what happens when people of goodwill who might not agree cross each others' thresholds and break a little bread together. Whoever you are, whatever your beliefs, bring an open mind, an open heart (and an empty stomach) for a continuing conversation on the two topics your mother taught you to never broach in polite company: politics and religion. We can't wait. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.  

Throughout American history, Black women have been expected to serve and support others. Now, what should be done to support Black women? Despite Black women being the anchor for their families, networks, and community, they continue to be disregarded for economic opportunities, dismissed in health care, and deprioritized in society. Black women in America have historically faced an intersectional disadvantage due to both race and gender discrimination, and these challenges continue to persist today. A panel discussion, featuring academic experts, industry professionals, and community members, will encourage residents to put themselves in someone else's shoes and understand the experiences of Black women. Table talks will provide an opportunity for attendees to share their own experiences and perspectives on the issues discussed by the panelists. These conversations will be facilitated to encourage attendees to engage in meaningful dialogue and share their thoughts and ideas in a small group setting. This program was presented by The Village Square and Leon County Government. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. Find the full program description with guest bios online here.

Don't miss this warm, funny professional's guided tour of an industry that is failing us—the "Broken News." You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll know a thing or two to do to fix it. Our very special guest, Chris Stirewalt—a former Fox News political editor— gives us an inside view of the rage-driven political environment we've found ourselves plunged into: “Rage revenue-addicted news companies are plagued by shoddy reporting, sensationalism, groupthink, and brain-dead partisan tribalism. Newsrooms rely on emotion-driven blabber to entrance conflict-addled super users.” We think that just about nails it.  Chris Stirewalt is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on American politics, voting trends, public opinion, and the media. He is concurrently a contributing editor and weekly columnist for The Dispatch. Before joining AEI, he was political editor of Fox News Channel, where he helped coordinate political coverage across the network and specialized in on-air analysis of polls and voting trends. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

Love Thy Neighbor. No Exceptions? Does the admonition to love one's neighbor really come without exceptions? Must churches welcome white nationalists? Gay couples? January 6 sympathizers? BLM activists? Is everyone my neighbor? And what does love really mean? Joining us for God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Pastor Joe Davis, Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, Scott Martin of Element 3 Church, Pastor Latricia Scriven of Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, and Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel. ___________________ Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

Why do we connect emotionally with some places and not others? And why does that matter? Author and speaker Peter Kageyama loves cities. Big cities, small cities, villages and small towns. Our special podcast guest is Peter Kageyama on his extraordinary book. Wherever you live, this program is for you. In fact, wherever you live, we think you ought to begin a love affair with your city. So what does loving the city you live in have to do with healing the partisan divide? Turns out the answer is “almost everything.” Tune in to find out why. Whatever you do, watch the Grand Rapids Lip Dub when you get to that place in the podcast. Really, you're going to thank us. And while Peter doesn't mention the Levi's Strauss Go Forth Campaign in this talk, we learned about it from him in an earlier talk. The video inspires us to see the plight of cities in the Rust Belt like Braddock, Pennsylvania as a frontier. Like us, you're never going to forget meeting Peter Kageyama. ___________________ Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it. “For the Love of Cities,” in a throwback event offered in partnership with Leon County Government, City of Tallahassee and KCCI Tallahassee.

The forces that divide us are big, strong, viral, international in scope and have seemingly infected every system of our body politic. It's the degree of that rot that has led us back this year to where it all began — to people we've come to know over these years — to this place, these people. Through this tumultuous time, we have come to believe that if we're going to care about the American idea — if we're going to truly live it out (and maybe save it) — it will be in hometowns like this one between neighbors like us. And it will ultimately be about who we are to each other, which Washington D.C. doesn't get to decide for us. (And there is a growing body of academic work that supports our contention.) We say if we love our country, democracy is lived out here — as we love our city and we at least try to love our neighbor. Italians call a deep love for the village you call home “campanilismo” — all that lies within view of the local campanile or bell tower, the tallest building in town — but we're calling this idea “local patriotism,” and think it could catch on if we can forge a trail for other hometowns. Ultimately, we think it's possible that the only thing powerful enough to truly conquer the “Goliath” of this deepening national dysfunction is the “David” of local community. “True patriotism serves,” says Stephen Kiernan, our old friend and author of Authentic Patriotism. Since bringing Stephen to town after the publication of his book, he's become so disturbed by our political dysfunction that he's advocating this same bottom-up approach in his project “Vermont to the Tenth Power.” Joining Stephen is Sally Bradshaw, Governor Bush's former Chief of Staff, who got off the presidential campaign trail and jumped right into being a local bookseller when she opened Midtown Reader, in her pursuit of lived democracy in our hometown. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The Village Square is a proud member of The Democracy Group, a network of podcasts that examines what's broken in our democracy and how we can work together to fix it.

"WHEN TWO ENEMIES ARE TALKING, THEY'RE NOT FIGHTING." When Daryl Davis was ten, he didn't understand hate yet. But then he was the only black scout in a parade to honor Paul Revere's ride to Concord, when he began getting hit by bottles. It was then that he formed a question in his mind that he's spent much of a lifetime answering: “How can you hate me when you don't even know me?” Failing to find his answer in books and history, as an adult and an accomplished musician, he realized who better to ask than a member of an organization formed around the premise—the KKK. So began our guest's extraordinary story, in which a black man befriended over 200 KKK members, starting with a grand wizard. We'll learn how his improbable, impossible, openhearted journey can light our way. Musician and Race Reconciliator Daryl Davis, has single-handedly been the impetus for over two hundred White supremacists to renounce their ideology and turn their lives around. As a Black man, Daryl has attended more Ku Klux Klan rallies than most White people and certainly most Blacks — short of being on the wrong end of a rope. His true-life encounters with Grand Dragons, Imperial Wizards, neo-Nazi Commanders are detailed in his documentary Accidental Courtesy, and his riveting first book Klan-Destine Relationships. Daryl tours around the country and around the world performing musical concerts and giving lectures on race reconciliation, inspiring both racists and non-racists to redirect their positions toward working together to truly make America the greatest country it can be. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

In our year-long celebration of the superpower of healthy friendships across differences, you'll meet God Squad's friends who they don't quite agree with. Then we'll let friendly disagreement rip (and live to tell).  Join us for this chat about how to tackle difficult topics within the relationships that matter to us the most… and how to keep friendships healthy even when conflict arises. Joining the God Squad are Pastor Betsy Ouelette Zierden of the United Methodist Church, Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Pastor Latricia Scriven of Saint Paul's United Methodist Church, and Retired Rabbi Jack Romberg. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Isn't Hanukkah the most important holiday to Jews? Don't Catholics object to sex unless reproduction is the goal? Don't all religions worship the same God and (more or less) teach the same things? Doesn't the Bible say that God helps those who help themselves? The God Squad will consider many of the myths, truths, and misunderstandings that everyday people have about religion in America. Joining us for God Squad are Dr. Gary Shultz of First Baptist Church Tallahassee, Father Tom Dillion of St. John Paul II Chapel, Dr. Judy Mandrell of Life Changer Church of God in Christ, Adil Attari, and Retired Rabbi Jack Romberg.

Hedrick Smith, Pulitzer Prize-winning former New York Times reporter and editor and Emmy award-winning producer/correspondent, has established himself over the past 50 years as one of America's premier journalists. His best-seller, “Who Stole the American Dream” is a startling and revealing portrait of the past 30 years of U.S. political and economic history, hailed both for its compelling stories and ”brilliant analysis.” In 26 years with The New York Times, Smith served in Saigon, Cairo, Paris, the American South and as bureau chief in Moscow and Washington. In 1971, he was a member of the Pulitzer Prize-winning team for the Pentagon Papers series and in 1974, he won the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting from Russia and Eastern Europe. His subsequent book The Russians was a No.1 American best-seller translated into 16 languages. Smith's next book, The Power Game: How Washington Works, was bedside reading for President Clinton. Many members of Congress used it as a political bible. He has written three other best-sellers. For PBS, Hedrick Smith has created 26 prime-time specials and mini-series since 1989 on such varied topics as “Inside the Terror Network,” “Is Wal-Mart Good for America?” “The Wall Street Fix,” “Inside Gorbachev's USSR,” “Can You Afford to Retire?” and “Rediscovering Dave Brubeck.” He has won most of television's top awards including two Emmys, two national public service awards, and two Dupont-Columbia Gold batons for the best public affairs programs on U.S. television in 1991 and in 2002. Join us for this conversation with Hedrick Smith, facilitated by Mary Ellen Klas, Capitol bureau chief for the Miami Herald.

“Chloé has an independent cast of mind and a roving curiosity that leads her to ask probing questions, pursue original lines of inquiry, and reach provocative and often brilliant conclusions. Every time I see her, I walk away with my mind buzzing with new ideas—her ideas.”—New York Times columnist Bret Stephens Chloé Valdary has a refreshing and humanizing approach to the fraught moment we're in and a completely different take on how we can heal racial division and hatred inside our organizations and across society in general. She calls her approach the "Theory of Enchantment" — "an antiracism program that actually fights bigotry instead of spreading it." Chloé sees bigotry as expressing a deep loss of sense of self in the person who behaves in a racist way—and she teaches people to overcome bigotry by reaching for their humanity (and understanding their own). The 3 laws of enchantment: “treat people like human beings not political extractions,” “criticize to lift up and empower, never to tear down and destroy,” and “root everything you do in love and compassion." After spending a year as a Bartley fellow at the Wall Street Journal, Chloé Valdary developed The Theory of Enchantment, an innovative framework for compassionate antiracism that combines social emotional learning, character development, and interpersonal growth as tools for leadership development in the boardroom and beyond. She has also lectured in universities across America, including Harvard and Georgetown. Her work has been covered in Psychology Today Magazine and her writings have appeared in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. Read a profile piece on Chloé in The Atlantic here. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Back in the day, many political foes were friends in real life—hanging out for a beer after a tough legislative floor fight, attending their kids' weddings over the weekends. It's a sure sign of the times when any across-the-aisle friends that still exist out there in the wild tend to keep their friendship on the down low, in case they'd be accused of fraternizing with “the enemy.” From the halls of Congress to our hometown, this makes becoming or staying bipartisan friends an act of straight up rebellion against the toxic and divided culture we find ourselves in. We chat with one such pair of fantastically dissimilar friends, Dr. Jacob Hess (who has been an influential force for The Village Square) and Village Square Founder Liz Joyner. Jacob and Liz have been rebelling together for about a decade now, and they're not only convinced liberals and conservatives are better together but they are obstinately bound and determined to buck the stultifying groupthink and start a trend. Jacob is the co-author of “You're Not as Crazy as I thought (but you're still wrong).” Dr. Hess works at a tech company that makes apps to overcome pornography addiction, chemical dependency, and depression, and is Editor-in-Chief at Public Square Magazine and writes for the Deseret News on the peace-building beat. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

‘The way you show people that they matter is aiming your curiosity at them. Ask yourself “what kinds of people do I talk about, but never with?” Whoever is underrepresented in your life will be overrepresented in your imagination.' —Mónica Guzmán Ready to fight back against the confusion, heartbreak, and madness of our dangerously divided times? Find the answers you need by talking with people—rather than about them—and asking the questions you want across the divides you want, curiously. Seeing where people are coming from isn't just possible. It's easier than you think. Mónica Guzmán is a bridge builder, journalist, and author who lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions. Her new book, “I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times,” was featured on the Glenn Beck Podcast and named a New York Times recommended read.  Monica is Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, the nation's largest cross-partisan grassroots organization working to depolarize America; founder and CEO of Reclaim Curiosity, an organization working to build a more curious world; host of live interview series at Crosscut; and cofounder of the award-winning Seattle newsletter The Evergrey. She was a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, where she studied social and political division, and a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, where she researched how journalists can rethink their roles to better meet the needs of a participatory public. She was named one of the 50 most influential women in Seattle, served twice as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, and plays a barbarian named Shadrack in her besties' Dungeons & Dragons campaign. A Mexican immigrant, Latina, and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents. The program will be facilitated by Village Square friend and Executive Director of Bridge USA, Manu Meel. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

It's an election year. Should churches have political candidates speak at Sunday services? Should clergy tell congregants how to vote? Should congregations organize political rallies or get-out-the-vote efforts? What are the proper lines for religious involvement in politics? And what are the consequences (to the body politic and to religious communities) when these lines get crossed? Joining us for God Squad are Father Tim Holeda of St. Thomas More Co-Cathedral, Pastor Joe Davis, Jr. of Truth Gatherers Community Church, Stefanie Posner of Temple Israel, Discipleship Pastor Funmi Ojetayo of Four Oaks East, and Lead Pastor Scott Martin of Element3 Church. Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.