Podcasts about Polarization

In another blockbuster episode of the gambling industry's favourite podcast, Simon Westbury, Chair of 1XCare, discusses industry perceptions around 1XBET and the new project 1XCARE, regulatory challenges, player protection, and the future of responsible gambling initiatives. He shares insights on transparency, research, and collaborative efforts to improve industry standards. Yeah, we talk about a lot of stuff. No Fintan, sadly.What we discuss, in an easily-digestible list: Industry perception and misperceptions of 1X CareRegulatory evolution and licensing strategiesPlayer protection and safer gambling initiativesResearch and data in gambling harm preventionTransparency and accountability in industry practicesCollaborative efforts for industry improvementImpact of regulation on market expansionHolistic approaches to gambling addictionChoice quotes: "Industry wants to work with us and engage.""We need to win the conversation with society.""Gambling has an image problem that needs addressing."Chapters, but add 30 seconds maybe for the lovely music: 00:00 Introduction and Sponsorships09:12 1X Care and Addressing Misperceptions15:00 Player Protection and Industry Challenges22:06 Research and Polarization in Gambling Addiction28:01 Collaboration and Future Directions34:14 Understanding Regulatory Challenges in the Industry40:18 The Importance of Transparency and Accountability52:02 Addressing Gambling Addiction and Its Root Causes58:24 The Future of One X Care and Industry EngagementSimon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonwestbury/Resources & Links:As ever, we thank all of our sponsors for their vibrant and excellent support that makes all of this… magic… possible.Optimove, who turn customer data into something special, with tools that make businesses just plain work better. Optimove, your support helps us to keep creating content for an industry that probably thinks we disappeared years ago.Then of course there is Clarion Gaming, no hang on World Gaming, providers of the magnificent ICE expo and iGB Live! in London. There is simply nobody better at what they do.And the new-ish-est members of the family, the excellent Gaming Laboratories International. GLI is a world-class Testing, Inspections and Certification company committed to delivering the highest quality land-based, lottery, and iGaming testing and assessment services, working in more than 710 jurisdictions.For more information, visit gaminglabs.com.The Gambling Files podcast delves into the business side of the betting world. Each week, join Jon Bruford and Fintan Costello as they discuss current hot topics with world-leading gambling experts.Website: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3A57jkRSubscribe on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4cs6ReF Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGamblingFilesPodcast Fintan Costello on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fintancostello/ Jon Bruford on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-bruford-84346636/ Follow the podcast on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-gambling-files-podcast/ Sponsorship enquiries: https://www.thegamblingfiles.com/contact/ Get our newsletter: https://thegamblingfilestldr.substack.com/

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Elizaveta Friesem has spent her career trying to understand why people who could be connected end up disconnected instead — and why so much of that disconnection gets explained away with blame. Her book, Media Is Us, starts from a simple but disruptive idea: media isn't some outside force manipulating us. It's just another form of human communication, shaped by the same flaws and limitations we all have.Wilk and Elizaveta dig into what that means in practice — especially the part where blame requires us to assume things about other people's power and motives that we usually can't prove. From there, the conversation moves into her concept of micro and macro power: how power looks absolute in a single relationship, like a parent telling a child what to do, but dissolves into something far more complicated the moment you zoom out.Her conclusion: nobody is ever completely powerless, and nobody is ever completely powerful. The conversation closes with her A-C-E model — awareness, compassion, and collaboration — a practical way to take real problems seriously without turning them into blame.Learn more and connect with Elizaveta Friesem in the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.  We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we're thinking about it and navigating the challenges.Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow the DTH podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

A groundbreaking new study challenges the idea that America is hopelessly divided. Michael speaks with Tufts political scientist Brian Schaffner about research involving more than 700,000 Americans that found Trump and Harris voters share remarkably similar life experiences and concerns. Then, listeners weigh in on whether our common humanity is enough to bridge today's political divide. Original air date 14 July 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Shaka Mitchell is a lawyer and education policy veteran who built something unusual out of a pandemic-era habit: getting friends together once a month, picking songs tied to a theme, and talking about why. That casual ritual became the Come Together Music Project, now a podcast and live event series Shaka's run with friends, strangers, and colleagues across the political spectrum.One story stands out. At a session with two judges who'd never met - one a conservative libertarian state Supreme Court justice, the other a newly appointed progressive appeals judge - the prompt was simple: name a song that reminds you of where you grew up. The justice picked a Billy Joel song about a town he'd never even lived in, got visibly emotional, and started talking about a working-class childhood that nobody who'd read his opinions would have guessed at. Forty seconds of music got further than years of case law ever could.Shaka and Wilk dig into why this works - why asking someone what song reminds them of home lands so differently than asking who they voted for - and why Shaka insists on keeping the project upstream of politics rather than trying to resolve any actual policy fight. They also get into what's shifted in the relationship between music and politics since the Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum era, and why most musicians want nothing to do with the crossfire.If you've ever wondered how to get past the labels people wear online and actually find out who someone is, this might be your blueprint. We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we're thinking about it and navigating the challenges.Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow the DTH podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Sarah Isgur and David French slow things down with an overview of the yearly Stat Pack released by SCOTUSblog, look at the dissents in the birthright citizenship case, and answer listeners' questions about everything from the 14th Amendment being sex-blind to whether independent agencies could be recreated within the legislative branch.  The Agenda: –Stat Pack: Findings –Trump v. Barbara could have been a book –Birthright citizenship dissents –Is the 14th Amendment sex-blind? –Get rid of rulemaking authority in the executive branch –Choose only three justices –Getting up close to the financial disclosures Order Sarah's book here. Advisory Opinions is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including access to all of our articles, members-only newsletters, and bonus podcast episodes—click here. If you'd like to remove all ads from your podcast experience, consider becoming a premium Dispatch member by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Fishing Without Bait 522, Jim Ellermeyer begins a new conversation with Missy Sorg about one of the most difficult challenges many people face today: how to stay connected when political differences feel personal, painful, and divisive. Missy shares why she wanted to return to the show and talk openly about strained friendships, lost connections, and the fear of being reduced to a political label. Jim and Missy explore the idea that even when people disagree, there may still be a shared “ice cream” — a common point of connection that allows a real conversation to begin. This Part 1 episode moves through themes of political polarization, patriotism, social media, assumptions, “contempt prior to investigation,” and the need to focus less on identifying problems and more on finding solutions. Missy also opens up about women's health, fertility treatments, abortion, birth control, and the way women's bodies are often discussed or legislated without enough listening or understanding. Rather than a shouting match, this is a conversation about conversation itself: how to disagree without dehumanizing, how to listen without surrendering your values, and how to look for the person behind the label. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player. Support the show and receive ad-free episodes on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait. You can also pick up our book, “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book,” at https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

In Fishing Without Bait 522, Jim Ellermeyer begins a new conversation with Missy Sorg about one of the most difficult challenges many people face today: how to stay connected when political differences feel personal, painful, and divisive. Missy shares why she wanted to return to the show and talk openly about strained friendships, lost connections, and the fear of being reduced to a political label. Jim and Missy explore the idea that even when people disagree, there may still be a shared “ice cream” — a common point of connection that allows a real conversation to begin. This Part 1 episode moves through themes of political polarization, patriotism, social media, assumptions, “contempt prior to investigation,” and the need to focus less on identifying problems and more on finding solutions. Missy also opens up about women's health, fertility treatments, abortion, birth control, and the way women's bodies are often discussed or legislated without enough listening or understanding. Rather than a shouting match, this is a conversation about conversation itself: how to disagree without dehumanizing, how to listen without surrendering your values, and how to look for the person behind the label. Subscribe to Fishing Without Bait on your favorite podcast player. Support the show and receive ad-free episodes on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/fishingwithoutbait. You can also pick up our book, “Learn to Fish Without Bait: A 365-Day Mindfulness Journal and Adult Coloring Book,” at https://www.lulu.com/shop/james-ellermeyer-lpc-ma-ncc-lpc/learn-to-fish-without-bait/paperback/product-6n9rd8.html?page=1&pageSize=4

If you haven't yet listened to Part 1, we recommend starting there, where Philip McDonagh introduces the foundations of diplomacy, human rights, and intercivilizational dialogue.In this second part of our conversation with Philip McDonagh, former Irish diplomat and Director of the Centre for Religion, Human Values and International Relations at Dublin City University, we take a closer look at the practical work of intercivilizational dialogue and what it means to build peace in deeply divided societies.Philip shares insights from the Intercivilizational Dialogue project led by Just Access, explaining why dialogue is not simply about exchanging ideas but about cultivating friendship, trust, and shared purpose across cultures, faiths, and political traditions. Drawing on examples from Northern Ireland, international diplomacy, and his own encounters with former combatants and world leaders, he illustrates how personal relationships can transform seemingly intractable conflicts.The conversation also explores the dangers of polarization, the importance of creating spaces where disagreement can be constructive, and why meaningful diplomacy requires bringing one's whole humanity to the table. Philip concludes with practical advice for anyone who wants to contribute to peacebuilding, emphasizing the value of public service, ethical leadership, expertise, and the courage to engage across differences.What will you learn?• How the Just Access Intercivilizational Dialogue project brings together diplomats, academics, faith leaders, and civil society• Why dialogue is the antidote to polarization and conflict• How personal encounters helped shape the Northern Ireland peace process• Why diplomacy can be as much about listening and relationships as negotiation• Why public service and professional ethics matter more than ever• How anyone can contribute to building more peaceful and inclusive societies

Were America's Founding Fathers visionary nation-builders or the original polarization entrepreneurs? In today's episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo marks America's 250th anniversary by tracing a surprising line from 1776 to Silicon Valley. From constitutional protections for patents and contracts to the legal foundations of startups and private enterprise, Jack explores how the Founders helped design the innovation economy still shaping the world today. But the story takes a sharper turn. They funded rival media, fueled bitter political warfare, and battled for power with a ferocity that feels strikingly modern. So were they disruptive builders creating durable institutions or early masters of strategic division? This episode explores the tension between conflict and construction and asks a timely question for today's innovators and leaders: does disruption build lasting machinery for progress or simply create division without enduring results? Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️  

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the nation faces unprecedented challenges: political polarization, economic insecurity, climate change, and the complex influence of technology and AI. How can America rethink its long-term strategy—and rebuild trust—at this historic crossroads? Host Kate O’Neill is joined by strategist and author Patrick Doherty, co-author of “The New Grand Strategy,” and Brandyn Keating, founder of YOUnify and an expert in repairing civic trust. Together, they explore: America’s 250th anniversary and its significance The meaning and practice of grand strategy Historical context: past U.S. grand strategies Infrastructure and systems for the 21st century The erosion of trust and polarization Aligning economic engines, governance, and foreign policy The consequences of strategic incoherence Data, AI, and information environments Remedies for polarization and rebuilding trust Thriving conversations framework Bridging grassroots and national strategy The Global Flourishing Goals and Write the Future campaign Hopes for America’s future Connect with: Patrick DohertyThe Center for the Constitution & Grand Strategy: https://ccgstrategy.org/Long Haul Capital: https://www.longhaulcapital.com/teamX: @PatrickCDohertyLinkedInThe New Grand Strategy: Restoring America's Prosperity, Security, and Sustainability in the 21st Century Connect with Brandyn KeatingYOUnify: https://www.younify.org/LinkedIn Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction & Setting the Stage: America at 25000:04 Grand Strategy Explainer with Patrick Doherty00:46 Infrastructure, Generational Planning, and Lessons from Eisenhower01:46 Trust, Polarization & the Grassroots Perspective with Brandyn Keating03:38 Linking Grand Strategy to Community & Trust05:04 Coherence Gaps and Economic Realities09:38 Political Consequences & Declining Trust13:00 Strategic Risks When Citizens Lose Faith16:12 Remedies: Information Environments & Offline Connection18:35 The Dilemma of Celebrating vs. Critiquing America21:05 Overcoming Binary Thinking & Building Shared Values24:04 Policy, Thriving Conversations & Bridging Local to National29:05 Making Grand Strategy Inclusive34:32 Global Flourishing Goals & Write the Future38:01 Parallels to Tech Humanism & Organizational Strategy39:06 Hopes for America's Next 250 Years44:05 Connect with the Guests & Closing Remarks

With so many unanswered questions about the direction of US domestic politics and the role the United States now plays in the world, few can bring the experience and depth of knowledge of the political process as this weeks guest, Mick Mulvaney. Mick is a former elected member of the US House of Representatives for South Carolina, serving four terms before joining the first Trump administration in 2017 as Director of the Office of Management and Budget, ultimately serving as acting White House Chief of Staff until his departure in 2021. In a wide-ranging discussion, we cover the current policy dynamics shaping discourse in Washington, the geopolitical considerations driving the policies of the 2nd Trump Administration and the legacy left by Trump when his term finishes in 2027.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A generation is quietly deciding America might be the villain—and nobody asked them to explain why. Bucky Apisdorf did. The CEO of Let's Do Something takes his questions straight to college campuses. Find out how a generation lost the plot, and whether it can be found again. Hear how a shared set of facts quietly collapsed and what "suicidal empathy" means. Essential for parents who'd like to understand their kids before the algorithm finishes raising them.  Gen Z's are between the ages of 14 and 29._______________________________________________Is Israel the Front Line of Western Civilization? Israelis are helping make your daily life easier and healthier and safer. ⭐Please leave a 5-star review.

It's Canada Day and many of us are reflecting on our nation and where we are at. We know that we are more divided than ever, but how did we get here? Our guest on the program this week has just written a book on political polarization in the country. He says the roots of our divisions run deep — and the consequences are dire.Eric Merkley is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Toronto, and director of the Policy, Elections, and Representation Lab. His new book is Polarization, Eh? The Causes and Consequences of Affective Polarization in Canada.You can find Tara Henley on Twitter at @TaraRHenley, and on Substack at tarahenley.substack.com

DEI work does not happen in a vacuum. As political tension, polarization, and anti-DEI efforts continue to shape public conversation, those dynamics show up inside workplaces too.In this replay episode of DEI After 5, Sacha Thompson talks with Sara Taylor of Deep See Consulting about the future of DEI in a contentious political landscape. With decades of experience in the field, Sara offers a grounded look at how organizations can navigate backlash, shifting language, internal resistance, and the deeper work of culture change.This conversation explores why DEI is not just a set of programs or statements—it is organizational change work that requires clarity, communication, cultural competence, and the willingness to consider perspectives beyond our own. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit deiafter5.substack.com/subscribe

A generation is quietly deciding America might be the villain—and nobody asked them to explain why. Bucky Apisdorf did. The CEO of Let's Do Something takes his questions straight to college campuses. Find out how a generation lost the plot, and whether it can be found again. Hear how a shared set of facts quietly collapsed and what "suicidal empathy" means. Essential for parents who'd like to understand their kids before the algorithm finishes raising them.  Gen Z's are between the ages of 14 and 29._______________________________________________Is Israel the Front Line of Western Civilization? Israelis are helping make your daily life easier and healthier and safer. ⭐Please leave a 5-star review.

Today on Uncommon Sense, we're taking a deeper look at the Israel-Iran conflict, the continuing questions surrounding the Epstein files, and the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We'll discuss why these stories continue to dominate public conversation, explore the political and geopolitical questions people are asking, and examine why these events should be viewed together rather than in isolation.--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

Why does our modern political landscape feel so intensely divided, and why does it seem like the media environment is constantly dialed up to eleven?In this special crossover episode, David sits down with Michael Baranowski, host of The Politics Guys and fellow member of The Democracy Group podcast network. Moving past the usual surface-level punditry, they pull back the curtain on the "outrage industry" to diagnose the systemic, cognitive, and commercial forces driving us apart.David and Michael skip the usual warm-ups and dive straight into the structural incentives that prioritize clicks over nuance, the profound psychological misperceptions we hold about the "other side," and—most importantly—the role we play as consumers in feeding this ecosystem.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.comHOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That's the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverloadAlso check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Julia Minson has spent 25 years studying disagreement—not how to win arguments, but how people actually engage with views that conflict with their own. She's a Harvard professor, a behavioral scientist, and the author of How to Disagree Better. This conversation gets into the heart of her research.One of the most useful ideas in the episode: being receptive in your own head doesn't count. Your counterpart can't read your mind. If you want them to feel heard, you have to signal it out loud—with specific language, in real time. Julia's HEAR framework (Hedging, Emphasizing agreement, Acknowledging, Reframing) gives you an actual tool to do that.We also get into why asking “why do you believe that” changes a conversation more than almost anything else—and why so much of the enmity in our society isn't really about what people believe, but about what we assume their beliefs say about them.If you've ever walked away from a hard conversation feeling like the other person wasn't really listening—or wondering if you were—this episode is worth your time. Julia's book is How to Disagree Better, and you can find her at disagreeingbetter.com.Learn more about and connect with Julia Minson in the full show notes for this episode at www.DeratetheHate.com.  We've forgotten what it feels like to have a real conversation.The week of August 10th, join AllSides for a live conversation about the American Dream — how we're thinking about it and navigating the challenges.Your insights will be anonymized and included in a report to help leaders better understand how people see this issue.Sign up today at allsides.com/derate-hate The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow the DTH podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send us Fan MailOn today's episode, I am joined by Dr. Cynthia Miller-Ibriss, a Professor in the School of Public Affairs and in the School of Education at the American University in Washington, DC, where she is also the founding director and chief vision officer in the Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab (PERIL). She is the author of "Man-Up: The New Misogyny & the Rise of Violent Extremism," a book that covers the five strategies misogyny groups use to intimidate and oppress women and the LGBTQAI+ community, and strategies we can use to mitigate male-motivated violence.  InstagramThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) • Instagram photos and videosThreadThe Social Chemist (@socialchemistig) on ThreadsDr. Cynthia Miller-Ibriss's books Books | CynthiaMillerIdrissDr. Cynthia Miller-Ibriss's Social Media / PERIL Dr. Cynthia Miller-Idriss (@milleridriss) / XCynthia Miller-Idriss - PERIL ResearchRecommended Social Chemist EpisodesThe Black Pill Radicalization Process of the Incel Community w/ Robert Green

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt — the popular Republican who has won all three of his mayoral elections with at least 60% of the vote — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make an impassioned and deeply substantive case for pluralism as the foundation of the entire American experiment. Holt, who recently gave a notable speech on the subject, argues that the American system was fundamentally built on the acceptance of pluralism and the idea that compromise should produce something "good enough" rather than perfect for any single faction — and that the founders gave us a pretty good system specifically designed to channel disagreement away from political violence. The problem, Holt argues, is that the system is now actively making compromise harder. He points to closed partisan primaries as a central culprit: because he faces all voters rather than a narrow partisan base, he's incentivized to build consensus, but most candidates today are forced to pass bizarre litmus tests with base voters and campaign on culture-war messaging rather than the bread-and-butter issues people actually care about. The conversation broadens into the structural and cultural threats Holt sees to a pluralistic society. He argues this era has revealed the long-ignored flaws in American democracy — that we've all taken the system for granted — and makes the case that getting rid of closed partisan primaries, sometimes through ballot initiatives, is one of the most important reforms available, provided it's done in a way that doesn't simply flip parties or states for partisan advantage but instead empowers minority-party voters to act as genuine swing votes. Holt is sharp on education's role in all of this: he worries that the voucherization of schools and the explosion of private schools risk teaching kids in ideological monocultures, and laments the erosion of civics education over the past two decades, noting that public schools deliberately deemphasized social studies after No Child Left Behind. He and Chuck dig into whether pluralism can even be taught or whether it has to be lived in a genuinely diverse place, the difficulty of having a nuanced public conversation about AI data centers, and the housing crisis that Holt argues is not getting nearly enough attention from either the national media or Washington — closing with a concrete look at what a federal housing bill would actually mean for a fast-growing city like Oklahoma City. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Mayor David Holt joins the Chuck ToddCast 00:45 Was the city in mourning after the OKC Thunder lost? 02:30 Are San Antonio and OKC set to become rival cities? 04:30 The mayor gave a speech about the importance of pluralism 05:15 The American experiment is based on the acceptance of pluralism 06:00 Compromise should result in “good enough”, not perfect for anybody 07:30 The founders gave us a pretty good system to avoid political violence 09:45 Nowadays, the system is making compromise harder 10:30 OKC’s politics mirror the country, went 49-48 for Trump in ‘24 12:00 Won all three mayoral elections with at least 60% of the vote 12:45 Mayor faces all voters rather than closed partisan primaries 14:00 Electoral system needs to incentivize consensus building 15:45 Candidates used to campaign on their ability to work across the aisle 17:15 Messaging from gubernatorial candidates are not bread & butter issues 18:30 Candidates are forced to pass bizarre litmus tests with base voters 20:30 Can you teach pluralism, or do you have to live in a diverse place? 22:15 There are always opposing views that exist even in highly red/blue areas 24:30 This era has revealed the flaws/weaknesses of our democracy 25:30 We’ve all taken our system for granted 26:00 We have to get away from closed partisan primaries 28:00 How do you convince parties in power to open up primaries to more voters? 29:00 Some states can get rid of partisan primaries via ballot initiatives 30:45 The process shouldn’t flip parties or states 32:30 Voters in the minority should act as swing votes 34:45 Voucherization of schools can lead kids to learning in a monoculture 36:15 There’s been explosion in the creation of private schools 38:00 There’s been an erosion in civics education the past two decades 39:30 Public schools deemphasized social studies after No Child Left Behind 41:45 Can the electorate have a nuanced conversation around AI data centers? 43:30 Hard for elected officials to go against the NIMBY crowd 44:00 Politicians have to argue for the positive trade offs 45:15 Bringing in tech and investment used to be good politics, it’s not with data centers 45:45 Housing is the issue that’s not getting enough attention from media & DC 46:45 What would the housing bill do for you in OKC?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck Todd breaks down a seismic primary night in New York, where Mamdani-backed Democratic Socialist candidates swept their races — and argues the DSA may be on the verge of becoming the far-left equivalent of the Freedom Caucus, a small but disciplined faction capable of making the establishment's life genuinely miserable. The most stunning data point: Chuck argues Chuck Schumer likely couldn't win a Democratic primary anywhere in New York right now, that Dan Goldman lost his primary handily, and that while Schumer clearly shouldn't run again, politicians rarely walk away on their own. It was also a quietly bad night for Hakeem Jeffries, and Chuck raises the genuinely open question of whether Jeffries would even survive a primary challenge — and whether he still has a clear path to the speakership if Democrats take the House. The strategic lesson the left has internalized, Chuck argues, is that the smaller the Democratic majority, the more leverage a committed progressive bloc can apply, which means Democrats may have to govern in a fundamentally different way than their leadership wants. But Chuck repeatedly returns to the central tension: this brand of far-left politics plays beautifully in coastal cities but the socialist label simply doesn't travel well elsewhere, the rise of far-left politics has become uncomfortably intertwined with rising antisemitism, pro-Israel Democrats may soon find themselves politically homeless, and the real test will be whether progressives can win anywhere outside their urban strongholds. It all amounts, Chuck says, to a genuine fight for the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. He closes with a heartfelt remembrance of former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, who passed away at 100 — recalling a man who always grounded his opinions in data, and what a personal treat it was to have known him. Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt — the popular Republican who has won all three of his mayoral elections with at least 60% of the vote — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make an impassioned and deeply substantive case for pluralism as the foundation of the entire American experiment. Holt, who recently gave a notable speech on the subject, argues that the American system was fundamentally built on the acceptance of pluralism and the idea that compromise should produce something "good enough" rather than perfect for any single faction — and that the founders gave us a pretty good system specifically designed to channel disagreement away from political violence. The problem, Holt argues, is that the system is now actively making compromise harder. He points to closed partisan primaries as a central culprit: because he faces all voters rather than a narrow partisan base, he's incentivized to build consensus, but most candidates today are forced to pass bizarre litmus tests with base voters and campaign on culture-war messaging rather than the bread-and-butter issues people actually care about. The conversation broadens into the structural and cultural threats Holt sees to a pluralistic society. He argues this era has revealed the long-ignored flaws in American democracy — that we've all taken the system for granted — and makes the case that getting rid of closed partisan primaries, sometimes through ballot initiatives, is one of the most important reforms available, provided it's done in a way that doesn't simply flip parties or states for partisan advantage but instead empowers minority-party voters to act as genuine swing votes. Holt is sharp on education's role in all of this: he worries that the voucherization of schools and the explosion of private schools risk teaching kids in ideological monocultures, and laments the erosion of civics education over the past two decades, noting that public schools deliberately deemphasized social studies after No Child Left Behind. He and Chuck dig into whether pluralism can even be taught or whether it has to be lived in a genuinely diverse place, the difficulty of having a nuanced public conversation about AI data centers, and the housing crisis that Holt argues is not getting nearly enough attention from either the national media or Washington — closing with a concrete look at what a federal housing bill would actually mean for a fast-growing city like Oklahoma City. Finally, skip the reflecting pool… Chuck presents his ToddCast Top 5 list of his favorite Washington D.C. monuments & answers listeners’ questions in the Ask Chuck segment. Link in bio or go to https://getsoul.com & enter code TODDCAST for 30% off your first order. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at https://ethos.com/chuck. Application times may vary. Rates may vary. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/chuck for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code CHUCKTODDCAST at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/chucktoddcast Timeline: (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements) 00:00 Chuck Todd’s introduction 04:00 Mamdani backed DSA candidates sweep in NY primaries 06:00 Democratic socialists could become the far left equivalent of Freedom Caucus? 06:45 Chuck Schumer likely couldn’t win any Democratic primary in New York 07:30 Dan Goldman lost his primary handily 09:45 Schumer shouldn’t run again, but politicians rarely walk away 10:30 It was a bad night for Hakeem Jeffries, would he survive a primary? 13:30 The left has learned that you can make life miserable for the establishment 15:00 The smaller the Dems majority, the more pressure the left can apply in Congress 15:45 Hakeem Jeffries may not have a clear path to the speakership 17:00 Democrats will have to govern differently if the majority is narrow 19:00 The far left politics play on the coasts, but can it win elsewhere? 21:45 The socialist label doesn’t travel well outside the left leaning cities 23:30 Far-left politics has become intertwined with rise of antisemitism 24:45 Pro-Israel Democrats could become politically homeless 25:45 Big test will be if progressive can win elsewhere 27:45 There’s a real fight for the heart and soul of the Democratic party29:00 Alan Greenspan passes away at the age of 100 30:30 Greenspan always grounded his opinions in data 33:15 It was a treat to know Alan Greenspan personally 41:45 Mayor David Holt joins the Chuck ToddCast 42:30 Was the city in mourning after the OKC Thunder lost? 44:15 Are San Antonio and OKC set to become rival cities? 46:15 The mayor gave a speech about the importance of pluralism 47:00 The American experiment is based on the acceptance of pluralism 47:45 Compromise should result in “good enough”, not perfect for anybody 49:15 The founders gave us a pretty good system to avoid political violence 51:30 Nowadays, the system is making compromise harder 52:15 OKC’s politics mirror the country, went 49-48 for Trump in ‘24 53:45 Won all three mayoral elections with at least 60% of the vote 54:30 Mayor faces all voters rather than closed partisan primaries 55:45 Electoral system needs to incentivize consensus building 57:30 Candidates used to campaign on their ability to work across the aisle 59:00 Messaging from gubernatorial candidates are not bread & butter issues 01:00:15 Candidates are forced to pass bizarre litmus tests with base voters 01:02:15 Can you teach pluralism, or do you have to live in a diverse place? 01:04:00 There are always opposing views that exist even in highly red/blue areas 01:06:15 This era has revealed the flaws/weaknesses of our democracy 01:07:15 We’ve all taken our system for granted 01:07:45 We have to get away from closed partisan primaries 01:09:45 How do you convince parties in power to open up primaries to more voters? 01:10:45 Some states can get rid of partisan primaries via ballot initiatives 01:12:30 The process shouldn’t flip parties or states 01:14:15 Voters in the minority should act as swing votes 01:16:30 Voucherization of schools can lead kids to learning in a monoculture 01:18:00 There’s been explosion in the creation of private schools 01:19:45 There’s been an erosion in civics education the past two decades 01:21:15 Public schools deemphasized social studies after No Child Left Behind 01:23:30 Can the electorate have a nuanced conversation around AI data centers? 01:25:15 Hard for elected officials to go against the NIMBY crowd 01:25:45 Politicians have to argue for the positive trade offs 01:27:00 Bringing in tech and investment used to be good politics, it’s not with data centers 01:27:30 Housing is the issue that’s not getting enough attention from media & DC 01:28:30 What would the housing bill do for you in OKC? 01:29:45 Chuck’s thoughts on the interview with Mayor David Holt 01:32:00 ToddCast Top 5 list 01:33:30 Top 5 historical attractions in Washington DC 01:35:45 Honorable Mention - Mount Vernon 01:37:15 #5 The World War I Memorial 01:38:45 #4 Albert Einstein Memorial 01:40:30 #3 Arlington National Cemetery 01:43:00 #2 Korean War Memorial 01:44:15 #1 Vietnam Veterans Memorial 01:47:15 Ask Chuck 01:47:30 Thoughts on the predictions Trump might not finish his term? 01:56:15 Do leaders rise due to the political moment, or do they make the history? 02:03:00 Does George W Bush’s “go shopping” mindset say something about boomers? 02:09:15 Where would you rank the Iran war amongst top presidential blunders? 02:18:45 Why can’t the country ever deal with long term crises in advance? 02:23:15 How do you manage to juggle your busy schedule? 02:27:15 Does Trump’s leadership style hurt the ability to make peace?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Polarization

In the opening episode of The Declaration at 250, Michael McConnell introduces former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and historian David Kennedy to ask a deceptively simple question: what does it actually take for democracy to work? Rice argues that the Declaration of Independence marks not the birth of democracy, but the end of tyranny—and that the real work begins afterward. Democracies flourish only when citizens build durable institutions: a workable balance of power among branches, an independent judiciary, and (often most crucially) a vibrant civil society that channels protest into law, governance, and everyday problem-solving. Drawing on her experiences—from segregated Birmingham to global transitions—Rice highlights how democracies fail when executives become unchecked (Russia) or when states are too weak to govern (Afghanistan), and how they can succeed when institutions gain legitimacy over time (Poland, Kenya, and examples shaped by external constraints like the EU). Kennedy responds by tracing the Declaration's promise of equality as principle, observed condition, aspiration, and enforceable law—while emphasizing the tension between democratic equality and a pluralistic society. He closes with a warning about declining trust in institutions and one another, urging renewed attention to civil society—the practical, local, often unglamorous work that turns founding ideals into lived reality. Connect: Episode Transcripts >>> Stanford Legal Podcast Website Stanford Legal Podcast >>> LinkedIn Page Stanford Constitutional Law Center >> Website Stanford Law School >>> Twitter/X Stanford Lawyer Magazine >>> Twitter/X Chapters:[00:00:00] Welcome & series launch (Karlan + McConnell) Pam Karlan introduces the special episode; Michael McConnell launches The Declaration at 250 and the project's guiding question. [00:00:54] Framing the episode: What does democracy need to flourish? McConnell previews the episode's focus on democratic flourishing, featuring Condoleezza Rice with response from historian David Kennedy. [00:02:04] Rice: The Declaration ends tyranny; democracy is the harder next step Rice argues the Declaration is fundamentally revolutionary—overthrowing the old—raising the problem of how revolutions become democracies. [00:06:05] Rice: America's conditions, near-failures, and why separation of powers matters Rice describes the U.S. “luck,” the near-collapse under the Articles and the Civil War, and the Constitution's durability through distributed power. [00:11:37] Rice: Civil rights, law, and a “second founding” (1964–65) Drawing on personal experience and movement strategy, Rice emphasizes institutional change—litigation, amendments, and landmark legislation—as democracy's engine. [00:20:00] Rice: Institutions vs. culture—lessons from Russia, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Poland, Kenya, Hungary Rice rejects “DNA for democracy” explanations and shows how executive strength, civil society, and institutional legitimacy shape success or failure. [00:32:33] Kennedy: Equality's evolving meaning—and the civil society trust crisis Kennedy traces equality from Jefferson to the 14th Amendment and warns that declining trust and civic know-how signal weakening civil society. [00:42:52] Kennedy's question: “Spirit of constitutionalism,” plus depersonalization (social media/suburbanization) Rice defines constitutionalism as lived civic practice beyond paper rights; both discuss forces eroding community and shared institutions before closing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Diego Sanchez grew up undocumented in the United States. Jim Robb spent nearly thirty years fighting for immigration restrictions. They sat down at the same table, and discovered something neither of them fully expected: they could trust each other.This bonus episode drops ahead of the 2026 Braver Angels National Convention in Philadelphia—where Diego and Jim are serving as co-chairs. The Citizens Commission on Immigration, which grew out of the 2024 Braver Angels convention, is the driving force behind their story. It's a first-of-its-kind effort: bringing together longtime adversaries from across the immigration debate to find areas of common ground serious enough to actually matter. The conversation covers how this commission came together, what changed when people who'd been shouting past each other finally started listening, and why "common ground" doesn't mean "mushy middle." Jim and Diego still disagree on plenty. But they've figured out how to disagree without writing each other off—and that shift is exactly what the commission is trying to scale. If you're heading to the Braver Angels National Convention this week, or if you've written off immigration as a topic too toxic to touch, this one's for you. Learn more at braverangels.org/citizens-commission-on-immigration. The world is a better place if we are better people. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow the DTH podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube,  Substack Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Mazhar Abbas is a prominent Pakistani journalist, senior analyst, and staunch advocate for press freedom, born on July 6, 1958. Known for his extensive 27-year career, he currently works with Geo News and Daily Jang, previously holding senior roles at ARY News and serving as the secretary-general of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceTo support the channel:Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912Patreon.com/thepakistanexperienceAnd Please stay in touch:https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperiencehttps://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperienceThe podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikhFacebook.com/Shehzadghias/Twitter.com/shehzad89Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC44l9XMwecN5nSgIF2Dvivg/joinChapters: 0:00 Chapters2:00 Vote of No Confidence, Military vs Democracy 7:00 Benazir Bhutto 19:05 Imran Khan22:19 Sindh and PPP28:00 Electoral politics vs non-electoral politics 30:42 PPP and Political Victimization 35:00 Political Process and Establishment controlling politics44:00 Charter of Democracy 54:33 Altaf Hussain, MQM, Imran Farooq and Azeem Tariq1:12:30 MQM and Muhajir Representation 1:28:10 Establishment, Political Parties and the political process 1:40:25 People suffered for supporting PPP and political culture1:48:40 Journalism, abusing Zia ul Haq and being targeted by MQM 1:56:30 Journalism, Media and Polarization 2:03:14 Rashid Latif and Match Fixing 2:08:00 Revolt in Pakistan Hockey and Pakistan going to India to play 2:11:00 Audience Questions

Send us Fan MailNEW EPISODE: Today I have the privilege of talking with an author, a pastor, and an influencer whose journey is as compelling as it is timely. Dr. Caleb Campbell is the lead pastor of Desert Springs Bible Church in Phoenix, Arizona, the author of Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor, and one of the featured voices in the podcast series When the Wolves Came: Evangelicals Resisting Extremism.What makes Caleb's story so remarkable is that his understanding of extremism isn't merely academic. As a teenager, he was drawn into the world of neo-Nazi skinheads before eventually finding his way to Christian faith. Years later, after becoming a lead pastor, he began recognizing disturbing echoes of that same ideology emerging inside American evangelicalism—especially after the 2016 election, through the pandemic, and in the aftermath of January 6.In this conversation, we explore what Christian nationalism really is, why it has become so attractive to many believers, and why Caleb believes condemnation isn't the answer. Instead, he calls us to courageous conversations, deep listening, and radical hospitality. If you've struggled to understand friends or family caught up in today's political and religious polarization, I think you'll find this conversation honest, challenging, deeply compassionate—and filled with hope.I can also make this version a little more personal and conversational, in the style you've been using for your recent Beached White Male introductions.SHOW NOTES - including links to Caleb's book and the When the Wolves Came PodcastSupport the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you!Ken's Substack PageThe Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

In this conversation, Amar Peterman and I get into the slow, local, unglamorous work of becoming neighbors across real difference. We talk about the table as the place where the common good gets built, and why so many of us are far more comfortable playing host than being hosted - flinging our doors open without ever considering who actually walks through them. We get into hospitality as displacement, an accompaniment that refuses to leave, Thomas learning you can't reason your way to resurrection, and an imagination that can see life where everything around us insists there's only division. Here's the challenge: we have to learn to receive before we can ever give, to love people beyond their labels, and to start right where we are, with the one neighbor in front of us.Amar D. Peterman is a constructive theologian working at the intersection of faith and public life. He is the founder of Scholarship for Religion and Society LLC and the former assistant director of civic networks at Interfaith America. Peterman holds an MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary and is currently a PhD student at the University of Chicago Divinity School. His writing and research have been featured in Sojourners, Christianity Today, The Christian Century,The Fetzer Institute, The Berkley Forum, and more. He also publishes regularly on his Substack, This Common Life.Amar's Book:Becoming NeighborsAmar's Recommendations:Make Your Home in this Luminous DarkGlimmeringsConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@shiftingculturepodcast.comGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, Bluesky or YouTubeSupport the podcast and the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link below Support the show

Hello everyone. Welcome to the latest episode of The Matchbox Podcast powered by Ignition Coach Co. I'm your host, Adam Saban, and on this week's episode we're talking about the opportunity costs of late-night training, some of the nuances of polarized training, and weighing the pros/cons of new bike day and what to look for in a budget build.   As always, if you like what you hear, share this with your friends and leave us a five star review and if you have any questions for the show drop us an email at matchboxpod@gmail.com or head over to ignitioncoachco.com and fill out The Matchbox Podcast listener question form.    Alight let's get into it!   For more social media content, follow along @ignitioncoachco @adamsaban6 @dizzle_dillman @dylanjawnson @kait.maddox     https://patreon.com/MatchboxPodcast?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink   https://www.youtube.com/c/DylanJohnsonCycling https://www.ignitioncoachco.com  https://www.youtube.com/@DrewDillmanChannel   Intro/ Outro music by AlexGrohl - song "King Around Here" - https://pixabay.com/music/id-15045/    The following was generated using Riverside.fm AI technologies   Timestamps: 00:00 - Race day announcement and course overview at Red River Gorge 02:33 - Course adjustments for accessibility and gravel versus road focus 03:55 - Comparing the riding experience in Townsend and Gorge 06:50 - Post-ride recovery strategies for late-night workouts 08:55 - Impact of workout timing on sleep quality and metabolic health 10:15 - Benefits of early morning workouts and routine transformation 13:19 - Nutrition considerations: carbs, protein, and sleep quality after training 15:37 - How to handle evening training on a budget and nutritional tips 17:34 - The importance of sleep for recovery and adaptation 19:42 - Training focus: polarized model, zones, and intensity distribution 23:06 - Avoiding threshold training pitfalls and balancing energy systems 27:35 - The value of periodization and race-specific training phases 33:28 - Gear advice for entry-level racers: affordable bikes and customization options 36:33 - Upgrading your bike on a budget: used market tips and component choices 44:33 - Conclusions: riding your existing mountain bike and considering used components

Welcome to In Reality, the podcast about truth, disinformation, and the media with Eric Schurenberg, longtime journalist and media executive, now founder of the Alliance for Trust in Media. When Eric interviewed Rob Sand last summer, his run for Iowa governor had more than a whiff of tilting at windmills. He remains the only Democrat to hold statewide elected office in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the governorship in more than 20 years and that Trump carried in 2024 by 13 points.  Sand's prospects have drastically improved. Nothing quixotic about it now. He has run a campaign that may be one of the most bi-partisan in the country, by accusing both parties as out of touch with Iowans. His Republican opponent, Zach Lahn, has vulnerabilities, including that he voted in Kansas until recently, allowing Sand's campaign to label him a carpetbagger.  Which is why we decided to encore last summer's interview. We'll hear how Sand plans to persuade Republicans to cross party lines and vote for him. We'll hear what personal qualities he thinks can bridge political divides and how, in his own life, he manages to avoid being trapped in the filter bubbles that make America's media ecosystem so toxic to civil discourse.  Imagine an election in which the deciding principle isn't 'let's choose the lesser of two evils', but rather, 'may the best man win'. What a concept.  Website - free episode transcriptswww.in-reality.fmAlliance for Trust in Mediaalliancefortrust.comProduced by Tom Platts at Sound Sapiensoundsapien.com

A CMO Confidential Interview with Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Fellow and Chair of the Accelerator with the Alfred Lee Loomis Innovation Council and bipartisan advisor on cyber, space, AI as well as countering terrorism, inauthentic information campaigns, and bioterrorism. David shares thoughts on why geopolitics have become so important so quickly, the universal breakdown in trust, how anxiety fuels anger, which fuels grievance, and how business leaders might adjust to all of this.Key topics include: - Why geopolitical and tech issues should be added to the "risk management committee"- The need for contingency planning and directional decision-making - How anyone is now the equivalent of a 1970's cold war spy- Why "getting better at discernment" is critical. Tune in to hear about "responsible heretics" and how a high school science project resulted in a South American assignment for a 17-year old.⏱️ Chapters1:12: Introducing Dr. David Bray1:39: Why Business Leaders Should Care About Geopolitics2:33: Mapping the Ripple Effects of Technological Revolutions4:47: Historical Context: 1890s Polarization and Yellow Journalism7:01: Societal Anxiety, Governance, and the Path to Anarchy9:10: Impact on Global Supply Chains and Geopolitical Uncertainty12:25: The Complexity of Microprocessors and Hardware Risks14:10: Upgrading the Board: Risk Management for Tech and Geopolitics16:21: Pressures on the C-Suite and Decision-Making with Incomplete Information18:06: Marketing in a Volatile Landscape: Early Signal Networks20:07: The Role of the “Responsible Heretic” in Avoiding Groupthink23:29: Managing Super-Empowered Employees and Information Capabilities25:16: Disinformation Strategy: From Operation Denver to Modern Bots27:56: Balancing Principles, Ethics, and Global Competitiveness29:07: Preparing for the Future: Data Reassessment and the Art of Discernment31:43: Strategic Headspace: Establishing Pivot Options33:11: Predictions for 2026: AI Pushback and Conflict De-escalation34:03: Funniest Story: The South American Science Fair Mosh Pit35:51: Practical Advice: Leadership vs. Management Expectations36:07: Final Takeaways and Closing RemarksThis episode is sponsored by Typeface - the agentic AI marketing platform that turns one idea into thousands of on-brand assets. Learn more: typeface.ai/cmo. Subscribe for weekly episodes featuring world-class marketing leaders, board members, and C-Suite executives.#CMOConfidential, #MarketingLeadership, #BrandStrategy, #CorporateActivism, #MarketingStrategy, #CMO, #AIinMarketing, #ExecutiveLeadership, #BrandReputation, #ConsumerTrust, #DigitalMarketing, #MarketingInsights, #ThoughtLeadership, #BusinessStrategy, #CustomerCentricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Chris and Mark speak with Robert (Bob) Eccles, godfather of the sustainability disclosure movement, Oxford professor, and so much more. The interview builds off an exploration of Bob's most recent book, An American's Guide to Climate Change: How America Can Lead and Prosper. Bob wrote the book for the vast majority of Americans on the left and right who recognize climate change impacts and want something done—the book outlines what and how. From that base, the conversation extends to explore how climate change is a growing part of right-wing politics, especially for younger voters, and the different kinds of solutions they favor. Bob also opines on the state of corporate sustainability disclosure and its likely path forward, then closes with some unique advice for listeners.

Michael McFaul outlines a grand strategy that leverages the military, economic, and ideational strengths of the democratic world. He acknowledges that American democracy is "wobbling" due to polarization, yet he remains optimistic that the values of freedom and liberty still hold more global appeal than autocratic models. McFaul warns against isolationist trade policies and underscores the need to reinvest in Cold War-era institutions like Radio Free Europe. Ultimately, he argues that a united, functional democracy at home is the best way to lead the new international order. (8)1897

The covid lockdowns were useless for public health, but they vastly strengthened government's stranglehold over our lives. We cannot allow this to happen again.Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/potential-lockdowns-polarization-and-what-should-be-done

In the aftermath of the shootings that left state Rep. Melissa Hortman dead and state Sen. John Hoffman injured, we spoke to several experts who called it part of the rise in political violence they have been observing for some time across the country. Minnesota Now host Nina Moini spoke again with two of those experts a year after the attacks on how this uptick in political violence has continued to unfold.Jillian Peterson is a professor at Hamline University and executive director of the Violence Prevention Project Research Center. Larry Jacobs is a political science professor at the University of Minnesota and founder of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance.

The covid lockdowns were useless for public health, but they vastly strengthened government's stranglehold over our lives. We cannot allow this to happen again.Original article: https://mises.org/mises-wire/potential-lockdowns-polarization-and-what-should-be-done

In this episode Ken continues the conversation on polarization. Intense polarization is the result of low levels of emotional maturity, he says, and according to Ronald Richardson, progress in society depends on people achieving a higher level of self-differentiation [another way of saying "emotional maturity"]." "If we want to change the world," he states, "we have to grow in our self-differentiation." Also, to be clear as to the objective, "we differentiate to change ourselves, not others."We all function as part of emotional systems. Self-differentiation, Ken explains, "is having beliefs and values we have thought through deeply on our own." It's "the ability to function as a separate, autonomous self and to be less impacted by other people in the emotional system."This episode was recorded on June 5th, 2026.

Branding is losing its personality. In the race for digital efficiency, the world has succumbed to “blanding”—clean, neutral, and entirely safe design built for algorithms instead of people. Mark Nichols, Creative Director and Co-Owner of WMH&I, joins the show to challenge this rise of system-friendly simplicity. He shares why the brands that truly matter must push against global scalability, embrace their unique quirks, and design for humans—even if that means not being for everyone. What You'll Learn in This Episode - Why brands are paying millions of pounds to strip away the exact quirks that drive human connection The strategic power of distinctiveness and why only fifteen percent of brand assets are actually memorable - How a sector agnostic approach allows creatives to cross pollinate ideas from fashion into electric vehicles - The shift from designing for machine efficiency to using live data sets and creative code for living brandscapes - Why Nike should have doubled down instead of backing out when a bold running campaign polarized audiences Episode Chapters (00:00) Intro (01:08) The Rise of Blanding (03:34) The Value of Distinctiveness (04:48) Sensory Storytelling with Red Breast Whiskey (07:31) The Case for Being Sector Agnostic (12:04) Overcoming Client Fear of Polarization (16:30) Idea Driven Branding vs Style Points (19:42) Embracing Irreverence and Creative Code About Mark Nichols Mark Nichols is the Creative Director and Co-Owner of WMH&I, a sector-agnostic creative agency specializing in bold rebrands that push against global scalability and machine efficiency. Trained as a multi-disciplined designer, Mark began his career at WMH&I as a graduate, refined his craft at leading agencies like Taxi Studio and Jack Renwick, and ultimately returned home to lead the agency's creative output. His exceptional, award-winning work for global giants and boutique brands alike has earned recognition from the New York Festivals, Art Directors Club, Pentawards, and Brand Impact. Beyond the agency, Mark is a dedicated champion of design education, lecturing internationally at institutions ranging from his alma mater, the Norwich University of the Arts, to IDEP Barcelona and the University of Delaware. What Brand Has Made Mark Smile Recently? Mark smiled recently at the daring and irreverence of brands that lean entirely into their distinct personalities. He highlighted Liquid Death's punk-media approach to the water category, alongside Nike's willingness to reflect the gritty reality of their consumers—such as their London campaign noting that running in the city is awful, but loved. Mark prefers brands that choose a clear voice and stand their ground rather than homogenizing their message for safe, forgettable neutrality. Resources & Links Connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Learn more about WMH&I. Listen & Support the Show Watch or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon/Audible, TuneIn, and iHeart. Rate and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to help others find the show. Share this episode — email a friend or colleague this episode. Sign up for my free Story Strategies newsletter for branding and storytelling tips. On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network. Until next week, I'll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do anomalous experiences so often arrive in the wake of trauma? And what happens when the people who understand that connection decide to use it as a weapon? This episode of Inquiry follows trauma as the hidden throughline connecting UFOs, consciousness, psychological operations, and the engineering of belief at scale. Kelly Chase starts with how human perception actually works, drawing on Donald Hoffman's "The Case Against Reality," James Madden's umwelt and über-umwelt from "Unidentified Flying Hyperobject," and Jeffrey Kripal's Filter Thesis, then grounds it all in the predictive processing model of the brain and Karl Friston's free energy principle. The picture that emerges is unsettling: trauma doesn't only wound a person, it makes them porous, loosening the filters that hold consensus reality in place. From there the conversation turns toward how that vulnerability has been exploited. It traces belief manipulation from the 1980 "From PSYOP to MindWar" paper by Michael Aquino and Paul Vallely, through MKULTRA and Operation Mockingbird, to the declassified reality of Operation Northwoods and the manufacturing of consent. It brings in Jacques Vallée's control system hypothesis and Colm Kelleher's concept of bidirectional mimicry to ask whether human institutions and the phenomenon itself may be using the same lever: disruption, destabilization, and the reshaping of belief in the rupture's aftermath. Then it turns the dread on its head. Research on openness to experience and Post-Traumatic Growth suggests the architects of mass stress made a critical miscalculation. Trauma creates openings, and openings go both ways. You can crack the shell of consensus reality to make people malleable, but you cannot control what hatches. Topics explored: Trauma and anomalous experience | experiencer patterns | the Filter Thesis | Donald Hoffman | perception as interface | umwelt and über-umwelt | James Madden | Jeffrey Kripal | predictive processing | Karl Friston | free energy principle | belief malleability | shattered assumptions | meaning violation | belief engineering | MindWar | Michael Aquino | Paul Vallely | psychological operations | MKULTRA | Operation Mockingbird | cognitive sovereignty | bidirectional mimicry | Colm Kelleher | black triangle craft | Jacques Vallée | control system hypothesis | Operation Northwoods | manufactured consent | openness to experience | Post-Traumatic Growth | consciousness-level immune response | non-human intelligence | contact experiences Inquiry with Kelly Chase is brought to you by SpectreVision Radio.Produced in partnership with Voltage.fm.  Referenced In This Episode The Case Against Reality: Why Evolution Hid the Truth from Our Eyes — Donald Hoffman (2019) Unidentified Flying Hyperobject: UFOs, Philosophy, and the End of the World — James Madden (2023) How to Think Impossibly: About Souls, UFOs, Time, Belief, and Everything Else — Jeffrey J. Kripal (2024) The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge — Jeffrey J. Kripal (2019) "The Free-Energy Principle: A Unified Brain Theory?" — Karl Friston (2010) "Trauma or Drama: A Predictive Processing Perspective on the Continuum of Stress" — Valery Krupnik (2020) "Predictive Processing and the Varieties of Psychological Trauma" — Sam Wilkinson, Guy Dodgson & Kevin Meares (2017) "Assumptive Worlds and the Stress of Traumatic Events" — Ronnie Janoff-Bulman (1989) Shattered Assumptions: Towards a New Psychology of Trauma — Ronnie Janoff-Bulman (1992) "PTSD as Meaning Violation: Testing a Cognitive Worldview Perspective" — Crystal L. Park, Mary Alice Mills & Donald Edmondson (2012) "Making Sense of the Meaning Literature: An Integrative Review of Meaning Making and Its Effects on Adjustment to Stressful Life Events" — Crystal L. Park (2010) From PSYOP to MindWar: The Psychology of Victory — Paul E. Vallely & Michael Aquino (1980) MindWar: The New Battle for the Mind — Michael Aquino (2016) Project MKULTRA, the CIA's Program of Research in Behavioral Modification — U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (1977) MKULTRA Collection — CIA Reading Room Intelligence Activities and the Rights of Americans, Book II (Church Committee Report) — U.S. Senate (1976) Justification for US Military Intervention in Cuba (Operation Northwoods) — Joint Chiefs of Staff (1962) "The Anxious State: Stress, Polarization, and Elections in America" — The Conversation (2025) "Politics Is Taking a Toll on People's Well-Being" — Psychology Today (2025) "Stressful Life Events and Openness to Experience: Relevance to Depression" — Chiappelli et al. (2021) "The Social Psychology of Responses to Trauma: Social Identity Pathways Associated with Divergent Traumatic Responses" — Orla Muldoon et al. (2019) "Posttraumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence" — Richard Tedeschi & Lawrence Calhoun (2004) "The Post-Traumatic Growth Approach to Psychological Trauma" — Richard Tedeschi (2023) "Confidence in U.S. Institutions Down; Average at New Low" — Gallup (2022) 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer — Edelman (2025) Support The Show Patreon: inquirywithkellychase.com Substack: inquirywithkellychase.substack.com Connect with Kelly Website: kellychase.media X: @kellychasemedia Instagram: @kellychasemedia TIMESTAMPS 04:12 Trauma and The Anomalous 07:01 Perception Is an Interface 11:05 Umwelt and Uber Umwelt 14:05 Kripal and Filter Thesis 18:27 Predictive Brain and Trauma 23:11 Belief Becomes Malleable 28:08 MindWar Doctrine 32:36 MKUltra and Mockingbird 36:58 Mimicry and Control System 42:17 False Flags and Consent 46:09 Algorithms as Trauma Engine 49:23 Openness and Growth 55:59 Consciousness Immune Response 57:18 Closing and Next Steps Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Kevin Dolan and Peter Calfee met at a Veterans Day luncheon in 2022 and spent three years writing Hijacked: Our Republic — a book built around one essential question: what does it take to keep what the founders built?In this conversation, Kevin and Peter walk through the six foundational pillars they believe hold a republic together — critical thinking, education, faith and values, history, political systems, and economics — and explain how each one has been quietly compromised. The word "hijacked" isn't hyperbole. It's a diagnosis.One exchange stands out: Kevin's explanation of why two people can look at the same set of facts, weigh them differently, and reach completely different conclusions — and why that's actually how it's supposed to work. The problem isn't disagreement. The problem is that we've stopped being interested in each other.If you want to understand the root causes behind the noise — and think seriously about what restoring the social contract actually requires — this episode is worth your time. Find the book at hijackedourrepublic.com. The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

In this episode, we explore one of the most pressing challenges facing nonprofit leaders today: how to navigate growing polarization while staying true to mission, donors, and community. Trent Ricker, CEO and Chief Strategy Officer at AGP, and Tim Arnold, leadership development expert and best-selling author, examine why traditional either/or thinking falls short – and what it looks like to lead with a more nuanced both/and mindset in today's complex environments. Tim shares how leaders can often feel unequipped to unify teams and stakeholders across differing perspectives. From board dynamics to internal teams to donor communications, the discussion highlights where these tensions show up most and how leaders can navigate competing priorities like innovation versus stability, without losing focus. The conversation offers practical guidance for applying this both/and mindset in real-world situations, including how to approach donor messaging in a polarized environment and why curiosity and connection are critical leadership skills. Whether you're leading an organization, managing stakeholders, or shaping communications, this episode provides a grounded perspective on how to move forward without deepening division.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Brian Vogt spent 20-plus years strengthening democracy around the world. Then he came home—and started listening. His Democracy Listening Tour of Red America is a qualitative research project with a simple but radical premise: before you can reform anything, you have to understand what people actually believe and why.In this conversation, Brian and Wilk dig into what “democracy” really means to everyday Americans, why that word lands so differently depending on who's hearing it, and what the reform community gets wrong by skipping the listening step altogether.One story stands out: a Trump-voting Iraq veteran and community leader in Kentucky who defined democracy as equality—then shared a workplace experience that made him feel like anything but an equal. It's the kind of story that doesn't make headlines but shapes how millions of people relate to political institutions.If you believe that lasting change requires all voices at the table, this episode is for you. Learn more about and connect with Brian Vogt by getting the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com.  The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Colombia's 2026 presidential election has become a three-way ideological battle with massive implications for security, foreign investment, energy, business, and the country's geopolitical alignment. In this deep-dive analysis, we examine the candidates' positions on crucial topics, while addressing the controversies other outlets avoid. For investors, business leaders, and anyone trying to understand Colombia's political future ahead of May 31, this is the full picture.Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/ApZjTPZZTAwSHOW NOTES & CITATIONS CONDOR Weighted Aggregate (updated May 23, 2026, 6 firms) https://www.condorlatam.com/co/encuestas Invamer (May 13–20, sample 3,800 / 152 municipios) https://www.elcolombiano.com/especiales/elecciones-2026/encuesta-invamer-resultados-mayo-2026-JM36817835 CNC / Cambio https://www.elespectador.com/politica/elecciones-colombia-2026/encuesta-cnc-ivan-cepeda-372-abelardo-de-la-espriella-204-y-paloma-valencia-156-lideran-medicion-noticias-hoy/ Fundación Génesis Crea https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2026/05/22/estos-son-los-escenarios-de-primera-y-segunda-vuelta-presidencial-que-plantea-la-encuesta-de-fundacion-genesis-crea-para-2026/ Guarumo / Ecoanolítica https://www.pulzo.com/elecciones-colombia-2026/nueva-encuesta-presidencial-guarumo-mayo-2026-PP5189468 AS/COA Poll Tracker — Colombia 2026 https://www.as-coa.org/articles/poll-tracker-colombias-2026-presidential-election Colombia's Presidential Race Marked by Polarization, Divided Right and Absence of Debates — Jadín Samit Vergara, May 18, 2026 https://www.financecolombia.com/colombias-presidential-race-marked-by-polarization-divided-right-and-absence-of-debates/ Colombian Primary Election Picks Iván Cepeda https://www.financecolombia.com/colombian-primary-election-picks-ivan-cepeda-as-presidential-candidate-for-gustavo-petros-party-amid-record-low-turnout-legal-issues/ Colombia Confirms 14 Candidates https://www.financecolombia.com/colombia-confirms-14-candidates-for-2026-presidential-election/ Ecopetrol President Charged Over Campaign Spending Violations https://www.financecolombia.com/ecopetrol-president-ricardo-roa-charged-over-alleged-campaign-spending-violations-in-petros-presidential-campaign/ Who Are the Five Candidates Most Likely to Become Colombia's Next Vice President? https://www.financecolombia.com/who-are-the-five-candidates-most-likely-to-become-colombias-next-vice-president-after-the-upcoming-elections/ InSight Crime: Colombia's Total Peace Remains in Pieces https://insightcrime.org/news/gamechangers-2025-colombia-total-peace-in-pieces/ La Silla Vacía: Abelardo donación https://www.lasillavacia.com/silla-nacional/abelardo-ha-donado-mas-de-90-mil-dolares-a-los-republicanos-en-ee-uu/ Corrupción al Día: https://corrupcionaldia.com/lo-que-va-del-extraditado-alex-saab-al-abogado-candidato-abelardo-de-la-espriella/ El Colombiano: Abelardo De la Espriella https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/perfil-de-abelardo-de-la-espriella-candidato-presidencia-colombia-GH36646145 El Espectador: https://www.elespectador.com/investigacion/abelardo-de-la-espriella-cerebro-de-su-campana-fue-abogado-de-salvatore-mancuso-y-socio-del-vicecontralor-general/ Infobae: Iván Cepeda y De la Espriella https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2026/05/24/ivan-cepeda-y-de-la-espriella-lideran-la-intencion-de-voto-paloma-valencia-aparece-distante-segun-encuesta-del-centro-nacional-de-consultoria/ Infobae: Nueva encuesta https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2026/05/23/nueva-encuesta-sacude-la-carrera-presidencial-asi-quedarian-los-duelos-entre-paloma-valencia-ivan-cepeda-y-de-la-espriella-en-segunda-vuelta/ PARES: Iván Cepeda y su papá https://www.pares.com.co/la-complicada-relacion-de-ivan-cepeda-y-su-papa/ AS/COA: Colombia's 2026 Presidential Candidates Link: https://www.as-coa.org/articles/colombias-2026-presidential-candidates-cepeda-de-la-espriella-and-valencia CNN en Español: Quién es Paloma Valencia https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2026/03/09/colombia/quien-es-paloma-valencia-consulta-derecha-orix El Colombiano: Iván Cepeda https://www.elcolombiano.com/especiales/elecciones-2026/ivan-cepeda-el-hijo-de-la-guerra-fria-LF36885871 Hotel Isla Múcura: https://hotelislamucura.com/ Sergio Fajardo Interview Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hIUIa_jTy8&feature=youtu.be and Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtTdIOZpNzs&feature=youtu.be Subscribe to Finance Colombia for free: https://www.fcsubscribe.com/ Follow me on social media Facebook https://www.facebook.com/financecolombia LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/finance-colombia/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/finance_colombia/Read more at Finance Colombia: https://www.financecolombia.com/ Subscribe to Finance Colombia for free: https://www.fcsubscribe.com/ Read more at Cognitive Business News: https://cognitivebusiness.news/ The place for bilingual talent! https://empleobilingue.com/ More about Loren Moss: https://lorenmoss.com/write Contact us: https://unidodigital.media/contact-unido-digital-llc/

In the final segment, Michael McFaul outlines a grand strategy for democratic revival, asserting that democracies still hold superior military and economic power if they remain united. He stresses the urgent need to fix domestic polarization and institutional "wobbling" to restore the U.S. as a global beacon of emulation. McFaul argues for reforming international trade and investing in Cold War-era institutions like Radio Free Europe to promote democratic ideas. He concludes that while the "glory days" of 1991 are gone, a proactive, forward-looking agenda focused on freedom and multilateral cooperation is the best path to national security. (8/8)1903 BRUSSELS

Send Wilk a text with your feedback! (incoming msgs only - I can't reply) Michael Lee is a professor of communication and the director of the Civility Initiative at the College of Charleston. He came to civility work through competitive debate—and found that debate, at its best, is deeply connective and dialogic. In this conversation, Michael and Wilk explore what's really going on when people avoid disagreement, and why that silence is often more damaging than conflict. They dig into the nervous system roots of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—and how those responses show up in everyday conversations, especially online. Michael makes a sharp distinction between healthy stress and distress, arguing that real growth requires exposure to discomfort, not protection from it. One of the episode's most powerful ideas: people confuse conversation with complicity. Michael unpacks why that conflation is so common and what tools—perspective-taking, norm-setting, reciprocity—can help us move past it. And he reminds us that the stranger you're afraid to talk to is more likely to become a friend than an adversary. If you've ever felt like civility is code for “stay quiet,” this conversation is for you.Learn more about and connect with Michael Lee by getting the full show notes for this episode at www.DerateTheHate.com. The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you've got. Make every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) ,  YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/ContactThe Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America's largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.orgWelcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast!*The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

“If it bleeds, it leads," they say—and in the algorithm age, we're all drowning in egregiously hyperbolic content designed to polarize. In the wake of the third assassination attempt on President Trump, plus Charlie Kirk's tragic murder and attacks on the UnitedHealthcare CEO and various state representatives, Chris and Joia launch a new Hot Takes mini-series confronting what the data shows is an alarming trend: Americans—especially young Americans—increasingly accept politically-oriented violence as justified.Chris and Joia argue this rise directly correlates with the decline of free speech culture, driven by the noxious idea that "speech is violence," which has blurred the lines of distinction between speech and physical force. They warn against carving out exceptions, noting that even after World War II, we responded to Nazis with the Nuremberg Trials, not with such a quick insistence on violence that so many seem to harbor today.The mission of this multi-part series will be to question, explore, and try to figure out how to reinstate some of the basic understanding and values around free speech in order to stop this trend toward violence. It's crucial, because when you can't distinguish words from weapons, civilization itself becomes the casualty.Here are links for data, polls, and surveys referenced in this episode:https://expression.fire.org/p/gen-z-is-10-times-more-acceptinghttps://x.com/kanekoathegreat/status/2048215568118133246?s=43&t=VYiTS2LZUOf6UxNW9GkBlA Americans say politically motivated violence is increasing, and they see many reasons why Political Violence in America: Public Perceptions, Polarization, and Accountability

Northwestern University just launched the Litowitz Center for Enlightened Disagreement, a real-world institution devoted to "research-backed approaches to cultivating open-mindedness, identifying one's own cognitive biases, working collaboratively with others despite disagreement and more." In this episode, David McRaney details his time as a resident of the Center, teaching students how to ask questions that activate a person's introspection, and then follow up with questions that evoke a person's motivated reasoning, then keep going until the other side articulates things they may have never considered before, and, in so doing, reveal the deeper motivations and values generating disagreement. You'll learn about this and all the other modules of the Center's pilot program. You'll also learn about a new game they are designing to improve scientific literacy of news consumers and news creators. Previous Episodes How Minds Change The Litowitz Center for Enlightened Disagreement Medill School for Journalism Patti Wolter Brad Zakarin Eli Finkel Nour Kteily The Center for Public Deliberation The Listen First Coalition Better Together America Heather Barnes Martin Carcasson Point Taken The Visual Thinking Lab Steven Franconeri Joshua Greene's Website Tango Tango Quiz Game Research Love Factually Website Joshua Hudson Protein Research NYT Protein Deep Dive Tylenol Metastudy The Garage Monica Guzman Braver Angels Jacqui Banaszynski David McRaney's Twitter David McRaney's BlueSky YANSS Twitter YANSS Facebook Newsletter Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: Is Donald Trump more a consequence or the cause of our political polarization? Michael argues that most voters will instinctively blame Donald Trump for America's deep political divide — but says the more accurate answer is that Trump is a consequence of forces decades in the making. Drawing on conversations with Axios co-founder Jim VandeHei and Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam, author of "Bowling Alone", Michael explores how social isolation, declining civic engagement, and the collapse of shared community life created fertile ground for populism long before Trump arrived. The episode also previews Smerconish's new Mingle Project interview with Putnam and examines why Americans may actually have more in common than today's media environment suggests. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Poll Question at Smerconish.com: 'True or false? Americans are hopelessly divided and increasingly hateful.' Michael challenges the dominant narrative of a fractured America, drawing on insights from Axios co-founder Jim VandeHei and broader social data. While cable news and social media amplify conflict, most Americans remain disconnected from that noise—focused instead on work, family, and community. Listen in as Michael explores how algorithms, declining shared experiences, and social “self-sorting” create the illusion of division, even as acts of generosity and civic engagement tell a different story. Is the country truly coming apart—or are we being misled about who we really are? Be sure to vote at Smerconish.com, and rate, review and share this podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alex Edmans, a professor of finance at London Business School, tells us how to avoid the Ladder of Misinference by examining how narratives, statistics, and articles can mislead, especially when they align with our preconceived notions and confirm what we believe is true, assume is true, and wish were true. Alex Edmans  May Contain Lies What to Test in a Post Trust World How Minds Change David McRaney's Twitter David McRaney's BlueSky YANSS Twitter YANSS Facebook Newsletter Kitted Patreon Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.