The Limits of Empathy
It’s often presumed that empathy is a good thing, and that more of it will make us, and our country, considerably better. If only we could put ourselves into each […]
General posts
It’s often presumed that empathy is a good thing, and that more of it will make us, and our country, considerably better. If only we could put ourselves into each […]
Our political divide between red and blue, left and right, is often characterized in the media as an ideological conflict between liberalism and conservatism. Yet the meanings of these ideological
Red or Blue? Liberal or Conservative? The Pitfalls of Labels Read More »
Braver Angels national leader John Wood, Jr. delivers a passionate address to The Visionaries Summit in Sacramento, California on the power of personal transformation to effect social change through Martin
Social Transformation through Self Transformation: John Wood, Jr. at Visionaries Summit Read More »
I’m writing this to avoid the last of my holiday shopping. I still have more to get my niece and nephew, Maddie and Mason. They live in Philadelphia. I only
From North Carolina, Wishing You a Very Braver Angels Christmas Read More »
The University of California, Berkeley, holds a distinct place in the history of political discussion in America. In fact, it’s practically synonymous with left-wing campus protests. In the midst of
I recently had the pleasure of participating in a Braver Angels Debate event in Santa Monica, California, and wanted to offer my insights into the process and how that may
A Mild, Sympathetic Critique of Braver Angels Debates Read More »
When I started researching the different types of cognitive errors to which we fallible humans are susceptible, I had a hypothesis: Blues don’t make cognitive errors. Reds do. Oh, the
Mistakes were Made, But Not By Me: A Look at Some Common Cognitive Errors Read More »
“My country is tearing itself apart. I must do something…but what, exactly?” These were the thoughts running through my head during the 2016 election. It seemed our country– and my
Our Descent Toward Political Loathing, Resentment, and Distrust—And How We Rise Again Read More »
You’d be excused for forgetting, but up until a few years ago Kanye West was quite popular in mainstream American culture, as both a person and an artist. His albums regularly
Perhaps more than any other Western democratic people, Americans revere work. This is not surprising, given our history. Unlike the aristocratic European societies that colonized the Western Hemisphere, where unaccountable
Work and Fairness: Different Visions, Same Values Read More »
People make jokes about family drama at the Thanksgiving table, and let us be clear: it is a situation ripe for humor. But it’s also very serious. We talk about
Ciaran and John talk to road-tripping ideological opponents.
It was after dinner – sometime during the mid-1970s. I was dancing around the living room when our telephone rang. My mom answered the call, which happened to be from
This Thanksgiving: Stay Curious and Kind, but Not Silent Read More »
If you are an American with any reason to follow local news, chances are you’ve heard of us—Better Angels has been covered by scores of local and regional newspapers, not
Building a House United: The Political Understanding of Better Angels Read More »
Greg and Randy join the hosts to discuss the impeachment hearings and all the ways Braver Angels is countering divisions.
The Juiciest (and Most Divisive) Fruit: Impeachment Read More »
There is an anti-authoritarian streak in American culture that many of us love, at least in some of its forms. This is hardly surprising in a country whose creation began
Cops and Teachers: Underappreciated Public Servants Read More »
When it comes to policies and politics, Braver Angels members generally can’t agree on anything. As a result, Braver Angels doesn’t take positions on particular issues. It doesn’t rate or
In my experience, it’s entirely possible to use these skills online, and indeed, if people did so more consciously, our digital world would be a much kinder place.
There is an inherent contradiction at the heart of Braver Angels that we need to resolve. Braver Angels is sometimes a mediator: through our workshops, we provide space for two
In The Coddling of the American Mind, Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff argue that we’ve been fostering a sense of fragility within an entire generation of Americans. I think they
Political Violence and Bullying on the Left: We’re Better Than This Read More »
There has been much controversy incited by the role of the Electoral College in our presidential elections, especially in recent years as results have diverged from national popular vote totals.
Ciaran rides solo for a stimulating conversation with Rusty Reno of First Things. Rusty talks about the homogenization of the political elite, and how he sees the electoral college as a bulwark against the power of those with social and economic advantages.
Rusty Reno on Politics and Religion in the Age of Donald Trump Read More »
A year ago today, Christine Blasey Ford went public with a sexual assault allegation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. I can’t recall in my lifetime a controversy steeped in
Julie Kohler, author of the Washington Post article “How Calls to ‘Love Your Enemies’ Enforce the Status-Quo,” joins Ciaran and John for a back and forth about her own past
To Depolarize or Not to Depolarize with Julie Kohler Read More »
Five Basic Skills Listen to understand rather than to prepare your rebuttal. If you couldn’t accurately summarize what the other person just said, you haven’t listened. Be curious (“Why you
You probably haven’t experienced anything like a Braver Angels Debate. It’s not a political debate, where competing candidates attempt to win votes. Nor is it a high school or college
The stadium is packed amid the early November chill for the Super Bowl of the New National Football League. Despite initial criticism, the new format seems to have revitalized the
by Elisabeth Robbins, Better Angels Moderator Daily Democrat Can seven progressives and six conservatives get together for a day of talking about their political beliefs without anger and explosiveness? When
RealClearPolitics // It’s a rainy, muggy day in Leesburg, Va. Although the town is 30 or so miles from the interminable partisan wrangling in Washington, D.C., it’s infected with some of the same bitter polarization—as is so much of the country.