From classical philosophers like Epictetus, to great 20th century thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr., to her own experience working in the federal government during a particularly politically fraught era, Alexandra Hudson examines how civility―a respect for the personhood and dignity of others―transcends political disagreements. Respecting someone means valuing them enough to tell them when you think they are wrong. It’s easy to look at the divided state of the world and blame our leaders, the media, or our education system. Hudson says that instead, we should focus on what we can control: ourselves. She argues that includes living tolerantly with others despite deep differences, but still rigorously protesting wrongs and debating issues rather than silencing disagreements. Since a robust public discourse is essential to a truly civil society, and since respecting others means telling hard truths, if enough of us decide to change ourselves, we might be able to change the world we live in too. And that is the difference between politeness―a superficial appearance of good manners―and true civility. 
 A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexandra Hudson: The Soul of Civility

The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's largest public affairs forum. The nonpartisan and nonprofit Club produces and distributes programs featuring diverse viewpoints from thought leaders on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast — the oldest in the U.S., since 1924 — is carried on hundreds of stations. Our website features audio and video of our programs. This podcast feed is usually updated multiple times each week.

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Join us for an afternoon focused on automation and innovation for public good. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to revolutionize transportation in our cities, offering increased accessibility and efficiency in our urban transport systems. The 8th Autonomous Vehicles and the City symposium at The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California will feature global discussions from senior executives and experts across the AV industry and the public sector. From integrating automation and AI within public transit systems to optimizing resources like curbs and city rights-of-way for autonomous vehicle operations to reduce vehicle miles traveled, the conference will touch on the variety of ways AV platforms are being used to serve diverse populations and help global cities meet climate goals. Speakers and Moderators Dr. William (Billy) Riggs, Professor, University of San Francisco; Director, Autonomous Vehicles & the City Initiative Dr. Otgontsetseg Erhemjamts, Dean, School of Management, University of San Francisco Sharon Giovinazzo, CEO, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Francisco Mollie Cohen D'Agostino, Executive Director, Mobility Science, Automation and Inclusion Center (MoSAIC) at UC Davis Arielle Fleisher, Policy Development and Research Manager at Waymo Brook Dubose, Associate Principal and Cities, Planning & Design Leader at Arup Dr. Henriette Cornet, Professor, University of San Francisco; Strategic Mobility Consultant Tim Haile, Executive Director, Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) Dr. James Fishelson, Executive Director, PATH at UC Berkeley  Dr. Sven Beiker, Managing Director, Silicon Valley Mobility; Lecturer, Stanford University Ron Thaniel, Senior Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Zoox Dr. Michael Goldman, Professor, University of San Francisco; Associate Dean of Graduate Programs   Hosted by the University of San Francisco School of Management. In partnership with The Commonwealth Club of California   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Autonomous Vehicles and the City 2024

Acting like a responsible adult can be challenging at the best of times. Add dealing with climate chaos to the mix, and keeping it all together can feel like an outright miracle.  Let’s start by acknowledging that all does not feel fine in the world at the present moment. But living through extreme intensity isn’t a completely unique experience. Generations before us have endured existential crises of unimaginable magnitudes.  So how do we navigate this period of uncertainty — regardless of our age? And what tools can we use to build resilience in the midst of what feels like a lot? Guests:  Emily Raboteau, Author, “Lessons for Survival: Mothering Against ‘The Apocalypse’” Ana Alanis, Founder, Hungry for Climate Action Andrew Bryant, Co-Director, North Seattle Therapy & Counseling Join Climate One and Project Drawdown's Matt Scott live in San Francisco on June 25! Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today for just $5/month. For show notes and related links, visit our website.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CLIMATE ONE: Adulting in Turbulent Times

It is an enduring mystery whether Frank Morris, and brothers John and Clarence Anglin, escaped from Alcatraz prison on June 11, 1962. It is widely believed that they succumbed to the waters of San Francisco Bay, though no trace of the men has ever been found―only their makeshift raft. In this reexamination of the escape and its aftermath, Ken Widner presents compelling evidence that his two Anglin uncles did in fact survive and eventually made their way to Brazil, where they married and had children―evidence which corroborates the stories he heard about his uncles while growing up. Widner and Mike Lynch make a strong case for the Anglin brothers’ survival using official government documents showing how mobster Mickey Cohen may have been involved in their escape, revealing letters from fellow inmate Whitey Bulger, and recorded testimony from the person who facilitated their escape to Brazil. In addition, there is a 1975 photograph of the brothers in Brazil which has overcome all challenges to its authenticity by skeptics. Join us for a fascinating deep-dive into Bay Area history. MLF ORGANIZER: George Hammond  A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alcatraz: The Last Escape

Francis Ford Coppola is one of American films’ most dramatic director-dreamers, and his most transformative dream has been American Zoetrope, the production company he founded in San Francisco when he was only 30 years old―years before his gargantuan successes. Through Zoetrope’s experimental, communal utopia, Coppola attempted to reimagine the entire pursuit of moviemaking. Now, more than 50 years later, despite myriad setbacks, Coppola’s dream persists, as demonstrated by the culmination of his utopian ideals: the anticipated release in 2024 of his decades-in-the-making film Megalopolis. As Sam Wasson makes clear, the story of Zoetrope includes the story of Coppola’s wife Eleanor, and of their children, whose personal lives are as inseparable from their artistic passions as Coppola's is. Wasson also charts the divergent paths of Coppola and his cofounder and onetime apprentice, George Lucas, and of their very different visions of art and commerce. And of course Wasson weighs in on the making of one of the greatest quixotic masterpieces ever attempted, Apocalypse Now, and on what Coppola found in the jungles of the Philippines when he walked the razor’s edge. MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond   A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Path to Paradise: A Francis Ford Coppola Story

How did politics become so poisonous in America? Journalist Kenneth Walsh articulates the unique character of the current political moment, and the forces that have created it, by comparing and contrasting the Trump and Biden presidencies with administrations of the past. Walsh also profiles some of the key political “attack dogs” who have shaped the modern landscape: the campaign strategists, activists, and media figures who have played outsized roles in political campaigns. Drawing on his long career as a journalist specializing in presidential coverage, Walsh argues that due to the complex, often conflicting nature of American government, the angriest, most decisive voices can command media, voter, and legislative attention and thereby maintain and consolidate their power. This results in frustration, alienation, and cynicism, and ultimately a diminishment of voter participation that can reinforce this vicious cycle and lead to electoral disaster. MLF ORGANIZER: George Hammond 
 A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexandra Hudson: The Soul of Civility

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