This episode of The Liberal Soul is part one of a two part reflection on the 2019 book A Thousand Small Sanities by Adam Gopnik. I have mentioned this book a couple times in the first couple episodes, so I wanted to give it its due here. This book was the proximate impetus for this podcast as I recall being quite inspired and educated when I first read it. In part one I talk about:

- Liberalism being an emergent philosophy with the discovery that other people have a moral conscience as well as ourselves. This helps us move out of solipsism because we can understand that other people feel the pull of the world as well as us.

- Rhinoceros vs. Unicorn political theories - real vs. ideal

- Human life has always been contentious, this is nothing new to the modern world

- Liberals are passionate about self made community, and liberal people have made Liberalism

- The human condition is messy, and everyone has a little liberal and conservative within their own hearts; liberalism makes room for this doubleness and fallibility. Our problems are stamped into human nature.

- And finally, revolution isn't anathema to liberals, but it is the last resort. Liberals, if there is no other option, are willing to fight with minimum necessary force and forego any vengeance after winning. The liberal model is Cincinnatus, not Caesar.