Democracy Works

Pete Davis is dedicated to the hard work of democracy


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Many of us can recall the experience of scrolling through our phones or streaming TV apps without ever choosing something to focus on. Pete Davis describes this an "infinite browsing mode" and argues that it creates a culture where democracy can't fully thrive. 

Davis is cofounder of the Democracy Policy Network and author of Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing. His work is grounded in the notion of "long-haul heroes," or the people who show up day in and day out to make progress on the issues they care about while building stronger communities in the process. This could be anyone from the go-to event organizer in your town to people who work on nationwide campaigns for issues like racial equality and LGBTQ rights. 

This work has always been difficult, but Davis argues it's even harder now because of the constant distractions that our media environment provides, along with the FOMO and related feelings that prevent us from dedicating ourselves to anything in the long term. We unpack all of that in this episode and discuss how Davis is turning his ideas into action through the Democracy Policy Network.

Related Episodes

There is no "I" in democracy

Additional Information

Dedicated : The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing

Democracy Policy Network

This is What Democracy Looks Like podcast

Pete Davis on Twitter

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Democracy WorksBy Penn State McCourtney Institute for Democracy

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