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Throwback Monday: Does Democracy Need a Rebrand? | AJ Jacobs
We’re taking a holiday break this week and revisiting a favorite conversation with AJ Jacobs about his year-long experiment living by 18th-century principles inspired by the U.S. Constitution. From tricorn hats and quill pens to rediscovering “Election Cakes,” AJ explores how early American civic life blended community, ritual, and democracy. We also dig into “epistemic humility” and Benjamin Franklin’s warnings about misinformation, which remain strikingly relevant today. Sit back, pop your headphones in, and enjoy this unique look at the American Experiment.
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Election day traditions
[4:25] Speed round with AJ Jacobs
[9:44] Living Colonially: What I learned
[18:56] Epistemic humility and political perspectives
[23:52] Constitutional originalism
[36:29] How do we frame the constitution?
[40:40] Election cakes and celebrating democracy
[48:52] Embracing experimentation in everyday life
[52:56] Grooving session: open-mindedness, civic duty, and cake recipes
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Join our Facebook Group!
AJ’s Substack
The Year of Living Constitutionally
More about AJ
The History of Election Cakes
Musical Links
Royal American Medley - Songs of the Revolutionary War
Yankee Doodle
View all episodes
By Kurt Nelson, PhD and Tim Houlihan
4.9
114114 ratings
We’re taking a holiday break this week and revisiting a favorite conversation with AJ Jacobs about his year-long experiment living by 18th-century principles inspired by the U.S. Constitution. From tricorn hats and quill pens to rediscovering “Election Cakes,” AJ explores how early American civic life blended community, ritual, and democracy. We also dig into “epistemic humility” and Benjamin Franklin’s warnings about misinformation, which remain strikingly relevant today. Sit back, pop your headphones in, and enjoy this unique look at the American Experiment.
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
Topics
[0:00] Election day traditions
[4:25] Speed round with AJ Jacobs
[9:44] Living Colonially: What I learned
[18:56] Epistemic humility and political perspectives
[23:52] Constitutional originalism
[36:29] How do we frame the constitution?
[40:40] Election cakes and celebrating democracy
[48:52] Embracing experimentation in everyday life
[52:56] Grooving session: open-mindedness, civic duty, and cake recipes
©2026 Behavioral Grooves
Links
Join our Facebook Group!
AJ’s Substack
The Year of Living Constitutionally
More about AJ
The History of Election Cakes
Musical Links
Royal American Medley - Songs of the Revolutionary War
Yankee Doodle
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