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What does it mean to be brave right now?
What does moral patriotism require of us in moments when institutions fall short? How should we navigate polarization without giving up on civility? What does everyday civic bravery look like in ordinary American life?
These are the questions I tackled today with Ted Johnson, Senior Fellow at New America and columnist at The Washington Post.
Ted Johnson is a deep thinker with a wide range of personal and professional experiences that give him a unique perspective on the promises and paradoxes of the American experiment.
In this conversation, we explore a wide range of topics, including:
* Pragmatism in a Slow-Moving System: Why pragmatism still matters in a system designed to move slowly, and what we give up when we try to force fast change.
* The Case for Civility: What civility actually means in a polarized country, and whether it has any real use right now.
* Values Under Pressure: How to hold onto core democratic values during moments that feel urgent and destabilizing.
* Moral Patriotism: A definition of patriotism rooted in first principles, and why criticism can be a form of loyalty.
* Everyday Civic Bravery: What “being brave” looks like in ordinary civic life, including the risk of leaving our social and political bubbles.
* Identity Politics and Elections: How identity politics shapes elections, and why messaging and policy are not the same thing.
* America at 250: What the 250th anniversary of the Declaration might reveal about who we are as a country.
Links
* Ted Johnson’s recent book, If We Are Brave
* Some recent columns of Ted’s in The Washington Post:
* America’s mistrust is misplaced. Minneapolis shows why.
* Young Americans are asking old questions. It’s valid — and frustrating.
* Why the president has become unimpeachable
* What Renée Good’s killing says about U.S. citizenship
* America’s real source of patriotism has been clear for 250 years
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebeaconproject.substack.com
View all episodes
By Daniel YudkinWhat does moral patriotism require of us in moments when institutions fall short? How should we navigate polarization without giving up on civility? What does everyday civic bravery look like in ordinary American life?
These are the questions I tackled today with Ted Johnson, Senior Fellow at New America and columnist at The Washington Post.
Ted Johnson is a deep thinker with a wide range of personal and professional experiences that give him a unique perspective on the promises and paradoxes of the American experiment.
In this conversation, we explore a wide range of topics, including:
* Pragmatism in a Slow-Moving System: Why pragmatism still matters in a system designed to move slowly, and what we give up when we try to force fast change.
* The Case for Civility: What civility actually means in a polarized country, and whether it has any real use right now.
* Values Under Pressure: How to hold onto core democratic values during moments that feel urgent and destabilizing.
* Moral Patriotism: A definition of patriotism rooted in first principles, and why criticism can be a form of loyalty.
* Everyday Civic Bravery: What “being brave” looks like in ordinary civic life, including the risk of leaving our social and political bubbles.
* Identity Politics and Elections: How identity politics shapes elections, and why messaging and policy are not the same thing.
* America at 250: What the 250th anniversary of the Declaration might reveal about who we are as a country.
Links
* Ted Johnson’s recent book, If We Are Brave
* Some recent columns of Ted’s in The Washington Post:
* America’s mistrust is misplaced. Minneapolis shows why.
* Young Americans are asking old questions. It’s valid — and frustrating.
* Why the president has become unimpeachable
* What Renée Good’s killing says about U.S. citizenship
* America’s real source of patriotism has been clear for 250 years
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thebeaconproject.substack.com