Political Polarization

Political Polarization

A person sits on a chair in front of a white backdrop in a loft-style room with brick walls, dark flooring, and two windows.
1hr 18mins
"The more uncertain and scary things get in the world, the more we as humans are drawn to simple dichotomies."
Several microphones facing forward against a blue background with the text "Agents of Conflict" above them.
11mins
"These days, no national news network is trusted by more than half of American adults. And that's a problem."
A man with short, grayish hair, wearing a dark blazer and black shirt, stares directly at the camera against a black background.
9mins
"I think we need a truly open-ended conversation with 8 billion strangers, and what makes that hard to do increasingly is a level of political fragmentation and extremism and partisanship born of our engagement with these new technologies."
Fragmented image of the U.S. flag with white stars on a blue background and red and beige stripes, resembling weathered paint on a wall.
4mins
“Most of us aren't sure what to think about everything, but we don't really see that modeled anywhere, right? You're supposed to know for sure, and there's very little intellectual humility on social media or on TV.”
A bulletin board with newspaper clippings, maps, and strings. The text "THE HIDDEN TRUTH?" is prominently displayed in the center.
7mins
“The problem with conspiracy theories is they're not just telling you a story, they're telling you a really good story. There's a hidden cabal behind everything that's happening, there's a secret pattern that you just have to be smart enough to detect.”
Illustration of a human head with a visible brain, featuring a black circular arrow symbol over the brain, on a yellow background.
6mins
With great genius comes great rigidity. Professor Barabara Oakley on how to stay mentally agile — and get smarter as a result:
a collage of a woman's face with a colorful background.
1hr 19mins
Steven Pinker explains how to cultivate greater rationality in today's complex world.
3mins
Washington University professor John Inazu tells us how we can make peace inside a raging culture war.
17mins
Rogue Putin is the biggest risk of 2023. Here are the other nine, explained by global political expert Ian Bremmer.
Statue of Liberty against an orange background with a horizontal torn bar obscuring the middle section of the statue.
5mins
“There’s a sense of crisis today that we did not have in the 1980’s or 90’s” — economist Tyler Cowen on progress in America.
John Templeton Foundation
3mins
Climate change. War. Civil unrest. Is it responsible to have kids today?
3mins
Our impulse to seek out agreement is stifling us, says world debate champion Bo Seo.
Illustration of the top view of a human brain, showing detailed grooves and folds, with a textured, etched style on a dark background—evoking the complexity of mental feedback loops.
Humans tend to hunker down in our own minds and trust what we already believe to be true. This emotion-based way of thought isn't often the best way to think about anything, and often leads to gridlock.
John Templeton Foundation
social media
Social media isn’t the majority – it’s the vocal fringe.
Stand Together
Fascist politics
3mins
Should we worry about fascist politics? Philosopher Jason Stanley plays devil’s advocate.