#357 Dementia: Memory and Forgetting: Nicci Gerrard

June 24, 2022 Richard Davies

Dementia provokes profound moral questions about our society and the meaning of life itself. How much are we connected to one another? In what ways are we distant and separated? What does it mean to have a self? How can we offer dignity to those who suffer from Alzheimer's and other forms of this terrible disease?

Worldwide around 55 million people have dementia. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that the U.S. total is nearly six million cases. The numbers are growing with the aging of the population. The incidence of Alzheimer’s increased more than 50% in the past 15 years. People over the age of 85 are the largest growing share of the population.

British journalist and author Nicci Gerrard is our guest. Her father's long struggle with dementia led Nicci to investigate what the disease does to those who live with it and to their caregivers. She writes with deep wisdom, kindness, and empathy in her new book, "The Last Ocean A Journey Through Memory and Forgetting."

#356 January 6th: A New Reckoning. Bennie Thompson, Liz Cheney & Conversation

June 16, 2022 Richard Davies

History was made on January 6th, 2021, yet nearly 18 months later we are still coming to terms with what happened before and during the attack on the U.S. Capitol. In this episode, Richard and Jim discuss what's been revealed by the House Select Committee that continues to investigate the disturbing events of that day.

We include excerpts from statements by Committee Chair Bennie Thompson (D) and Vice-Chair Liz Cheney. Our discussion looks at the controversy over how the Committee was formed and how its findings will be viewed by voters, elected officials, legal analysts and historians.

The first Select Committee hearing was aired during prime time on a Thursday night. While much of it was solemn and deliberative, there were moments of theater and passion. In their discussion, Jim and Richard share their different views of whether or not the work of the Committee has been as effective as it should have been.

#355 Death by Firearms— A Public Health Crisis. Dr. Patrick Carter

June 10, 2022 Richard Davies

The appalling carnage in Uvalde, Texas, Buffalo, New York, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and other communities across the country is a deeply painful source of grief, outrage, and national shame. Since 2009 more than 2500 people have been killed or wounded in 277 mass shootings in The United States— more than the number of U.S. military personnel killed in hostile action in Afghanistan over the same period.

But as horrible as they are, mass shootings represent a small percentage of overall firearms-related deaths. In 2020 — the latest year for which numbers are available — more than 45 thousand Americans were killed in shootings, including accidents and suicides. That’s more than the number of deaths on roads and highways.

In this episode we look at some ways to reduce the huge toll. Our guest is Dr. Patrick Carter, a professor of emergency medicine and health behavior at the University of Michigan, and a leading expert on firearm injury prevention. He argues that instead of endless debate, we need to think of gun deaths "as a public health issue and a science issue." Then we can make real progress, he argues.

#354 When Business Should Take a Stand. Elizabeth Doty

June 3, 2022 Richard Davies

"There is one and only one social responsibility of business," Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman famously declared more than 50 years ago. It is “to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase profits so long as it.. engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.”

Times have certainly changed, especially in the past two decades. Today, corporate leaders and brands know that they can't always follow Friedman's advice, and are expected to step forward and contribute to solving crises facing society. But there are often hazards in doing so. Walt Disney, Delta Airlines, and Larry Fink, Chairman, and CEO of BlackRock, have all faced harsh criticism for their public stands.

We discuss the hazards and opportunities for corporations and their leadership with the author, researcher, and facilitator Elizabeth Doty, Director of the Erb Institute's Corporate Political Responsibility at the University of Michigan. She suggests constructive ways for businesses to play a key role in countering hyperpartisanship and other divisions in society.

#353 The Power of Myth: Stephen Greenblatt

May 27, 2022 Richard Davies

Myths are widely seen as little more than lies. We're constantly told by experts in media and society that myths are for debunking and even ridicule.

Yet despite clear evidence frequently presented by doctors, journalists and scientists, many of us believe in legends and myths.

In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", we explore the power of myths and legends: Why they are essential in making sense of life. Bestselling author of "The Swerve", "The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve" and other books, Harvard Humanities professor Stephen Greenblatt, is our guest.

#352 A New Definition of Winning: Cath Bishop

May 20, 2022 Richard Davies

What does it mean to be a winner? Is it simply about “crushing it” or hitting your targets at work? Do you always have to come first?

In this episode we get a new definition of winning and success from former British Olympic rower, Cath Bishop, who competed in three Olympics and won a silver medal. Today Cath works in leadership development and has spent years thinking deeply about what it means to be successful in life. Her new book is “The Long Win: The Search for a Better Way to Succeed”.

Cath spoke with audio journalist Ashley Milne-Tyte, host of the winning podcast, “The Broad Experience”, about women and the workplace. Here we share part of her episode with Cath.

In the second half of this episode Richard also has a conversation with Ashley about the insights she’s learned during the first decade of reporting for her podcast. We hear about racism and sexism in the workplace and how men can help women achieve true equality.

#351 Billionaire Elon Musk: SpaceX and Twitter. Eric Berger

May 13, 2022 Richard Davies

Elon Musk is the richest person in the world and the most interesting business leader of his time.

Disruptive and innovative, Musk has already revolutionized two giant industries— autos and aerospace. His planned purchase of Twitter will turn him into a power player in a third: social media.

In this episode we look at what Elon Musk and his team achieved with SpaceX and share part of our 2121 interview with journalist Eric Berger, senior space editor at the science and tech news site, Ars Technica. Eric wrote the book "Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched Space." We also hear from our co-host Jim about his Commentary Magazine article, "Can Elon Musk Save Twitter?" We learn more about the risks and obstacles involved in buying the digital public square that Musk plans to take private.

#350 Libertarians. A New Understanding. Nick Gillespie

May 6, 2022 Richard Davies

All too often political movements are defined by their opponents. That is especially true for libertarians who are often labeled as uncaring— far more concerned with the individual than society. In this episode, we get a mostly positive view of what libertarians stand for and also why they oppose both the populist domination of the Republican Party and the leftward tilt by Democrats.

Our guest Nick Gillespie is editor at large of Reason Magazine, which has the motto "free minds and free markets." He's co-author of the book, “The Declaration of Independents: How Libertarian Politics Can Fix What’s Wrong With America,” and host of “The Reason Interview” podcast.

In this episode we discuss six main topics— What is a libertarian, public education and school choice, inflation, the role of billionaires in society, Ukraine & foreign policy, and the controversial Disinformation Governance Board.

#349 The Right: A New Understanding. Matthew Continetti

April 29, 2022 Richard Davies

How did the Republican Party go from being dominated by Ronald Reagan in the 80’s to the movement of Trump? What are the deep tensions between grassroots Republicans and Conservative elites who used to be in charge? Six months before the 2022 midterm election, why would liberals and progressives stand to benefit from understanding exactly why conservatives win so many races?

We grapple with these questions and many more in this episode of "How Do We Fix It?"

Our guest is conservative intellectual, scholar and journalist, Matthew Continetti— a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington. His new book is "The Right: The Hundred Year War on American Conservatism."

#348. Successful Conversations Across Difficult Divides. Mónica Guzmán

April 15, 2022 Richard Davies

Partisanship is up, trust is down and social media encourages us to believe we're right and everyone else is either ignorant, stupid or evil. But avoiding difficult conversations with those we disagree with is a big reason why our nation is so bitterly divided.

Journalist Mónica Guzmán set out to discover what was blinding us and learned that the best tool we have we're not using: Our own curiosity. In this episode we learn about her personal story as the loving liberal daughter of Mexican immigrants who strongly support Donald Trump. We hear how Mónica discovered ways to overcome divisions that hurt our relationships and society.

Mónica Guzmán is the author of the highly praised new book "I Never Thought Of It That Way". She serves as an advisor and storyteller at the depolarization organization, Braver Angels.

"The anger and the rage that we see out there that defines our division doesn't actually exist that much on the one-to-one level," Monica told us.

#347 Fixing Government Now: Code For America. Amanda Renteria

April 8, 2022 Richard Davies

Reform advocates are full of good intentions and worthy goals— from ending hunger to improving access to healthcare and limiting the impacts of climate change. But good intentions are not the same as good results.

The efficient delivery of services is important for all citizens. In this episode, we look at how to design technology that makes government smarter, much more efficient, and even friendlier.

Amanda Renteria is CEO of Code for America, a non-profit group that uses coding and other forms of tech expertise to ensure the delivery of equitable digital tools and services. Amanda grew up in California's Central Valley, the daughter of Latino farm workers. She spent years in public service, as former National Political Director for Hillary Clinton, chief of staff for two Democratic Senators and chief of operations for California’s Attorney General.

#346 How Your Mindset Transforms Your Life: David Robson

April 1, 2022 Richard Davies

Our brains are prediction machines: How we frame everyday tasks and challenges of our lives can have a profound impact on their outcomes. In this episode, we learn about new discoveries in science that reveal the many ways our expectations shape our experience.

Author and science writer David Robson is our guest. His latest book, "The Expectation Effect" cites findings from well-over 400 "robust experiments" and takes readers on a tour of cutting-edge research that uncovers new techniques to improve our fitness, productivity, intelligence, health and happiness.

We learn why people who believe aging brings wisdom live longer. Reappraising stress as something that's energizing increases your creativity under pressure. Cultivating an indulgent attitude to food may help you lose weight. Taking a placebo, even when you know it is a placebo, can still improve your health.

#345 What The War in Ukraine Means for Climate Change: Gernot Wagner

March 25, 2022 Richard Davies

Russia's invasion of Ukraine made Europe's energy dependence painfully clear. "We are supporting and actually financing the war by purchasing oil and gas and other fossil fuels from Russia," Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin bluntly put it.

Fossil fuel energy is vital for Russia's economy, accounting for almost half of its exports. One-third of Europe's oil and as much as 40% of natural gas imports come from Russia.

In this episode, we discuss how the war in Ukraine is changing the debate over fossil fuel dependency. Our guest is climate economist and Bloomberg News columnist Gernot Wagner of NYU and Columbia School of Business.

#344 Defending Truth. Advancing Knowledge: Jonathan Rauch

March 18, 2022 Richard Davies

Democracies around the world are under threat from populist movements, demagogues and dogmatic extremists who use disinformation, conspiracy theories, cancel culture and shaming to weaponize social media and challenge our ability to distinguish truth from falsehood.

Most recently, the Russian government has used lies and fake news to justify its attempted land grab in Ukraine. In "The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth", best-selling author, journalist, and public intellectual, Jonathan Rauch, offers a stirring defense of the social system of checks and balances that is crucial for turning disagreement into verifiable facts.

"This global network of people hunting for each others' errors is far and away the greatest human technology ever invented," Jonathan tells us. The constitution of knowledge "is a global conversation of people looking for truth, and more especially, looking for error."

In this episode of "How Do We Fix It?", Jonathan arms listeners and advocates of truth with a clear understanding of what they must protect, and how to do it. He makes a clear and moving argument for how all of us can help defend truth and free inquiry from threats that come from as far away as Russia and as close as our cellphones.

#343 Ukraine. The World Responds to War. Robert Kagan, Jane Lytvynenko

March 11, 2022 Richard Davies

Shock, surprises and suffering are the most immediate results of all wars. Russia's brutal, yet deeply flawed invasion of Ukraine has profound implications for the West, global democracy and the future of Europe and Russia. We hear the perspectives of two prominent thinkers, Jane Lytvynenko and Robert Kagen. Richard and Jim also share their analysis of the unexpected early outcomes of the war.

This episode has extracts from an interview with Robert Kagan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing columnist for The Washington Post. He spoke with podcast producer and host Jenna Spinelle of "Democracy Works". We also share part of an interview from the current episode of "Democracy in Danger" with journalist Jane Lytvynenko, who covers technology, disinformation, and now, Ukraine. She was born in Kyiv. Jane is also a senior research fellow at Harvard University's Technology and Social Change Project at the Shorenstein Center.

This podcast is produced with the generous help of the Democracy Group podcast network and the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State University.

#342 Understanding Ukraine. Unity, Defiance, Resistance: Marci Shore

March 4, 2022 Richard Davies

The war in Ukraine and the global response to Russia's invasion are dominating the news. But missing in much of the coverage is a sense of the country and its people. In this historic moment, we hear a riveting account of the country's recent political awakening and why Ukrainians are prepared to resist and fight.

In the past century, Ukraine suffered massively during two world wars, Nazi occupation, famine, and the Chernobyl disaster. Eight years ago, during the "Revolution of Dignity", Ukranians stood up against corruption, brutality, and Russian dominance. A new democracy and civic bond were formed. The country profoundly changed.

"Ukranians are fighting for all of us," says our guest, Yale University historian Marci Shore, the author of “The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution.” She is a scholar of Eastern Europe in the post-Soviet era.

#341 Why We Need Representative Democracy. Lisa Disch

February 25, 2022 Richard Davies

The invasion of Ukraine is a shocking reminder of what's at stake for democracies around the world. This moment is a stunning reminder of the vital importance of what we so often take for granted— personal freedoms and the rule of law. Despite well-advertised flaws, our constitutional system of governance is infinitely preferable to dictatorships or thuggish autocracies.

In this episode, we share a conversation that touches on the relationship between voters and those who represent them, and what is meant by "representative democracy". The interview is shared with us by our friends at the "Democracy Paradox" podcast.

Lisa Disch, author of the book, “Making Constituencies: Representation as Mobilization in Mass Democracy” is this week’s guest. She is a professor of political science at the University of Michigan and an elected member of the Ann Arbor City Council. She is a committed member of the Democratic Party, but her views and research should be of interest to listeners from across the political spectrum.

#340 Gerrymandering: Why It's So Bad For Democracy. Sam Wang

February 18, 2022 Richard Davies

Partisan gerrymandering— where one party gains an unfair advantage by redrawing political maps to favor its candidates— is unpopular with voters, but widespread in many states. We examine why this process devalues democracy, and how data science is being used across the country to expose many of the most egregious examples, and help voters advocate for fair and transparent redistricting.

Every decade, legislators across the country come up with maps for state and congressional districts. The latest round of changes, due to be finished well before primaries are held before the 2022 midterm elections in November, is facing widespread criticism. Redistricting reformers also see strong ties between partisan and racial bias.

Our guest in this episode shows citizens how they can fight back against local examples of gerrymandering by both Democrats and Republicans. Professor Sam Wang oversees the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which runs an informative website that helps voters in every state decide if they live in an unfairly drawn legislative or Congressional District.

#339 Regrets Are Good For Us! Daniel Pink

February 11, 2022 Richard Davies

Best-selling author Daniel Pink admits he's pedaling against the wind. His new book, "The Power of Regret" takes on the longstanding and deeply ingrained doctrine that paying attention to our regrets is foolish. In this episode we ask him why this notion is wrong.

"No regrets" is the name or theme of countless books and popular songs. Bob Dylan, Angelina Jolie, and Ruth Bader Ginsberg all advised us to live without regrets.

"We think that it's courageous to say I have no regrets, but it's not," Pink tells us. "What's courageous is staring your regrets in the eye, confronting them, and doing something about them".