Archive for June 2026
Better Political Conversations Are Possible, If We Know How
Respectful dialogue is vanishing from American political life. There is, arguably, no more urgent question for American society today than how we can listen and talk with each other constructively, with less hostility and contempt. I graduated from Yale College over 50 years ago, at a time when American society was also bitterly divided by…
Read MoreLiberal vs. Conservative: Can We Understand Each Other?
“The two parties which divide the state, the party of Conservatism and that of Innovation, are very old, and have disputed the possession of the world ever since it was made… The war rages not only in battlefields, in national councils, and ecclesiastical synods, but agitates every man’s bosom with opposing advantages every hour. …….and…
Read MoreThe Toxic Emotions Underlying Our Political Divide
A major theme of this blog is the importance of emotions in understanding our political beliefs. Although we may want to believe otherwise, we are not liberal or conservative in our head, but in our gut. When asked why we are liberal or conservative, we will give our reasons. We are likely to justify our…
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