Several years ago, University of California-Berkeley professor Arlie Hochschild set out to do what it seems like no one on the left—or the right—is doing these days: Listening to the other side.
A political progressive from a politically progressive university and state, Hochschild went to Louisiana with what she calls “studied openness” to talk with Tea Party voters in the run-up to the 2016 election. Her book, Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right, came out that November—and is both a wake-up call and a blueprint for how to listen with empathy, learn with openness and understand a fundamental truth about our country.
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“If we’re going to fix democracy,” Hochschild told Andrew Keen on his podcast/video series “How to Fix Democracy” last year, “I think we have to fix listening. We’re not going to agree on everything, but unless we get a respectful conversation going without contempt, we won’t be able to fix democracy.”
Hochschild will talk with MSNBC anchor and Citizen board member Ali Velshi, who has long recommended her book to us, at The Citizen’s fourth annual Ideas We Should Steal Festival presented by Comcast NBCUniversal on December 14th at Fitler Club.
To get a sampling of what you’ll hear, watch Hochschild talking to Keen below.
Be sure to check out our whole line-up of speakers here.
And check out our sponsors here.
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