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A Wedge-Busting National Priorities Survey
We’ve long made the case that when you’re Wedged, you’ve been manipulated into losing sight of your own political priorities. We’ve encouraged you to do work to get back in touch with them–and finally we’ve come across a tool that can guide you–and the country–through that process.
Helping People Disown a President
The step-by-step guide to getting people to disown the presidential candidate they voted for. Step 1: enough with the Hitler mustaches.
Three Ways to Open Someone’s Mind: Lessons From Sales
You know arguing with people doesn’t really work. Presenting people with facts that contradict their beliefs actually backfires and causes them to dig in more. But there are people outside of politics whose well-being and next meal depend on opening people’s minds: they’re in sales. Their job, over and over, requires getting people to open their minds to the idea of parting with their hard-earned money in exchange for a thing… often, a thing they didn’t know existed until just now!
Skepticism and Detachment, Part II
Thinking Fast and Slow, a book about decision making, describes two “systems”(1) that process information and therefore reach conclusions in different ways. In this post, Xander uses the principles from Thinking to help us practice skepticism and detachment in political dialogue.
Get Out of your Bubble!
Looking for a place to actually get out of your political bubble and talk policy with smart people who don’t always agree with you? We’ve formed a new partnership with BridgeUSA, and it’s just the place to do so. Take a read in this quick post to learn what they’re about and how to get involved.
The Power of Skepticism and Detachment in Political Dialogue
The gut reaction that lurches up when encountering different opinions is normal. But the emotions underlying that automatic impulse insulate us from new ideas, and minimize our ability to openly consider new information that could influence how we perceive the world. How can we fix this?
“Ah, so you must…”
Love a good “gotcha?” So do we all. But man, is it counter-productive.
Know Thy Frenemy
Hitting China is a pretty popular campaign tactic for a number of presidential candidates. Donald Trump warns that China “will bring us down.” If you look through Bernie Sanders’ quotes on trade, he seems to feel particularly strongly that Chinese people should not have jobs and export their goods. How do we overcome fear and jingoism when thinking about China?
Are You Committed?
I think a lot of people I know would say that they’d rather see some grand injustice undone or some global problem fixed than start a startup or sell something and make a lot of money. You might feel the same way.
But are you committed?
Persuasive Politics: Science and Advice
Changing minds is hard. Really hard. And most of us are terrible at it… especially in politics. But politics is a game of persuasion. Your vote matters, but your ability to get others to agree with you–and vote the way you want–matters a lot more. Good news: someone with a lot more grad students on their hands than we have did a bit of research into the science behind persuasion. And it’s pretty cool.