Overdoing Democracy

Overdoing Democracy

When Kate was growing up, her grandfather often told her that when he was serving on a Navy ship during WWII, there were two things he and his fellow sailors never talked about: religion and politics.

In the present age, we're apt to think that leaving politics off the table like that is inauthentic, or worse, a sign of being an insufficiently engaged citizen. We're apt to think that the more we do politics, the better the health of our politics.

My guest would say that the opposite is true. His name is Robert Talisse, and he's a professor of political philosophy and the author of Overdoing Democracy: Why We Must Put Politics in Its Place. Today on the show, Bob and I discuss how democracy isn't just a system of government but a moral ideal; how the fact that it's an ideal gives it a tendency to extend its reach; and how the particular circumstances of modern times have extended that reach into all of our lifestyle choices, from the car we drive to where we shop. But, Bob argues, there can be too much of a good thing. He says the way politics has saturated everything in our lives creates some negative effects, turning politics into something that parties can market like toothpaste, and making each individual's views more extreme, so that we ultimately get to the point that we can't see our political opponents as people who have an equal say in our democracy. The solution, Bob says, is not to build bridges of dialogue with our political opponents, as is so often advised, but to engage with people in spaces, places, and activities where doing politics isn't the point, and you don't even know the political views of the people with whom you interact.

Connect With Robert TalisseListen to the Podcast! (And don’t forget to leave us a review!)

Listen to the episode on a separate page.

Download this episode.

Subscribe to the podcast in the media player of your choice.

Listen ad-free on Stitcher Premium; get a free month when you use code "manliness" at checkout.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Avsnitt(1160)

Hercules at the Crossroads — Choosing the Hard Path That Leads to a Good Life

Hercules at the Crossroads — Choosing the Hard Path That Leads to a Good Life

In a story from ancient Greek philosophy, Hercules faces a choice between two paths: one promising pleasure and ease; the other, hardship and struggle — but also growth and greatness. According to tod...

4 Nov 202558min

Make Friends With Death to Live a Better Life

Make Friends With Death to Live a Better Life

We live in a culture that does everything it can to keep death at a distance. We hide it behind hospital curtains, euphemize it in conversation, and hustle through grief like it's just another item on...

28 Okt 202553min

Chasing the White Whale — Into the Depths of Moby-Dick

Chasing the White Whale — Into the Depths of Moby-Dick

If you went to high school in America, you probably read Moby-Dick — or, more likely, you skimmed the CliffsNotes and wondered why this dense, whale-obsessed novel was considered a classic.That was me...

21 Okt 202550min

The 6 Practices of the Ultimate Morning Routine

The 6 Practices of the Ultimate Morning Routine

There's been a lot of talk about morning routines in the last few years. But the idea is hardly new; famous men from Thomas Aquinas to Benjamin Franklin structured their mornings to accomplish great d...

14 Okt 202548min

The Classical Code of Manhood

The Classical Code of Manhood

What does it mean to be a man? It’s a timeless question that's been answered in different ways across the ages. For the ancient Romans, the word for manliness was virtus — the root of our word virtue....

7 Okt 202559min

Why You Need the Good Stress of Socializing

Why You Need the Good Stress of Socializing

You may have heard of hormesis — the idea that intentionally embracing small stressors activates the body’s repair and defense systems, building resilience, improving how the body and even the microbi...

30 Sep 202552min

Build Muscle Without the B.S. — A Straightforward Guide to Size and Strength

Build Muscle Without the B.S. — A Straightforward Guide to Size and Strength

Whether you’ve never stepped foot in a weight room or you’ve been lifting for years without seeing significant results, figuring out how to get big, strong, and jacked can feel overwhelming. There are...

23 Sep 20251h 5min

The Preparation — An Adventure-Driven, Skill-Building Alternative to College for Young Men

The Preparation — An Adventure-Driven, Skill-Building Alternative to College for Young Men

For generations, the path to adulthood was straightforward: go to college, get a job, build a life. But many young men are beginning to question the college component of that path; tuition keeps risin...

16 Sep 202551min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
alska-oss
det-skaver
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
nu-blir-det-historia
roda-vita-rosen
johannes-hansen-podcast
not-fanny-anymore
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
sektledare
rss-viktmedicinpodden
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
allt-du-velat-veta
sa-in-i-sjalen
rss-om-vi-ska-vara-arliga
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rss-basta-livet
rss-npf-podden
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet