129 | Solo: Democracy in America

<p>The first full week of 2021 has been action-packed for those of us in the United States of America, for reasons you're probably aware of, including a riotous mob storming the US Capitol. The situation has spurred me to take the unusual step of doing a solo podcast in response to current events. But never fear, I'm not actually trying to analyze current events for their own sakes. Rather, I'm using them as a jumping-off point for a more general discussion of how democracy is supposed to work and how we can make it better. We've talked about related topics recently with <a href="https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2020/11/02/121-cornel-west-on-what-democracy-is-and-should-be/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cornel West</a> and <a href="https://www.preposterousuniverse.com/podcast/2020/12/07/126-david-stasavage-on-the-origin-and-history-of-democracy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">David Stasavage</a>, but there are things I wanted to say in my own voice that fit well here. Politics is important everywhere, and it's a crucial responsibility for those of us who live in societies that aspire to be participatory and democratic. We have to think these things through, and that's what this podcast is all about.</p> <p><em>Support Mindscape on </em><a href="https://www.patreon.com/seanmcarroll" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Patreon</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p>Apologies to Alexis de Toqueville, who wrote <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_America" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">an important book</a> whose name I stole, and who is mentioned nowhere in this episode.</p>