In 2017, data analyst Wesley Warshawer was shocked by a poll that said 50% of Americans supported Donald Trump, about half lived with a gun their home, and a third believed in a literal reading of The Book of Genesis.
This didn’t match the views of anyone he knew in Silicon Valley, California. What he read about our country's deep divides led him to sell his apartment in San Jose and spend 18 months living in some of the most conservative parts of America.
What he found was that most people across the country, from right wing conservatives to lefty liberals live by a similar ethical code. “I was so shocked to find that we were so similar”, Wesley told us. To his surprise, the bubbles in California and in rural America turned out to be quite alike.
In this episode we explore whether Americans are a lot less divided and more friendly than we’ve been told. We consider what can be learned about America when we listen and acknowledge people with different political beliefs. We also discuss this provocative question: Do Braver Angels and other groups in the bridging community have it wrong about how polarized we are?
Wesley Warshawer shares moving stories about what he learned from his travels to Bismark, North Dakota, Biloxi and Clarksdale, Mississippi, and other conservative parts of America.
“I always think it’s so paradoxical that the best way to learn about yourself is to meet other people. And the best way to learn about your bubble is to leave it.”
Find many more of our podcasts at http://www.howdowefixit.me. We report on the people, projects, and ideas of Braver Angels and others who are working every day to bridge divides, rebuild America’s civic muscle, and make courageous citizenship the accepted norm. Most episodes are 30 minutes or less.
Our guest, Wesley Warshawer, is a business analyst in Silicon Valley’s semiconductor industry, a Fulbright Scholar to South Korea, essayist, podcast host, and public speaker. He loves his work. For a living he analyzes data and communicates about it. Wesley has looked for wisdom in travel— across the world, or simply across town, meeting a new person or experiencing a new neighborhood. “Outside your comfort zone\", he says, “you are a sponge to personal insight and growth.”
Our host Richard Davies spent four decades as a Radio Correspondent at ABC News. Richard writes a Substack column about issues covered by “How Do We Fix It?”. His “Here Hear” posts offer frequent thoughts on listening, language, and public square.
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