Who is to blame for our broken politics? The uncomfortable answer starts with ordinary citizens and good intentions. We vote (sometimes) and occasionally sign a petition or attend a rally. But we mainly “engage” by consuming politics as if it’s a sport or a hobby. We soak in daily political gossip and eat up statistics about who’s up and who’s down. We tweet and post and share. We crave outrage. The hours we spend on politics are used mainly as pastime.
Author Eitan Hersh and Stacy Burdett explore how to channel energy away from political hobbyism and toward empowering values, the basis of his recent book, Politics Is for Power.
Presented in partnership with the National Museum of American Jewish History
This program was recorded during our two-week symposium on Judaism, Citizenship & Democracy in October 2020.
