10 episodes
John Wood Jr. Show John Wood Jr.
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4.8 • 22 Ratings
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The United States of America is at a crossroads. Do we drown in the crashing waves of never ending culture wars? Or do we bring out the best in each other by living up to the better angels of our nature? Braver Angels national ambassador John Wood Jr. brings visionary idealism to American politics through a life lived battling the forces of cynicism at the intersections of race, religion and politics. Follow John as he opens the door to the movement to unite America, challenging political and thought leaders from across the divide to see the best in each other one conversation at a time.
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Virtue in the face of tribalism | with Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a celebrated scholar, stateswoman and activist who has championed women's rights and liberal values while opposing identity politics and religious extremism. She has been maligned for her views, and as you will hear her say here, she has made mistakes along the way. But I was honored to speak to Ayaan because she has always struck me as a true example of moral and intellectual courage.
Please enjoy this short conversation touching on virtue, philosophical nonviolence and the work of Martin Luther King Jr., polarization and race with one of the most fascinating public personalities in the world. -
Is "Wokism" a Religion? | A Conversation with John McWhorter
Is "Wokism" a religion?
The modern antiracist movement, often referred to as the Woke movement, has provoked backlash for seemingly seeking to deplatform and censor Americans with dissenting points of view, and attributing racism to wide swaths of American society. According to John McWhorter, this is because "Wokism" is less an ideology and more an irrational religion.
But is it? I ask John some questions to see if he isn't rushing to this characterization too quickly. As always John is ready to respond.
www.braverangels.org
Twitter: @JohnHMcWhorter @JohnRWoodJr @BraverAngels -
Class and Black America | A Conversation with Bertrand Cooper
Is the black American experience defined by race in 2021? Or are the struggles of millions of African-Americans far more a symptom of class?
Bertrand Cooper is a deeply insightful yet underappreciated voice on the intersections of race and poverty in American life. In our conversation we talk about popular culture's representation of black life, the differences in the black experience as a function of class, and Bertrand's own compelling journey through race, poverty and the ladder of education.
Read Bertrand's seminal essay Who Actually Gets to Create Black Pop Culture for Current Affairs:
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2021/07/who-actually-gets-to-create-black-pop-culture
Twitter: @_BlackTrash @braverangels @JohnRWoodJr
Websites: www.braverangels.org -
Empathizing with the Left?! Discussing Race with Dennis Prager
Dennis Prager, (author, talk radio show host and long time thought leader among American conservatives) believes that everything the left touches it destroys. But is there nothing to empathize with on the left?
That was the conversation I wound up having with Dennis particularly with respect to the subject of race.
Twitter: @DennisPrager @braverangels @JohnRWoodJr
Websites: www.braverangels.org www.prageru.com/ -
Facts are NOT all that matters
A quick filler episode!
I wanted to take a moment to talk about the importance of understanding what we don't know, and the limited value of understanding facts outside of experience.
I also talk about my conversation with Dave Rubin, my recent appearance with economist Glenn Loury and upcoming podcast with Dennis Prager.
See Glenn and I at the Manhattan Institute: https://youtu.be/W8YnyUu6qAg
Join Braver Angels: www.braverangels.org
Twitter: @JohnRWoodJr @BraverAngels -
The Road to Braver Angels with Luke Phillips
Braver Angels is America' largest, grassroots, bipartisan organization in America dedicated to reviving the communal spirit of American democracy.
A high-minded vision! I've been a leader of Braver Angels for going on four years now. But I wouldn't be on the front lines of this movement to unite the American people in goodwill if it wasn't for my long time friend and associate, writer, historian and Braver Angels staffer Luke Phillips.
Luke drops by the studio in L.A. for a conversation looking back on our path to Braver Angels, and the personal struggles and circumstances that led us to the movement to depolarize America.
Twitter: @braverangels @JohnRWoodJr
Websites: www.braverangels.org
Customer Reviews
Please Continue the Podcast
This interview with Monica Guzman was excellent. Also John’s introductory comments to the interview were outstanding. The Braver Angels podcast has helped me to gain more knowledge about some of the current, important issues of the day, and given me a better understanding of the ways we can help bridge the political divide in this country. I really enjoy listening to John and the guests he interviews. I really hope he continues to do this podcast. I hope it is not the final one.
A BRAVER ANGELS Treasure
John’s most recent interview with April Lawson (Ep 14 Conservatism, Feminism and Better Conflict) was such a pleasure to listen to, as well as an enlightening look at one of our kindest, most intelligent and committed Members of the BRAVER ANGELS Leadership. (You fit into that category, too, John! 😉)
Thank you, John, for this VERY interesting conversation and Thank you, April, for your openness in sharing your intriguing journey to BRAVER ANGELS.
After first becoming involved with BRAVER ANGELS in February 2021, my online encounters with both April and John brought me great JOY in feeling that I was in a place that TRULY cared about the welfare of our country and her citizens, regardless of political leaning. Both of these exceptional leaders have sincerely compassionate and caring hearts, while having a deep grasp on our system of politics and the challenges we face as citizens of our great Nation.
Their dedication to the Mission of BRAVER ANGELS as more than a “job” is readily apparent when you encounter their work, whether online or in person. They are two very special individuals❣️
Join BRAVER ANGELS and you’ll have the opportunity to see for yourself!
This guy is brilliant
Long winded, sure, but worth every minute