Wajahat Ali: Navigating Chaos and Divisiveness with Hope and Humanity

When there's such chaos amd divisiveness all around us, what can we do to cultivate a sense of hope and humanity?

In this episode, we welcome back Wajahat Ali, celebrated writer, editor of The Left Hook Substack, co-host of Democracy-ish Podcast, and author. Known for his humor and insight, Waj brings his unique perspective as a father, storyteller, and political commentator to discuss navigating the tumultuous political and social landscape of 2025. Together, Corey and Wajahat dive deep into themes of decency, empathy, and how to cultivate hope amid chaos.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:02:00] Wajahat muses about earning a "Five Timer Club" t-shirt.
• [00:04:00] Discussion on the California wildfires and the politicization of natural disasters.
• [00:06:00] Wajahat analyzes the blame game targeting DEI initiatives in crisis situations.
• [00:09:00] Corey and Wajahat explore the role of empathy and decency in politics.
• [00:11:00] Wajahat reflects on hope during his daughter’s cancer journey and how that translates to political resilience.
• [00:16:00] Star Wars analogy: How everyday people (the "Ewoks") can fight against authoritarianism.
• [00:22:00] A candid discussion on America's historical resistance to progress and how that impacts the current political climate.
• [00:35:00] The importance of rest and joy in sustaining activism and engagement.
• [00:54:00] Wajahat’s advice on engaging with people across ideological divides—when to plant seeds of change and when to walk away.

Featured Quotes:

• "Hope is optimism with action. It's believing in a better story but doing your part to get there." – Wajahat Ali
• "You can't save everyone. The caravan must move forward, but the doors remain open." – Wajahat Ali
• "We could have been so much better, and we chose this." – Wajahat Ali
• "One conversation with one person can create a ripple effect. Even a one-degree shift can matter." – Corey Nathan

Resources

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How to find Waj

• The Left Hook | https://thelefthook.substack.com/
• Democracy-ish | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/democracy-ish/id1473376303
• Bluesky | https://bsky.app/profile/wajali.bsky.social