How to have fewer stupid arguments

ASPEN IDEAS TO GO

VIDEO (46 MIN)

For Better Arguments, Take Winning Off the Table

Tensions are mounting across the country and around the world. People from all walks of life often feel like their opinions aren’t respected or heard, leading to bitter disagreements that drive wedges between family members, neighbors, and communities. That’s where the Better Arguments Project comes in. Designed to foster a culture where we learn to come together by arguing and directly addressing our differences, Better Arguments gives people the tools they need to listen and bridge divides. “We don’t necessarily need fewer arguments right now,” says Eric Liu, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Citizenship and American Identity Program. “We just need less stupid ones.” Liu discusses a groundbreaking Better Arguments Project collaboration with Stacy Sharpe, senior vice president at Allstate, and Roger Brooks, president and CEO of Facing History and Ourselves. Listen.

SOCIETY

VIDEO (44 MIN)

It’s the People Not Like Us That Make Us Grow

In his newest book, Morality, respected faith leader Jonathan Sacks traces today’s crises, such as toxic public discourse, to the loss of a strong, shared moral code and the elevation of self-interest over the common good. He says we have outsourced morality to the market and the state, but neither is capable of showing us how to live. In general, Sacks writes, politics has become too competitive, and liberal democracy has become about “me” instead of “us.” The Rev. Dr. Serene Jones, a scholar and president of Union Theological Seminary, joins Sacks as he makes the case for why we need a restoration of the moral dimension in the lives of politicians and everyone in society.Watch.

Announcing Aspen Ideas: Show Up

Elections may seem like all-important, do-or-die events, but they’re just one part of the work that keeps our democracy functioning. Forget red versus blue and easy clickbait. We're dialing in on an inclusive, nonpartisan view of civic engagement at a new event, Aspen Ideas: Show Up. Speakers including NFL wide receiver Christian Conley, WNBA star Candace Parker, youth leaders, and others will show how you can have a say in the way our country runs. Join us for this free, two-night digital event. Each broadcast is followed by live interactive sessions offering hands-on skills and Q&A. Aspen Ideas: Show Up — New voices. Fresh ideas. Democracy for the next generation. October 21-22, 7 p.m. ET. Register.

Gambling with Armageddon

October 6

In this groundbreaking look at the Cuban Missile Crisis, author Martin Sherwin not only gives us a riveting sometimes hour-by-hour explanation of the crisis itself, but also explores the origins, scope, and consequences of the evolving place of nuclear weapons in the post-World War II world. Sherwin sits down with former US Ambassador to the United Nations Kenneth Adelman, author of Reagan at Reykjavik. Register.

Project Play Summit

October 13 – 16

The Project Play Summit is the nation’s premier gathering of leaders building healthy communities through sports. Featuring keynotes from Allyson Felix, six-time Olympic gold medalist; Terrell Owens, pro football Hall of Famer; Crystal Dunn, World Cup champion; and Tatyana McFadden, seven-time Paralympic gold medalist, the roster also includes best-selling author Michael Lewis (Moneyball) and many more champions and leaders who are building America’s new state of play.Register.