DeepSummary
Adrienne Marie Brown and Baratunde Thurston engage in a thought-provoking conversation about the meaning of citizenship and what it takes to build a truly democratic society. They discuss the principles of 'citizening' as a verb, emphasizing the need for people to actively participate, understand power dynamics, commit to the collective good, and invest in relationships. Brown and Thurston also delve into the concept of fractals and how individuals can embody the change they wish to see in the world.
A significant part of the discussion revolves around the disconnect between what people want and what governments deliver, even in supposed democracies. They explore the idea of global connectedness through social media and the potential for learning from diverse communities facing similar struggles. The conversation touches on the need for repair, care, and facilitation to address systemic issues and create a sense of belonging.
Ultimately, Brown and Thurston propose a vision for a new form of democracy that embraces imagination, acknowledges the flaws of the past, and fosters practices of mutual care and co-creation. They suggest a shift from relying on single leaders to collaborative facilitation, allowing for the integration of diverse perspectives and experiences in solving complex problems.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Citizenship should be viewed as an active verb ('citizening') that involves showing up, understanding power dynamics, committing to the collective good, and investing in relationships.
- Individuals can embody the change they want to see in the world by being 'fractals' of the future they envision, transcending national boundaries.
- There is a disconnect between what people want and what governments deliver, even in supposed democracies, highlighting the need for repair and systemic change.
- Social media can foster global connectedness and learning from diverse communities facing similar struggles.
- Care, repair, and facilitation are essential practices for building trust, fostering a sense of belonging, and addressing systemic issues.
- A new form of democracy is proposed, one that embraces imagination, acknowledges past flaws, and fosters practices of mutual care and co-creation.
- A shift is suggested from relying on single leaders to collaborative facilitation, allowing for the integration of diverse perspectives and experiences.
- The desired experience of togetherness and belonging should be the starting point for designing a new form of democracy.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So to me, citizen is being a fractal of belonging to this species, right? And I don't think of it as nation, I think of myself as a post nationalist, because we have these larger concerns than just what's within a border. But so far humans have said within each border now we're going to try to operate a certain way. So for me I'm like, how am I a fractal of belonging? How do I belong to the land, to myself, to community? How am I a fractal of justice inside of my community or a fractal of the future that I really want to see come into being, right?“ by Baratunde Thurston
- “And so if we can articulate that and give voice to that, not just who do you want to be elected or what policy do you want to shift, but what's the experience of being together that you want to be a part of and then design from that?“ by Adrienne Marie Brown
- “We need a facilitation, a facilitator, a way to bring all this together and coordinate it. So that we can unlock this greater strength that we have only together.“ by Adrienne Marie Brown
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Episode Information
TED Talks Daily
TED
6/1/24
US democracy needs repair — and care is the answer, says author adrienne maree brown in conversation with writer and activist Baratunde Thurston. In a sweeping discussion on what it means to be an active citizen, they unpack how to design a future for democracy where we all belong.