Democratic Backsliding & the Politics of Confirmation Bias | Chair, Politics Department, Princeton | Nolan McCarty
Description
Summary
Intro to Nolan McCary | 0:00
What is Democratic backsliding and are we experiencing it? | 5:15
Why every president is blamed or praised for his successes and failures depending on what side you're on? | 6:30
How the train derailment in East Palestine exemplified the fundamental toxic polarization issue? | 7:40
Politics of confirmation bias | 10:55
Why does every election gets delegitimized by the opposite party? | 13:30
What is the general margin of error for election votes?
Issues with our election process 18:00
Why the context of "facts" matters & Trump/Biden election fairness | 25:00
Why is civic humility so hard? | 26:00
Marriage between couples of different political parties has become less accepted than that of different faiths, religions, or ethnicities | 35:00
Many political leaders misusing social media. | 37:00
Is polarization intentional? 39:30
Where does Princeton stand with the claims about liberal University indoctrination? | 43:00
Academic freedom and institutional neutrality | 48:00
What are Nolan's goals as a result of his efforts in polarization? | 55:00
The importance of not eliminating polarization if it means not talking about important topics | 58:00
About Evan Meyer
Tech entrepreneur and civic leader - he founded mygovtools.org, a platform to drive government efficiency, constituent representation, and civic engagement; BeautifyEarth.com, a platform accelerating urban beautification through art; and its sister nonprofit, transforming schools in underserved areas. He also co-founded RideAmigos.com, a platform that optimizes commuter travel globally. Previously, he served as District Director for the California State Senate and led many civic initiatives in Santa Monica. Through seminars and his podcast Meyerside Chats, Evan inspires civic engagement, innovation, and cultural growth.
He loves the outdoors, is a master of creative projects, is an avid muralist and musician, and finds the world fascinating in every regard.








