These days I am quite stressed about the fate of “liberal democracy.” It’s not a concept I previously felt very attached to, mostly because I didn’t like the way the Dems talked about it.

But now, we are in a far, far worse place. Masked ICE agents are grabbing people off the streets. Millions of kids will die due to mindless aid cuts and anti-vax policies. Free speech is in the worst place it’s been in decades.

I wanted to talk to somebody who is a believer in “liberalism,” but who can also be candid about liberalism’s future, its threats, and why people have become increasingly skeptical.

I thought that Kelsey Piper would be the perfect first guest. She’s a staff writer at The Argument and previously a senior writer for Vox’s Future Perfect. Today we discuss:

[00:10:00 ] How the Democrats alienated tech

[00:50:33 ] Zoomer nihilism and authoritarian envy

[01:02:11 ] Improving the “user experience” of government

[01:16:46 ] AI and democratic institutions

[01:30:03 ] Kelsey’s journalism career and joining The Argument

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