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Fifty years ago, the nation was (gradually, then suddenly) rocked by revelations of dirty tricks in what became known as the Watergate scandal. But it wasn’t the first time that our government deceived its citizens, and it certainly wasn’t the last. From false narratives promoting war to deliberate lies meant to undermine elections, has deception come to be seen as a legit...
Within our lifetimes, AI will, by design, begin to behave unpredictably, thinking and acting in ways which defy human logic. Big tech companies may be inadvertently building and enabling vast arrays of intelligent systems that don't share our motivations, desires, or hopes for the future of humanity. Is it too late to change course and realize a human-centered future for a...
Is the spirit of citizenship still alive in America? Past generations had the draft and epic fights for civil rights. Before that, Tocqueville described how barn raisings and self-government were part of the same civic impulse. But what is citizenship in America today? What should it mean beyond a bundle of rights and benefits? What are the responsibilities, individual and...
How can Americans restore their confidence in their government?
In the 2019 Axios Harris Poll 100, which measures the reputations of some of America’s most visible companies, the US government ranked dead last. This poll comes on the heels of the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history, which further tested American’s trust and made many dedicated public servants question their career choice. With only 6 percent of today’s...
America’s heartland is quietly upending traditional notions of how cities work to deliver on their promise of shared prosperity. This means local governments, philanthropy, and the private sector have to work together and work differently. Jennifer Bradley of the Center for Urban Innovation and Rip Rapson of the Kresge Foundation discuss how leaders from Detroit, Fresno, M...
Technology is redefining who we trust, and this shift in trust has fundamental consequences.
The award-winning economist Mariana Mazzucato has been called the “world’s scariest economist.” Why? She challenges us to reconsider capitalism as it exists today. Focusing on innovation-led, inclusive, and sustainable growth, Mazzucato examines the critical — and misunderstood — role that governments play in fostering innovation. Her latest book, The Value of Everything,...
Who controls a woman’s body? Herself? Her church? Her community? Her government?
Aspen Ideas: Health Engaging Local Issues Series: In Roaring Fork Valley, the realities of climate change are never far from our lives. Pests and invasive plants are altering our ecology, warming trends are likely to ignite ever-larger fires, and an economy built around outdoor activities could be transformed. The term “climate anxiety” has been coined to suggest the inten...
Trust is fundamental to almost every action, relationship, and transaction in society, but we live in an era when technology is rapidly changing who and how we trust. The trust we used to place in traditional institutions such as governments, banks, media, and charities has hit an all-time low, and trust now flows horizontally through systems and networks that are as likel...
In a divided nation, where conversations are siloed and every argument is ad absurdum, we seem to be losing the informed citizenry that our government requires to function. Learn what’s wrong with our current situation, and what you — yes, you, citizen — can do to help repair democracy.
David Miliband thinks the refugee crisis is solvable. So how do we start?
From the Supreme Court's ruling on abortion rights to public health's role in addressing gun violence to the devastating human toll of the war in Ukraine, this year's Aspen Ideas: Health sessions tackled some of the most pressing issues driving headlines nationally and globally. Explore the timely conversations with top government officials, business leaders, public health...
It is no surprise that trust in institutions, be they private, government, nonprofit, or media, has suffered huge declines globally and throughout the United States. According to the 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer, we are suffering a crisis of trust not seen in recent memory. How do we reverse the trends? What can leaders of institutions do to restore faith in institutions?...
What does it take for a team, business, or nonprofit to achieve audacious goals? Venture capitalist John Doerr argues that success has everything to do with how organizations — starting with their leaders — establish thoughtful objectives and transparent and measurable key results. With inside stories from Google to the Gates Foundation, from start-ups to giants, and from...
Haris Tarin and Rabia Chaudry on being Muslim and American in 2017.
Philanthropy has long played a critical role in America, filling in where government has left gaps. But by nature, philanthropy has often served the status quo, rather than addressing problems at their roots. As deep inequality and injustice persist, what will it take for philanthropy to help catalyze more fundamental and lasting systems change? As distrust in institutions...
Recent years have seen rising political extremism in both Europe and the United States, from Neo-Nazi rallies in Charlottesville to ISIS jihadists in Brussels. One of the hardest challenges facing counterterrorism officials is what to do with the thousands of extremists who, for a variety of reasons, decide to step back from the battlefield. Hear former extremists discuss...
Leveraging global health resources requires on-the-ground knowledge and deep understanding of what motivates the public, business, and philanthropic sectors. Impact bonds, entrepreneurial approaches to philanthropy, and other novel financing strategies are ways to attract new pools of money while generating rewards for achieving positive health outcomes. NGOs can seed inno...