Setup
Voting isn’t the most important part of democracy. What matters far more is what precedes the vote—ideally, an exchange of ideas, conducted in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Unfortunately, our political era is marked more by slogans and applause lines than a serious effort to engage in thoughtful deliberation. Complex times demand complex conversations, but in the age of the bumper sticker and the tweet, ours are getting simpler and simpler. Social scientists worry, rightly, about the ways in which technology enables us to live in echo chambers, where we confront only those who agree with us. What we spend less time thinking about is how the technologies themselves, no matter what their content, often make it hard for us to cope with complexity. Yale professor Stephen Carter argues that the last best hope for restoring a healthy discourse relies on a simple and age old tool: books.
- 2016 Festival
- USA
Explore More
USA

Katie Keith is director of the Health Policy and the Law Initiative at Georgetown University Law Center, where she is adjunct professor of law. Keith’s analysis focuses on way...

The highest court often seems distanced from our day-to-day lives, but the rulings that come out of the Supreme Court are woven into the fabric of the nation. Though it aims t...


From blockchain to back to school and virus-hunting to bridging divides, speakers at the 2021 Aspen Ideas Festival addressed issues in a new kind of world—one touched, and cha...





















Following the terror attacks on 9/11, attorney Kenneth Feinberg battled against cynicism, bureaucracy and politics to deliver monetary relief to victims’ families. He's featur...



