No Small Endeavor with Lee C. Camp 220: Emma Varvaloucas: Mind Over Media
Jul 28, 2025
Emma Varvaloucas, Executive Director of The Progress Network, dives into how our news consumption shapes our reality. She shares practical tips for engaging with media that foster positivity and action. Emma's journey through Buddhism and mindfulness reveals tools for transforming despair into hope, emphasizing the importance of context and intentionality. The discussion also critiques the role of journalism in social justice, advocating for a nonpartisan, solutions-oriented approach in a polarized society.
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Defining Meaningful Progress
- Progress is defined as data-backed improvements in health, poverty, and rights like civil and democratic rights.
- It requires an optimistic, solution-oriented approach without partisan biases.
Senegal's Surprising Democratic Shift
- Senegal's president tried an illegal third term with harsh repression.
- Unexpectedly, he freed political prisoners and allowed a fair vote that elected the opposition by a landslide.
Democracy Often Survives Populism
- Although parts of the US face severe polarization and social unrest, many democracies worldwide survive challenges.
- Research shows most populist leaders fail to cause lasting democratic backsliding.
