Worklife with Adam Grant ReThinking: The George Washington story you haven’t heard with Ken Burns (Part 1)
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Jan 6, 2026 
Ken Burns, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker known for his profound works on American history, joins to reexamine George Washington's complex legacy. He discusses the significance of origin stories and how they shape our identity. Burns highlights Washington’s contradictions, balancing his role as a flawed leader with his tactical errors and dedication to nation-building. They explore the nuances in historical narratives and why embracing the flaws in our heroes can lead to a richer understanding of history and leadership.
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Stories Need Nuance To Reveal Truth
- Stories gain power when they reconcile binaries and reveal complexity rather than flattening it into heroes and villains.
- Ken Burns argues that embracing nuance makes historical figures more interesting and truthful.
Washington: Greatness With Contradiction
- George Washington exemplifies simultaneous greatness and deep flaws, including slave ownership and tactical errors.
- Burns says that complexity — courage and moral failure together — is what makes Washington central to the nation's survival.
Myths Mask The Revolution's Brutality
- Burns recounts how Washington was deified immediately after the Revolution by mythmakers like Parson Weems.
- He stresses the reality: the war was long, brutal, and full of ordinary people's sacrifices over six-plus years.
