Jedediah Purdy, professor of Law at Duke Law and author, discusses America's environmental laws, the tension between preserving nature for human benefit and its mystical allure, and the role of class in environmental politics. They also explore the different visions of nature, the historical roots of sustainability, the limitations of common law in addressing environmental issues, the paradox of our political moment, faith in government, and the concept of standing in environmental politics.

Jedediah Purdy discusses the necessary conditions for democratic life in a time of pervasive suspicion. Topics include the challenges of trust, navigating suspicion in modern society, the politics of resentment, love and democracy, complexities of democratic contests, and media's role in shaping political narratives.