The Dissidents

In this Legacies of Black Pioneers series of the Dissidents Podcast, Winkfield Twyman, Jr. and Jennifer Richmond speak with Professor Glenn Loury on his newly released book, Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative. We discuss authenticity, individualism, enterprise, faith, and end our conversation on the lively question of whether the experience of race can be equated to the encumbrance of a Soviet gulag and if retiring from race is the path to a better future or simply escapism. Sign up on Circle to be a part of our live events, join the conversations, and check out our resources for the Black Institute for Liberal Values (in collaboration with ⁠Free Black Thought⁠). Visit our ⁠website⁠ to sign up for our monthly newsletter to keep in the loop of all our new offerings. Podcast notes: Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative, Glenn Loury Self-Censorship in Public Discourse: A Theory of "Political Correctness" and Related Phenomena,Glenn Loury Letters in Black & White: A New Correspondence on Race, Jennifer Richmond & Winkfield Twyman, Jr. The Raceless Antiracist: Why Ending Race Is the Future of Antiracism, Sheena Mason The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America, Coleman Hughes On Being Color-Blah with Angel Eduardo The Power of the Powerless, Vaclav Havel The Gulag Archipelago and The Wisdom of Aledsandr Solzhenitsyn, Academy of Ideas

This week Mike and Elizabeth discuss political conflict from the perspective of evolutionary psychology. While making the country (or the world) a better place for all is a commonly shared goal, the means for accomplishing it are rarely agreed upon. The authors of a recent article argue that in the simplest of terms, conservatives tend to value amassing resources while liberals value the distribution of resources. Both are necessary for a flourishing society, but the difference in focus makes compromise difficult. The authors suggest that the alternation of power common in the history of the United States may be quite beneficial in meeting the shared goals of both parties. Podcast Notes: Baumeister, R. F., & Bushman, B. J. (2023). Cultural Animal Theory of Political Partisan Conflict and Hostility. Psychological Inquiry, 34(1), 1–16.

Join co-hosts Chris and Joia and get to know one of the founders and board members of the Institute for Liberal Values, Jennifer Richmond. Jennifer believes we are at our best when protecting individual rights and freedoms. Hear her stories and discover how Jen’s background in International Relations has shaped her understanding and advocacy for Free Speech. And don’t forget to check out the book she recently co-wrote with W.F. Twyman, Jr: Letters in Black and White: A New Correspondence on Race in America   See: https://ilvalues.org/

In this week's episode we talk about public speech as a mechanism for thinking, learning, and reflection. Elizabeth is joined by the founders of 1776Forward, Chris Bush and Joia Houheneka, for a discussion about how speaking aloud may impact our worldviews and relationships. We refer to an article that inspired us to think aloud about the impacts of community, word choice, and modes of communication on private and public attitudes, decision making, and creativity. We end on a positive note by considering how relevant metaphors (thinking of speech as play and free speech advocacy as a journey, not a fight) might help us all enjoy participating in liberal discourse. Podcast notes https://1776forward.com/ https://www.compactmag.com/article/private-thought-and-public-speech/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

This week Mike and Elizabeth discuss how we interpret others' decision-making motives and whether our assumptions make it more difficult to have liberal conversations. As a starting point, we reference research in which participants reasoned about their own and others' choices in different contexts. One study examined motives attributed to Trump and Clinton voters just days before the 2016 election. In all cases, others' decisions were assumed to reflect superficial motives. Podcast Notes: Barasz, K., Kim, T., & Evangelidis, I. (2019). I know why you voted for Trump: (Over)inferring motives based on choice. Cognition, 188, 85–97. 

Co-hosts Chris and Joia are delighted to bring on their first guest. James Petts is a barrister (the equivalent of a trial attorney) in London, England where he focuses on commercial and Chancery (property) cases, especially those involving fraud or dishonesty. To him, liberalism is fundamentally the rigorous reasoned inquiry in all aspects of life, particularly in ethics – this includes the understanding that concentrated coercive power is inherently dangerous.  Podcast Notes:https://institute-for-liberal-values.circle.so/c/liberal-values-concepts/

This week Mike and Elizabeth discuss grade inflation and beliefs about teaching and learning, particularly among radical left college professors.  A recently published survey of state university professors confirmed previously documented trends of declining standards and grade inflation. Political orientation emerged as the most useful predictor of beliefs and attitudes about these trends.  We discuss the numerical findings, the open-ended responses, and authors' interpretation regarding diversity, equity, inclusion, merit, and the future of higher education.   Podcast Notes: Horowitz, M., Haynor, A. L., & Kickham, K. (2023). “Undeserved” Grades or “Underserved” Students? Faculty Anxieties and Eroding Standards in the Corporate University. Higher Education Politics & Economics, 9(1), 43–84

In this second introductory episode, co-host Chris interviews co-host Joia. Joia is not only one of the co-founders of 1776 Forward, she is also an Excellence Coach and a leader in luxury entrepreneurship with a background in luxury travel and luxury retreats. She is on a mission to elevate luxury to make it synonymous with excellence, human greatness, and human flourishing. In her view, philosophical liberalism is all about grounding the proper approach to politics in a wider philosophy of human flourishing. See: www.1776forward.com

Welcome to the Free Speech Forward Podcast! Co-hosts Chris and Joia introduce the unique format of the show and tease our first episodes. Join us on this journey exploring the different stories, perspectives, and communication advice of various free speech activists. See: www.1776forward.com

In this introductory episode, co-host Joia interviews co-host Chris. In addition to being one of the co-founders of 1776 Forward, Chris is a real estate investment and development executive and entrepreneur who is currently focused on a mission to bring greater beauty, efficiency, and new modes of living and working to the built environment. His philosophical approach includes a dedication to promoting the cause of philosophical liberalism. See: www.1776forward.com