336. Why Polarization is a Bigger Threat than You Think with Tim Shriver (Part 1)

The Greg McKeown Podcast

Greg McKeown

Education, Business, Self-improvement

4.8 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 24 September 2024

⏱️ 36 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tim Shriver is an acclaimed advocate for individuals with intellectual disabilities, serving as the chairman of the Special Olympics. He has an extensive family legacy, being the son of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, and a nephew to President John F. Kennedy. Tim has committed his life to numerous social causes, particularly emphasizing social-emotional learning through the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. He holds degrees from Yale University, Catholic University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Connecticut. Furthermore, Tim Shriver is also a film producer and New York Times bestselling author. Episode Summary: Greg engages in a thought-provoking discourse with Tim Shriver. Tim reflects on personal stories, such as the profound loss of his cousin Maeve Kennedy McKean, underscoring the importance of empathy and dignity in healing societal divides. They discuss the structural issues behind today's political landscape, the role of media, and the influence of faith-based institutions. Furthermore, the episode explores actionable steps individuals can take to foster respect and understanding in their communities, with Tim providing insights from his new initiatives and upcoming podcast, "Need A Lift?". Key Takeaways: Treating Others with Dignity: Tim emphasizes that building relationships through respect is fundamental to mitigating societal polarization. Actionable Steps for Change: Listeners are encouraged to actively reject contemptuous behavior in their political engagements and media consumption. Cultural Shifts: The conversation highlights the shift in today's cultural and political landscape and the importance of developing resilience and empathy. Impact of Individual Actions: The discussion underscores how small personal changes can collectively lead to significant societal transformations. Faith-Based Institutions: Insights are provided into how faith-based institutions can evolve to better meet the needs of modern society. Notable Quotes: "Treating people with dignity doesn't mean you don't believe strongly. It just means that you also see, at the deepest level, that the other person also has dignity." - Tim Shriver "We face a serious understanding paradox in our times, that as information has exploded, understanding has imploded." - Greg McKeown "It's not how you treat your side, it's how you treat the other side that will bring them back." - Tim Shriver Resources: Tim Shriver on Twitter Join my weekly newsletter. Learn more about my books and courses. Join The Essentialism Academy. Follow me on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before we get into today's episode, let me just say this.
0:04.8	I am politically independent and on this podcast I have invited people from across the political spectrum
0:12.3	and in all cases I have tried, perhaps not always successfully,
0:18.0	to really listen, to really understand,
0:21.0	and to balance challenging people and asking them what I hope
0:25.8	are incisive questions with respect for the individual because we cannot bridge
0:32.4	these times of polarization by starting with the things we most disagree about.
0:39.0	We have to engage with people as if we want to have an ongoing conversation and ongoing
0:45.4	relationship because it's only that approach that can help us to solve any
0:50.7	problems at all. I was just speaking with one of the world's
0:54.0	leading authorities on negotiation and he made this point that a relationship by
0:59.5	definition is someone with whom you can solve problems. I hope through my writing,
1:06.7	through my speaking, and of course through this podcast to be a part of the
1:11.0	solution, not the problem, to listen to people from all walks of life, to be able
1:16.7	to see the good in them, to learn from them, even if there are things with which I disagree,
1:22.0	or of course, as you're listening that you
1:24.8	may disagree with it's my view that we face a serious understanding paradox in
1:31.6	our times that as information has exploded, understanding has
1:36.2	imploded and that's affecting everything around us. So whether I'm
1:40.3	interviewing somebody from the left, from the right, from one administration or another,
1:46.7	what I'm going for is understanding.
1:49.3	And that is what I'm asking from you as well.
	...

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