Fewer Debates, More Dunk Tanks (Priya Parker)

Fewer Debates, More Dunk Tanks (Priya Parker)

Author: iHeartPodcasts April 6, 2023 Duration: 1:06:04

How we gather matters. A lot. And what is a nation but a big ol’ gathering of gatherings? Baratunde talks with Priya Parker, facilitator and author of The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why it Matters, about how we can use gatherings as a tool for strengthening our relationships by doing things together that invoke joy and have meaning. Listen till the end to hear Priya answer a listener’s pressing question during the live taping. 

 

SHOW ACTIONS

Internally Reflect - Gatherings & their impact

Think about gatherings in your life. What was a great one where you felt connected, fulfilled, and a sense of purpose? What was a bad one? Was there one that surprised you? See if you can remember how you felt attending each one. Did it bring you closer to other people?

Become More Informed - Meetings can be where you practice democracy

Check out Priya’s conversation with Brené Brown on her Dare to Lead podcast. They go through an example of Priya’s Gathering Makeover. It’s focused on improving a weekly leadership meeting which may sound like it has nothing to do with practicing democracy, but it’s actually quite the opposite.  Also check out Priya’s website and The Gathering Toolkit.  

Publicly Participate - Practice gathering

Download her free guide on The New Rules of Gathering. Then, plan a gathering based on this workbook. It can be anything: poker night, tenant association meeting, or congressional hearing. See if you and your folks feel differently about this gathering than others.

 

SHOW NOTES

Find How To Citizen on Instagram or visit howtocitizen.com to join our mailing list and find ways to citizen besides listening to this podcast! 

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How To Citizen is hosted by Baratunde Thurston. He’s also host and executive producer of the PBS series, America Outdoors as well as a founding partner and writer at Puck. You can find him all over the internet

 

CREDITS

How To Citizen with Baratunde is a production of iHeartRadio Podcasts and Rowhome Productions. Our Executive Producers are Baratunde Thurston and Elizabeth Stewart. Allie Graham is our Lead Producer and Danya AbdelHameid is our Associate Producer. Alex Lewis is our Managing Producer. John Myers is our Executive Editor and Mix Engineer. Original Music by Andrew Eapen and Blue Dot Sessions. Our Audience Engagement Fellows are Jasmine Lewis and Gabby Rodriguez. Special thanks to Joelle Smith from iHeartRadio and Layla Bina.

Additional thanks to our live audience voices Cassandra S. and Katie R.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Finding your place in a world that often feels broken can be disorienting. How To Citizen with Baratunde, from iHeartPodcasts, tackles that confusion head-on by treating "citizen" not as a static label but as a series of actions we can all learn. This podcast moves beyond the headlines and the outrage to explore the tangible, often surprising ways we can participate in shaping our communities and systems. Each episode is a deep dive into the mechanics of collective power, featuring conversations that span society, culture, technology, and news. You'll hear from people who are actively redefining what it means to belong and contribute, offering practical insights that replace helplessness with agency. The discussions remind us that while voting is crucial, a functioning democracy requires much more from all of us. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about the real-world application of citizenship. Tune in for a thought-provoking and actionable guide to wielding your influence, discovering how to move from being overwhelmed to being effectively engaged. The entire premise of this podcast is built on the idea that we can learn to citizen better, together.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 69

How To Citizen with Baratunde
Podcast Episodes
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It's been almost two years, and I (Baratunde) am back with an experimental drop because democracy is something we DO, not something we HAVE (or don't), and this moment calls for that reminder. So... I’m teaming up with m…
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Duration: 1:13:50
So much of the conversation around democracy focuses on the external: from elections and policy to protests and organizing. While getting active is important...what could happen if we ALSO turn inwards? When we shift our…
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To End Conflict, We Must Transform It (Tim Phillips) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:00
The intensifying political division and violence in our country is concerning — but it’s not unique. And few know that better than Tim Phillips. For 30 years, his organization Beyond Conflict has been bringing people fro…
Justice Begins with Imagination (Ruha Benjamin) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:21
According to Ruha Benjamin, we’re living inside someone else’s imagination. An imagination that limits our ability to build a more just, liberated world. So, how do we take back our agency and begin to seed something dif…
A New Shape for the Economy (Kate Raworth) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:47
It’s no secret that our economy only works for a select few. But what would our economy look like if we prioritized people and the planet, instead of profit? Economist Kate Raworth says it might look like a doughnut and…
DAO-mocracy (Alex Zhang) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:25:00
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Democracy without Politicians (Claudia Chwalisz) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:30
Instead of electing politicians to represent us…what if we just represented ourselves? Peer to peer. Neighbor to neighbor. Baratunde talks with Claudia Chwalisz about citizens’ assemblies—groups randomly-selected by lott…