#248 How to Be a Good and Sane Citizen in Ugly Times | Ezra Klein

Rest assured, this is not an episode where we’re going to argue about politics. Instead, it’s about how to maintain our happiness, calm, sanity, generosity, and compassion in the face of an increasingly ugly political dynamic that impacts all of us during this pandemic. Ezra Klein is the founder and editor-at-large of Vox.com, host of the Ezra Klein Show podcast, and author of the new book, Why We’re Polarized. In this episode, we talk about the roots of what he calls the “Coronavirus culture war,” the role of mindfulness in depolarizing ourselves, and the limited benefits of varying your media diet (and why podcasts are better than Twitter in this regard). As you’ll hear, Klein acknowledges his own struggle to remain un-polarized but as a journalist he is committed to providing dispassionate analysis. Towards the end, Ezra speaks candidly about his anxiety and his struggles with his own meditation practice during this crisis. 

Where to find Ezra Klein online: 

Vox: https://www.vox.com/authors/ezra-klein

Social Media:

• Twitter: Ezra Klein (@ezraklein)
• Facebook: Ezra Klein - Home

Book Mentioned:

• Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein

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Other Resources Mentioned:

• Braver Angels
• Weather Underground
• Civil Rights Act
• Ross Douthat
• Twitter's Flawed Solution to Political Polarization
• The Weeds Podcast
• Morning Joe
• Pod Save America
• The Federalist
• The Ben Shapiro Show
• The Argument
• Ethan D. Hersh

Additional Resources:

• Ten Percent Happier Live: https://meditatehappier.com/live
• Coronavirus Sanity Guide: https://www.meditatehappier.com/coronavirussanityguide
• Free App Access for Journalists, Teachers, Healthcare, Grocery and Food Delivery, and Warehouse Workers: https://meditatehappier.com/care