TED Talk Watch Party: Democracy — Watch live October 30 at 11:30am ET

A TED Talks watch party focused on democracy

• A TED Talks watch party focused on democracy is being hosted, featuring four TED talks on the topic. (0s)
• The event is interactive, with viewers encouraged to share their locations in the chat and ask questions, which will be answered by team members in the comments. (24s)
• The watch party is timely, coinciding with the upcoming U.S. presidential election, and highlights the significance of democracy and voting, noting that this year has seen a record number of voters. (1m18s)
• The four TED talks being featured are: Andrew Yang's "Why US Politics is Broken and How to Fix It," Jordan Ker's "A Comedian's Take on How to Save Democracy," Tessa Uddin Devar's "How to Build Democracy in an Authoritarian Country," and Barbara F. Walter's "Is the US Headed Toward Another Civil War?" (1m52s)

Andrew Yang: Why US Politics is Broken and How to Fix It

• Andrew Yang's talk addresses the issues in American politics, attributing them to poor incentives and a design flaw, which he believes can be fixed at a fraction of the cost of the current political spending. (3m12s)
• The presentation discusses the need to address major societal issues, highlighting the impact of AI on the economy and advocating for measures like Universal Basic Income. (4m3s)
• An organization called Humanity Forward was founded to work on these ideas, but it was realized that significant positive change in the American government requires realigning the system's incentives. (4m25s)
• The approval rating of the US Congress is around 15%, while the reelection rate for incumbent House members is 94%, due to most congressional districts being drawn to favor one party. (4m56s)
• Only 10 to 12% of voters participate in primaries, often representing the most extreme party bases, which influences politicians to cater to these voters rather than the general public. (5m42s)
• The system allows politicians to maintain their positions by appealing to a small percentage of their party's base, rather than needing to satisfy a majority of the electorate. (6m43s)
• Political parties and media contribute to polarization, with social media exacerbating divisions, making it difficult for legislators to compromise without risking their positions. (7m2s)
• A US senator noted that unresolved problems are more beneficial politically than solved ones, as addressing issues can lead to backlash from party bases, while ignoring them can still yield political gains. (7m29s)
• Major societal issues such as immigration, climate change, AI, and poverty are perceived as stagnant due to systemic problems. (7m56s)
• A potential solution to these issues is highlighted in the book "The Politics Industry" by Kathern Gaale and Michael Porter. (8m18s)
• In 2020, Alaska reformed its primary election process to allow candidates from any party to run in a single primary, with winners determined by ranked-choice voting. (8m24s)
• The new system allows voters to rank up to four candidates, which changes the dynamics of elections compared to the traditional party-based primary system. (8m38s)
• Under the traditional system, dominant parties in a district typically win, but the new system in Alaska allows the top four candidates from any party to advance to the general election. (9m0s)
• In 2022, Mary Peltola, a relatively unknown state legislator, defeated Sarah Palin for a congressional seat due to the ranked-choice voting system, despite Alaska's Republican leanings. (9m37s)
• The new system prevented Sarah Palin from gaining a congressional seat, which would have likely resulted in significant media attention and controversial statements. (10m5s)
• Senator Lisa Murkowski, the only Republican senator who voted to impeach Donald Trump and faced re-election, won due to being the second choice of many voters, despite low favorability among Alaskan Republicans. (10m48s)
• The reform in Alaska had significant effects within two years and cost $6 million, a small amount compared to the $10 billion expected to be spent by the two major parties in the presidential cycle. (11m23s)
• Twenty-five states have the potential to implement similar primary reforms through ballot initiative measures. (11m41s)
• A new nonpartisan primary and ranked choice voting system, similar to the one approved in Alaska, was voted on in Nevada in 2022. This campaign cost $22 million and was supported by 53% of Nevadans, despite opposition from both major parties. (11m48s)
• The vision for this system is to free U.S. senators and members of Congress from party primaries, potentially rationalizing American politics. Implementing these reforms in 10 states could cost about $200 million, which is a small fraction of the $10 billion spent on divisive political campaigns. (12m29s)
• The goal of these reforms is to realign political incentives to make the government more effective, encouraging people to join a movement to overhaul these incentives and work towards solving real problems. (13m6s)
• Andrew Yang delivered a TED Talk at TED 2024, discussing these ideas as part of a democracy-themed watch party featuring four different TED Talks. (13m45s)
• Viewers were encouraged to share their ideas for improving democracy in their countries or communities, with suggestions including democratizing the economy, implementing ranked transferable voting, abolishing the Electoral College, and adopting a national popular vote. (14m11s)

Jordan Klepper: A Comedian's Take on How to Save Democracy

• The watch party, hosted by AI aan from TED's social media team, will feature additional talks, including one by Jordan Klepper from The Daily Show, focusing on how to engage in discussions with those holding opposing views. (15m18s)
• The discussion includes ideas about improving democracy, such as separating leadership from democracy and considering the popular vote. (15m50s)
• There is skepticism about the effectiveness of democracy, with concerns about whether everyone should have a voice, given that some people hold uninformed beliefs. (16m40s)
• It is noted that people are increasingly bad at having conversations, both in America and globally, due to factors like partisanship and the influence of screens. (17m1s)
• The speaker humorously mentions opting for a lecture format to avoid taking questions, highlighting the current challenges in having meaningful conversations. (17m52s)
• Social media is blamed for pushing cultural conversations towards short, loud outbursts, affecting the quality of discourse. (18m4s)
• The speaker reminisces about longer TED Talks and suggests that the trend is moving towards even shorter forms of communication. (18m32s)
• To improve conversations and democracy, it is suggested to destroy the bias of social media and misinformation, though the speaker humorously notes the lack of time to explain how. (19m6s)
• Three tips are provided for better communication: read books to understand others' perspectives, travel to reduce bias, and engage in longer forms of content to expand attention spans. (19m34s)
• The concept of concession is highlighted as crucial to democracy, emphasizing that individuals are not as smart as they think and should be open to finding agreement. (20m26s)
• There is a tendency for people to prioritize appearing smart over admitting ignorance, which is a challenge in American discourse where politics is often treated as a sport focused on winning or losing. (20m51s)
• Democracy in a bipartisan country is likened to a marriage, suggesting that America is at a stage similar to couple's counseling, where both sides need to acknowledge their imperfections and mistakes. (21m29s)
• Admitting ignorance can be liberating, and there is a call for Americans to concede on various issues, except for gun safety reform, which is seen as a clear necessity. (22m1s)
• The difficulty of conceding is noted, especially when there is disagreement on fundamental facts, but acknowledging one's own uncertainty is seen as a step towards progress. (22m59s)
• A culture of vulnerability is proposed as essential for the survival of American democracy, with the idea that being wrong can be appealing and that vulnerability can be a strategic advantage. (23m22s)
• The discussion concludes with the notion that in the game of democracy, winning may require starting with a loss, and the importance of having conversations with those one disagrees with is emphasized. (24m9s)
• The event is a TED Talks watch party focused on democracy, featuring four talks relevant to the US election and global politics. (25m7s)
• Participants are encouraged to share their methods for having conversations with people they disagree with, emphasizing respect and understanding over agreement. (25m2s)

Tessa Uddin Devar: How to Build Democracy in an Authoritarian Country

• The next speaker is Tessa Udvar, a Hungarian activist, who will discuss lessons on preventing a country from slipping into authoritarianism, followed by a Q&A session. (26m13s)
• The metaphor of a boiling frog is used to describe Hungary's gradual shift from a lukewarm democracy to a state between dictatorship and democracy over the past 13 years. (27m31s)
• Since 2010, Hungary's right-wing government has been re-elected multiple times, promoting nationalism, racism, homophobia, and disdain for the poor, contributing to the country's authoritarian drift. (27m54s)
• A law in Europe, referred to as the "slave law," allows for extreme exploitation of workers, and there have been actions against LGBTQ individuals, including reducing same-sex couples to second-class citizens and banning sexual education in schools under the guise of protecting children from pedophilia. (28m47s)
• Teachers have been fired, censored, and intimidated for speaking out about their wages and working conditions, and high school students have been tear-gassed for protesting for quality education. (29m10s)
• Despite being a member of the European Union with a high-income economy, regular elections, and some independent media, Hungary is described as authoritarian in its government-people relations, leading many to leave the country for economic and political reasons. (29m25s)
• The speaker remains in Hungary, considering it home and a place to continue fighting for social justice and democracy, despite being labeled a public enemy and foreign agent by government propaganda. (29m54s)
• The concept of democracy is emphasized as a verb, requiring active participation and dissent rather than mere consent, and is a focus of the School of Public Life, an activist school co-founded by the speaker. (31m1s)
• There is an alternative Hungary, largely invisible to the outside world, consisting of people and organizations working for social justice, environmental justice, workers' rights, and quality public services, which many Hungarians are unaware of. (31m52s)
• The perception of reality influences what people believe is possible; experiencing alternatives to social and political oppression can enable the creation of a different future. (32m27s)
• The city of Budapest is a pioneer in the Hungarian housing movement, where homeless individuals and their housed allies collaborate for housing justice. This group emphasizes the importance of engaging directly with those affected, helping many homeless individuals regain self-confidence, a sense of belonging, and political identity. (32m45s)
• Activists from the "Cities for All" movement occupied the mayor's office in Budapest's 8th District in 2011 to protest the criminalization of homelessness. The protest was against the district's mayor, who was also the government's chief anti-homeless strategist. (33m39s)
• In 2019, a progressive candidate from a local grassroots organization won the local elections against the incumbent mayor. This victory led to the establishment of an office focused on community participation, aiming to foster a relationship between the municipality and residents based on mutual trust, power sharing, and respect. (34m20s)
• An example of this new relationship is a community garden project. Initially fenced off for a luxury condo development, active citizens discovered the fence was illegal and successfully lobbied the municipality to remove it, turning the area into a community garden maintained by local residents. (35m4s)
• Democracy is described as emerging from everyday struggles and politics, requiring those in power to be open and responsive, while citizens need to be organized and focused. (35m45s)
• In contrast to the central government's concentration of power, Budapest and its 8th District, led by the Democratic opposition, have implemented participatory budgeting. This allows local residents to directly decide on the allocation of a portion of the municipal budget. (36m28s)
• Local residents in Budapest have been empowered to make decisions about municipal budgets, leading to the creation of new bus stops, crosswalks, public toilets, and social and cultural programs. This approach is seen as a model for a new kind of politics that offers an alternative to authoritarianism. (36m50s)
• The concept of democracy is likened to a boiling frog scenario, emphasizing that democracy requires active participation and cannot be expected to function on its own. Individuals must stand up, organize, and push political boundaries to make democracy work. (37m45s)
• There is a focus on the importance of imagination in overcoming oppression, with an emphasis on teaching people to envision possibilities beyond their current circumstances. This involves highlighting Hungary's history of social movements and educating people on how to achieve change. (39m13s)
• The discussion is part of a TED Talk watch party featuring four talks on democracy, held ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential election. The event is organized by TED's social media team, and there is a mention of TED membership, which supports TED's nonprofit mission. (40m12s)
• A free tote bag is offered as a benefit for reaching a certain membership level with TED, along with access to exclusive events featuring TED speakers and curators. (40m49s)
• TED membership events include live Q&A sessions with speakers, and interested individuals can learn more about membership at ted.com to support TED's nonprofit mission. (41m14s)

Barbara F. Walter: Is the US Headed Toward Another Civil War?

• The final talk in the session is by Barbara F. Walter, a former CIA task force member and political scientist, discussing how to prevent potential civil wars. (41m28s)
• Barbara F. Walter has studied civil wars for over 30 years, interviewing various groups involved in conflicts and serving on a CIA task force to predict ethnic conflict and civil war. (42m54s)
• The task force developed a model to predict civil wars, identifying two highly predictive factors: whether a country is an anocracy and whether political parties are formed around identity rather than ideology. (43m43s)
• Political affiliations and identities, such as liberal or conservative, capitalist or communist, and ethnic or religious groups, were used to assess the risk of political violence in countries, which were then placed on a watch list sent to the White House. (45m13s)
• The CIA is legally prohibited from monitoring the United States, but private citizens noticed emerging risk factors for political violence within the country. (46m1s)
• The United States' democracy has been downgraded three times since 2016 due to issues with election fairness, non-compliance with congressional requests, and attempts to overturn election results. (46m24s)
• By early 2021, the United States was classified as an anocracy, and if monitored, it might have been considered at high risk of political instability and violence, especially before the January 6 Insurrection. (47m16s)
• Civil wars are often started by groups that were once politically dominant but are in decline, such as the Serbs in Yugoslavia and Sunnis in Iraq. (47m51s)
• In the United States, the rise of militias has been driven by white men who feel threatened by changing demographics, as seen in the January 6 Capitol attack. (49m3s)
• The demographic shift in the United States from a majority white to a majority non-white population is a significant factor in current tensions, with other countries like Canada, New Zealand, and the UK expected to follow this trend. (49m31s)
• The demographic shift in America presents a choice: it can either divide the nation or be an opportunity to create a multiethnic, multi-religious democracy. (50m17s)
• Addressing the risk factors of civil war, such as anocracy and identity politics, is crucial. This involves improving the rule of law, ensuring equal voting access, reducing corruption, and enhancing government services. (50m40s)
• Reforming government is challenging and slow, but businesses can play a role, as demonstrated in South Africa when the business community pushed for democracy over apartheid for economic reasons. (51m15s)
• Businesses can also help mitigate identity politics by investing in communities negatively impacted by globalization and free trade, such as the working class in the United States, through better healthcare, education, and wages. (52m14s)
• Regulating social media, particularly the algorithms that amplify divisive content, is suggested as a short-term solution to reduce the influence of extremists and conspiracy theorists. (53m2s)
• Historical examples, like the Bosnian Civil War, show that civil wars can seem unexpected, but understanding the causes and strategies of those who incite violence can help prevent them. (53m49s)
• Creating a proactive playbook to prevent civil war requires courage and a commitment to fighting for strong democracy, which is essential for achieving lasting peace. (54m52s)

Conclusion and Call to Action

• A watch party was held featuring four TED talks on the topic of democracy, with presentations by Andrew Yang, Jordan Ker, Tessa Udvar, and Barbara F. Walter. (55m47s)
• The TED talks discussed during the watch party are available for viewing on YouTube and ted.com, and the entire watch party event is also accessible on the YouTube page. (56m3s)
• Additional content on democracy can be found on a dedicated section of the TED website at ted.com/democracy, which includes a variety of talks on important topics related to democracy. (56m17s)
• Viewers in the United States who are 18 years or older are encouraged to vote in the upcoming election. (56m33s)
• The event was hosted by Iy, a member of the social media team at TED, who invited viewers to leave comments and questions for further engagement. (56m48s)