Beyond Outrage and Misperceptions: Building the Muscles for Democracy (with More In Common's Kate Carney)

In this episode, Corey Nathan sits down with Kate Carney, Deputy Director at More in Common. Kate shares her fascinating journey—from working in Congress to boating 6,000 miles around the U.S.—and how those experiences shape her work today. The conversation centers on More in Common’s new report, The Connection Opportunity, and explores how we can foster meaningful relationships across political, racial, religious, and socioeconomic divides.

What's Discussed:

• Why social connection is critical to healthy democracy.

• Surprising data on Americans’ openness to diverse perspectives.

• How psychological factors like intergroup anxiety impact connection.

• Kate’s transformative journey completing the Great American Loop.

• Real-world solutions for bridging divides in your own community.

Episode Highlights:

• 02:00 – Kate’s 6,000-mile boat journey and what it taught her about America.

• 10:00 – The Connection Opportunity: How More in Common is reframing social cohesion.

• 21:00 – Why politics remains the most difficult line of difference to cross.

• 25:00 – The power of community norms and intergroup anxiety.

• 32:00 – Revisiting the "Hidden Tribes" report and what’s changed since its release.

• 41:00 – The seven levers of change for increasing social connection.

• 48:00 – How cities like Kansas City, Houston and Pittsburgh are fostering community dialogue.

• 54:00 – Personal agency and why democracy starts with you.

Featured Quotes:
“We are inherently diverse. To build strong communities, we have to be intentional about connecting across our differences.” — Kate Carney
“The more people connect across difference, the more they want to—it’s a cascade.” — Kate Carney
“There’s an overwhelming desire to have these conversations. It’s the fortress of assumptions that gets in our way.” — Corey Nathan

Resources Mentioned:

• More in Common: www.moreincommonus.com

• The Connection Opportunity Report: moreincommonus.com/publication/the-connection-opportunity

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