Unbiased: Recent Episodes
Arjun Moorthy, Dan Sally
Everything in the news is politicized - science, heathcare, even sports! But what if you can't relate entirely to either side? Unbiased is a semi-monthly podcast where the best writers and thinkers across the political spectrum go deep on divisive issues so you have all the facts and can reach your own conclusions.
[1:19] The pros and cons of group affiliation
[9:45] Social media dominated at the extremes
[20:20] Does diversity and inclusion training work?
[29:00] How group affiliation impacts issues surrounding race and religion
[38:15] Polarization and social media
Books and resources mentioned:
- The Power of Us
- Katherine Gehl podcast
[0:57] Factors influencing the rise in media mistrust
[9:00] The role of local media
[12:30] News bias and political neutrality
[31:00] Fixing election coverage
[39:00] How and when to cover controversial topics from a political minority
[01:05] The case for decriminalizing prostitution
[13:35] Feminism and regulatory policies
[18:23] The moderate majority on abortion
[29:13] Regulating social media and free speech
[34:55] Why hasn’t Libertarianism gained more momentum in the US?
[01:05] The case for decriminalizing prostitution
[13:35] Feminism and regulatory policies
[18:23] The moderate majority on abortion
[29:13] Regulating social media and free speech
[34:55] Why hasn’t Libertarianism gained more momentum in the US?
Resources mentioned:
- Scott Cunningham’s work on Rhode Island decriminalizing indoor prostitution
- Findings on Nordic parental leave policies
- Moderate Majority on Abortion
- Big Tech as monopolies article
[0:55] Are the favorable polls on marijuana legalization misleading?
[4:41] What happens to new locations when marijuana is legalized?
[9:23] How significant is the marijuana industry?
[22:35] Would legalizing marijuana at the federal level curtail the current issues in the marijuana industry?
[25:34] Marijuana and criminal justice reform
[31:53] Why Portugal shouldn’t be used as an example to legalize drugs
[02:31] How was America's response to the pandemic viewed by other countries?
[05:04] How did Scandinavian countries differ in their response to Covid?
[10:07] Why do Americans seem to trust government institutions less than other countries?
[17:53] The concept of ethnic homogeneity and how it impacts government
[32:36] The role of social media and fake news
[2:51] Why did Putin invade Ukraine?
[12:29] Why are experts less trusted today?
[25:22] U.S. foreign policy meddling in other countries
[32:39] Why is democracy less stable in America today?
[44:28] Why the majority is complacent
[1:08] Nuclear energy vs green party politics
[11:10] Is nuclear waste risk overstated?
[20:12] Renewable vs. nunclear energy costs
[30:58] Realistic transitioning away from fossil fuels
[46:48] Modular reactors and other advances
[52:27] Nuclear safety during war and catastrophes
[1:04] The party primary as the root problem in US Politics
[9:56] Final Five Voting
[20:42] Alaska's primary - a live version of Final Four Voting
[33:48] No longer “wasting votes” on third-party candidates
[40:47] Minority representation in Final Five Voting
[47:09] Getting involved in Final Five Voting efforts
[1:04] Getting fired for views on schools reopening during the pandemic
[5:54] Bursting the San Francisco Covid bubble
[20:51] Public vs. Private schools
[30:22] Should companies have political views?
[36:23] Tyranny of the minority
[44:41] Children in competitive sports
[51:56] Going on conservative media shows
[2:35] Why free speech on campus matters to all of us
[11:23] Why speech became more constrained after 2014
[14:44] Is the culture war really class warfare?
[29:59] The problem of policing disinformation
[38:33] Will there be more or less free speech in future
[40:45] Conversation habits to live a healthier life
[1:01] Why are drug prices in America so high?
[14:11] Single-payer healthcare in Canada vs. US system
[23:12] Getting rid of political parties
[36:45] The influence of billionaires and the folly of most charities
[41:39] Encouraging more independent political candidates
[00:01] Does Superman have to be white?
[07:10] How to do representation right.
[18:51] Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination based in part on race and gender
[29:14] Color-specific policies vs. color-blind policies
[35:53] Shared values and tyranny of the minority
[47:38] How real is cancel culture
[00:01] What happened to the conservative movement?
[14:01] Are the parties becoming more moderate?
[24:51] Election reforms that can reduce tribal politics
[28:00] Why American healthcare is not as bad as people think
[34:20] Why federalism is brilliant
[41:18] How Russia's invasion might change Chinese foreign policy.
[46:07] Why Jonah left Fox News
[1:01] Why we are living in different realities
[7:32] Can increasing polarization be reversed if it’s against our nature?
[12:39] How to decide when to talk politics?
[23:48] Is it worth reaching out to the other side in every case?
[29:37] Why is the media biased?
[0:01] Why everything is politicized
[7:33] In- vs. out-groups
[22:22] Why like-minded groups fight amongst themselves
[28:26] How can we reduce polarization
[31:58] Democracy is not just activism
[1:05] Is Facebook a scapegoat for polarization?
[9:36] Why social networks surface incendiary content
[13:10] Should big tech be regulated?
[18:25] Social media companies as arbiters of truth
[23:45] Technology as an addiction
[3:39] Why the US has only two major political parties.
[7:48] How to increases options in US elections.
[11:40] Independent voters or just confused voters.
[14:02] Proportional representation as a solution for more ballot choices.
[25:19] Andrew Yang and the Forward Party.
[26:39] How New Zealand changed to proportional representation
[5:36] Why so many moderate candidates fail.
[13:20] What voters really want.
[15:58] Build Back Better bill backlash.
[24:50] Social justice as a priority.
[30:44] Common ground on immigration.
[36:35] The media’s culpability in polarization
[42:36] Common ground on abortion.
[46:20] The New Independents
[1:35] Why filter bubbles are getting stronger.
[8:55] Bursting David’s bubble on climate change.
[14:54] Why David banned politics from the workplace chat room.
[26:46] Politics as a new religion.
[29:06] Diversity & Inclusion at workplaces
[39:37] The backlash against D&I.
[45:48] Learning from Joe Rogan and William Buckley
[49:50] Denmark vs the U.S. politically and socially.
Introducing Unbiased podcast, with hosts Arjun Moorthy and Dan Sally.
Arjun has been passionate about the news since he was a paperboy at age 12. He’s building The Factual to bring unbiased news to people who feel alienated by a polarized media environment.
Dan is eager to reduce polarization through his podcast and his role at Rank The Vote. His career as a stand-up comic also helps him take the long view on everything.