Political common ground in a polarized United States | Gretchen Carlson, David Brooks

How can we bridge the gap between left and right to have a wiser, more connected political conversation? Journalist Gretchen Carlson and op-ed columnist David Brooks share insights on the tensions at the heart of American politics today -- and where we can find common ground. Followed by a rousing performance of "America the Beautiful" by Vy Higginsen's Gospel Choir of Harlem.
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[@robertrankin7304]

The freedom of information versus the right to privacy would definitely be a TED Talk I would want to watch and other scholars may, too.

[@robertrankin7304]

David Brooks is SO respectable.

[@pretentiousfly]

this was nice to see. actual conversation from both sides where we try and learn why we vote the way we do

[@ardenmcbride2887]

austin gabrielsen it wasn't really both sides... they were both central/ right. There should have also been a leftist to be apart of the conversation. I agree the talk was informational. It's just not a "both sides" conversation.

[@TheRealE.B.]

I think it's safe to say that the moderator (and most of the audience) are the left in this equation. People who listen to talks on social issues, technology, innovation, and rethinking one's view of the world tend to decidedly not be the kind of people who voted for Donald Trump. I think this was more of a "here are the voices you're not hearing" kind of thing.

[@darrkASnight5150]

leadfoot9x Crazy, my friends and I must be the exception. All love learning, are educated, and believe in equality. Somehow we all voted Trump.

[@darrkASnight5150]

leadfoot9x I agree, but we could have had actual left representatives.

[@TheRealE.B.]

I'll take your word for it, darrkASnight5150, but I don't think it's a controversial statement to say that TED audiences are decidedly of a liberal bent. Cultural influence is also important. All of the college-educated people in my semi-rural hometown voted for Trump. And they seemed to assume I did, too. I didn't bother to disillusion them.

[@txwaterbird6115]

This still illustrates how far apart we are, and how far the left is from understanding what happened and why. The right is encouraged to listen to and to try to understand the left. Fine. That has been the case for many years. It is the right who is supposed to bend, to negotiate, to understand. What is the responsibility of the left? I heard the tiniest bit of encouragement of the left to listen to the right, and the remainder of the time was spent talking about what the right "needs" to do. No. It is time for the left to move. We have done our share of moving for years. As former President Obama said, "Elections have consequences. " Yet the left continues to behave as if something were stolen from them and they do not have to follow the rules of polite society. They act like animals rioting in the streets, destroying others' property, and believe that it's alright. It is not alright. That behavior stiffens the spines of the right and tells us who has the true moral authority. No - it is the left who must move towards the right in this time. If nothing else, it is their turn to do so.

[@DukeWooze]

More people should read this especially so called experts because THIS is the reason why Trump won. Leftist are animals and you can comprise with animals.

[@madelinebradley4678]

I really wish someone would consider how much damage this is doing to our most vulnerable. America's children, youth, and young adults are feeling anxious, afraid, unsure and trust is being diminished. As authority figures, Parents, Teachers and Leaders we must be really careful, mindful of the dysfunction we're allowing to manifest. I promise you; this is not a rich or poor issue nor is it a black or white issue. It's about the suffering our children are enduring and going to continue to endure at the hands of adults who have the need to be right. Yes, your child, my child and the children you're thinking about having.

[@kw1199]

ya because crazy adults and MSM are pushing hysteria. U think a child would be worried if the adults were not worried. Stop acting like Trump is Hitler then the kids wont either DUH

[@lisasimpson896]

LOL the only choices in politics are David "Salad Bar" Brooks and Gretchen "I named my son after William F. Buckley" Carlson. What a world.

[@christopherdahl992]

Social solidarity is what we need more of. Fastest way to create social bonds is shared suffering. It used to be that that suffering was your drill sergeant for basic training. We stopped the draft and began our separation.

[@brendarua01]

They have touched on the modern fundamental contradiction of capitalism in the US. We are still a consumer based economy. But industry wants to cut costs and increase productivity by replacing people (consumers) with machines. Each company thinks if it converts first then they will maximize their profits on the backs of other companies while they still employ people. This is the modern tragedy of the commons. But the commons is working people and families. Henry Ford knew this. Too bad the panel did not delve deeply enough to offer even the hint of solutions. Otherwise I thought both offered very telling insights into how the US (and the west in general) has got to where we are. Thank you TED. Much to think about!

[@SaltVinegar2010]

Brenda Rua Well said. That is the elephant in the room that needs to be tackled. I believe it is why so many displaced workers have jumped to the far right in all countries.

[@mentalbarf655]

I recommend CGP Grey's "Humans Need Not Apply." It's an excellent (although somewhat depressing) overview of how machines are overtaking human job opportunities.

[@brendarua01]

+Mellamosean I think we agree about the pressures driving automation. But I'm not clear about your position on the fundamental contradiction involved. You seem to suggest that the losses of jobs and income are limited to a few isolated sectors. If so that might weaken the impact of the problem but not remove it. I believe the impact on workers is more deep and wide than you seem to believe. NPR News Hour has been discussing the topic for several weeks now. No less a conservative than David Brooks points out in response to Trump's claims about bringing jobs back, that 70% have been lost to automation. Only 30% have gone overseas. The All Things Considered show recently did a series looking at a Wisconsin town that lost their auto plant. An interview with the woman directing the local community college job retraining program was very enlightening about the minimal success they had. I was astounded to hear that on average those who did not go through retraining did better than those who had. A big problem was that employers with positions open wanted experience as well as education. Given the radical changes in job functions that many had, the employers were discounting the prior experience. Are you accounting for the ripple effect when you talk about an isolated group and retraining? Roughly 3,000 jobs were lost at the auto plant when the manufacturer moved production. Estimates are that another 9,000 were lost when businesses that supported the plant or provided services to the plant workers failed. This is not a new phenomenon. The "rust belt" is rife with case studies. I don't know how to cite broadcast materials or I would do that. Perhaps we can learn to do these things better. Perhaps we need to move to a minimum guaranteed income. But these things are only band-aids. They do not address the fundamental flaws. The companies that automate early will do ok relative to those that do not because they have a market among the employees of the latter. But the slower companies will need to automate to be competitive or go out of business. Either way workers lose, and then the businesses start to fail. That is the classic tragedy of the commons updated for today.

[@SunshineandSmiles37]

Thank you guys for doing this. It seems like its been a hundred years since we as Americans actually sat and had a good conversation like this.

[@talesofponey1723]

I'm French, and I'm pretty scared about those times we are living. Just after the elections in USA, I was thinking "ok, it's not very reassuring, but I hope he's not as terrible as we think. And it wouldn't happen, here in France, no it will be ok, it will be ok...". There we are. At the 2nd round. Macron vs LePen. Clinton vs Trump. I simplify, but it's like I see it. And now I understand what some people or maybe some millions, felt during those elections.

[@JasonWilliams89]

You better hope for your life that Le Pen wins. That's because your life is on the line here.

[@SaltVinegar2010]

Alex Poney Le pen is the last hope for France.

[@BrianJohns]

This video is, unfortunately, not captioned for the deaf community. The topic looks quite interesting and I'd like to watch it. But without captions, this is not accessible. Can you fix this? Thanks.

[@apetronium]

nice format

[@npinero1]

This is brilliant, thanks

[@philosophicsblog]

Part of the issue underscores the problem with misframing politics Liberal and Conservative, Left and Right.

[@jonathanharoun5245]

We don't need "political common ground". We need philisophical transparency. We need to be more open about why we truly believe what we believe, and question what others truly believe. The dilemma with politics is that it tends to only involve particular viewpoints instead of the fundamental viewpoints that those particular viewpoints stem from, so people end up spiting each other for their views because there is virtually no understanding on the philosophy of anything.

[@duckdumbsmartpplimnotbored5175]

I'm gonna be honest. I didnt expect it to be interesting or worth my time. I was wrong.

[@vaeledendehar6819]

I enjoyed it as well and it felt...sobering to know that just because the nation has an illness it continues to be healthy. Our Immune system is conversation

[@Judel100]

I come away from this with the conviction that Brooks is at heart a progressive, not a conservative. He may believe in limited government but his criticisms of Bannon indicate that he rejects Edmund Bruke's defnition of society as a "partnership not only between those who are living, but between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are to be born." To care for the dead and their legacy is part of the essence of conservatism.

[@Jenkkimie]

I aspire honesty and accuracy above all else. Whioe ideally you'd like to think people can at least have a oroductive and constructive conversation, not every person is interested with trying to figure out what is going on and how to best respond to it. Strongly held beliefs and fundamentalism often leads to a very narrow path.

[@TheLivirus]

"How do we give people the security from which to take risks?" "All of life is a series of daring adventures from a secure base" Wow. This guy gets it.

[@zan6045]

you should invite James Veitch to talks more often :)

[@Vicioussama]

In my humble opinion, we need (in the US at least): - Ranked choice voting - End first past the post voting system and make it at least alternate voting (or run off voting) - End the electoral college (watch v=7wC42HgLA4k for the problems with it, MATHEMATICALLY and factually) - End closed primaries (they are tax funded, blocking ANYONE to vote in them just cause they aren't a party member is against what our founding fathers stood for) - End the debates being controlled by only big corporations that have ties to both political parties and debates being controlled by both parties (used to be controlled by an independent group, since that's changed, we've had a sharp decrease in quality of debates) - Work to teach other fellow citizens to stop treating a political party they generally align with as a monolith for good. Every party is problematic and needs to improve. All deserve criticism. End Tribalism - Get money outta politics, since Buckley v Valeo and First National Bank of Boston vs Bellotti we've seen money corrupt our politicians. We need to end that. There are many fixes we need, but if we did all above, I believe we could become the best Democratic Republic in the history of the world, easily. Btw, absolutely love her advice of "get outta the bubble." That's key.

[@Vicioussama]

The one thing I disgree with Gretchen Carlson about is that we lead from the top down. All substantial change in the US came from the bottom and worked up. The ruling powers are often averse to change.

[@danceswithcritters]

Wow, David Brooks, a conservative who actually considers all views with intelligent insight.

[@SaltVinegar2010]

danceswithcritters Actually most conservatives are like that. Rational thinking about topics after considering both sides of the debate.

[@wontbeReached]

The USA runs on a 2 party system in which each Person only has one Vote and Voter districts are often Subjects to gerrymandering. This causes immens Voter frustration because if you only have 2 Options you are gonna vote the guy with whom you most align with and not your 3rth party Candidate because what happens effectively, you just divide the Votes of your political movement, allowing the other movement to easily win of this division. So many people feel like their interest are not or just barely represented in Washington, what needs to happen is a change in the election process but lets be real, that isnt going to happen anytime soon.

[@Imperium83]

It isn't just the United States. The same thing happens in Europe. You have the illusion of multiple parties when it's really dominated by two large corporate backed ones, that then team up to suppress smaller parties. That's why you see both the far right and the far left rising over there too.

[@Horiks]

I like trains

[@correlian1155]

This women said a couple of things that really niggled me, including the "american dream" falacy but when she said "change starts at the top" 42:08 I wept inside. Such a feeling of deluded disimpowerment she must feel.

[@ritapalmer7590]

Yes, change begins with me!

[@user-jw4fn6fh2x]

The real problem here is the same issue facing most of the "left thinking" in the nation. People who are liberal (left minded) think that they are the only one who are correct. Even the moderator says "what is it that they (meaning conservatives) don't get?" The appropriate question to ask is, how am I off track? Liberals and Conservatives are both right and wrong about a lot of things. They BOTH need to stop thinking they are the only one's that are right and everyone else is wrong. Stop talking and start listening. If you only think YOU are right you will always be wrong.

[@DVPReviews]

when srks ted talk video upload here???? ted talks can you answer me.......☺

[@gatorslife22]

Legally punishing someone based on their word choice is straight unconstitutional. If everyone is politically correct, then nobody will know what people are really thinking - who they REALLY are. So you don't know who your adversary is. Dangerous.

[@ArchesBro]

Listening to David Brooks, a very left leaning conservative talk about what it's like here in the rustbelt... Reality is that when you bombard people with politics every fucking day they understand where their interests lie. The liberals moved the goalposts and people don't like the policies. I was talking to my fairly left leaning aunt the other day and she randomly started complaining about the retaliation culture on the left about North Carolinas bathroom policies. What about free speech on college campus? We had conservative speeches on campus and there were atleast 20 police officers and the deputy there to keep the peace as the anarchists ran around in black with their stupid flag screaming to intimidate people and disrupting the event

[@TheLivirus]

How are raegonomics going to solve the conflict between automation and employment? If we want growth, automation is key, however this will leave people unemployed. Lowering corporate taxes will certainly not solve this issue.

[@kw1199]

reaganomics is essential then for small business. automation is a problem for employment but it is really exagerated. The law of diminishing returns will come into effect and then technological growth will slow down and eventually kind of platuea. general A.I. is very unlikely anytime soon, we cant even get a robot to be able to eat a steak etc., point being its hard to program motor skills etc. and since humans arent getting any smarter i doubt the algorithms are going to get ridiculousy better. nonetheless we need to de regulate for the sake of small business growth. supply side economics doesnt have much of an effect on corporation again because the law of diminisg returns but it does have huge effect on small businesses and entrapenuears

[@TheLivirus]

Do you mean that progress in technology will be increasingly costly compared to the gain in productivity? I think you neglect that technology itself accelerates research and development. CPU processing speed increases. Communication is accelerated. More advanced analytical tools are available. Etc. I've heard projections of the complete opposite, a vertical technological asymptote, or technological explosion, due to the feed-back benefite technology has on itself.

[@sophocles8761]

I am a liberal but Brooks make sense

[@Msmeohmy52]

Published 4-27-2017. When was this recorded? Did trump speak last night?

[@Msmeohmy52]

@9 minutes: morning after Joint Session Speech 2-28-2017 ?

[@ben_clifford]

This was a good watch, but I have a few gripes. - This TED "talk" is not a talk. - This is poorly named. It's primarily an analysis of how Trump got to office, and a discussion of how to find middle ground feels more like an afterthought. - The guests were introduced as middle-right, yet here's yet another discussion about why Trump is the wrong answer.

[@JasonWilliams89]

Some righties are against Trump though.

[@56jmoney]

I don't think people are against immigration; some people such as myself are against illegal immigration, but if you point that out, you're called a racist by people on the far left; David Brooks is correct in saying that political correctness has been used as a tool to silence people in attempts to further progressive ideology. Again though, I don't think people are against immigration, but illegal immigration because it is unjust to force some people to follow the law, and allow others to not. It's the same reason some people were up in arms about Hillary Clinton's email scandal because it seemed unjust to allow her to walk free when other people who have broken the same laws are currently in prison.

[@TheRealE.B.]

I know a lot of mostly white-collar social conservatives who voted for Trump because they had convinced themselves he was a social conservative as well, at least compared to Hillary. I think it's fair to say that they put on blinders to aspects of his campaign that they knew were wrong, and some will even admit it, but their primary motivations were not economic. Believe it or not, there were even black communities who voted for Trump, and I guarantee almost every single one did so due to social, not economic, concerns. (Baptists. They're basically all Baptists.)

[@louisfalberts7760]

every person needs to stop and wait for their leaders to save them. look at your own life, do what you can, and move forward in a way not seen in a long time

[@notrningwheels]

There is no middle ground on free speech.

[@sgracem2863]

Yet there’s no way this conversation would have happened or been nearly this good if people from the left were featured. People view the right as having the responsibility to listen and be open minded but no one expects that from the left.

[@geoffwaldron5929]

Bridging the left and right was the bridge too near, how about the discussion between politician and public, the distrust is near terminal.

[@LabRat10101]

Look to Norway. Norway nr 1, America nr 58.

[@patrickpritchard1498]

Uncle Traveling Matt I would rather kill myself than live in Norway. The food alone is depressing.

[@Areyouseriousor]

The food is amazing, we have taco, pizza and indian food...

[@MrJ3]

America can not become Norway. not at this point in history.

[@LabRat10101]

Eeriewolf I know. America 58. :D;.

[@56jmoney]

Uncle Traveling Matt, you're part of the reason Trump won. Your dismissive, condescending, and rude behavior towards people who have different views than you is the cause of the silent majority. But hey, I'm sure it makes you feel better which is fine as long as you realize that people like you will keep Trump in office for the next eight years. Maybe try watching the video again.

[@kuroshi4323]

The 2 party system is the cause of all political disparity in America.... and at the root of that.... is money.

[@ujjvalpatel5353]

no comments today .

[@wuchianglin]

安卓手机端没有字幕？

[@onspeedvvv]

اصحاب ثنيان موجدين

[@tomo4977]

Has everyone just given up and left the ted comment section?

[@SilvanaDil]

How quickly some forget Bill Clinton's character.... (Btw, Limey, want to talk about division? Remember the Brexit vote?)

[@Kaizen2011]

Gretchen sounds a lot more reasonable now that she's left to news, just to show most over there are just actors. they never talked about what Hillary played in getting Trump elected and the fact that the amount of people who voted for Trump was similar to those who voted for Romney, so Hillary was the issue.

[@Meganelsonator]

I will be running for President in 2040

[@Chillimonz]

We might not even have a presidency by then.

[@MrBass-nt5fw]

3 COMMIES !

[@dantheman4421]

For those who don't know, here in America we do NOT have a democracy as our form of government. We have a republic...a Constitutional Republic, to be precise. See, democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner. A republic is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote. In a democracy, the will of the majority rules, period. In a republic, the rights of the individual are what rules, even in the face of the will of the majority, a republic enshrines and protects the right of the individual against the majority. Democracy is no better than mob rule. And inevitably, the multitude is always wrong. Herd mentality at it's finest. No thanks. "We fought a Revolution to secure our Liberty, and wrote the Constitution as a shield from tyranny." "Sons of the Republic arise and take a stand! Defend the Constitution, the Supreme Law of the Land!" -A Visitor From the Past(Poem)

[@JackassJester]

Trump is a master marketer?

[@aquilestadeu]

😱

[@Texaras05]

add subs

[@Imperium83]

Because people are sick and tired of centrist policies. This isn't very hard to figure out.

[@TheEmadia]

Steve Napierala which people?

[@Imperium83]

The far right, the far left, and the majority that do not vote for either major party.

[@thinktanktwopassive5243]

Because people are stupid. For more and more people it has become "my way or the highway". Centrist policies are the obvious solution to a polarized atmosphere

[@Imperium83]

I don't think you understand what "centrist" means... as in neoconservative and liberalism or globalism... it isn't the same thing as being "moderate."

[@davec8473]

I hope people get sick and tired of Trump policies much quicker than they did centrist policies

[@IyearnMusic]

Tell that to Berkeley and antifa

[@VfletchS]

Because they're the problem, right? lol

[@IyearnMusic]

They are fascists so yes

[@remyllebeau77]

Sea Pig That is correct, people that react to free speech with violence are big problem. Even larger is the problem that the justice system doesn't seem to want to do anything about them.

[@sisterimmaculata1680]

Actually, you're more likely to get arrested for protesting fascism than for promoting white nationalism.

[@darrkASnight5150]

Sister Immaculata Protesting, or rioting? Protesting won't get you arrested!

[@Destro7000]

This David Brooks' world view is so unbelievably warped and incorrect that it's kind of amusing how out of touch he is. Also this talk show is entirely an echo-chamber. TED, you need to do a lot better than that to begin talking to someone you disagree with and being open to free speech. This is simply a facade. How many Trump voters are on the panel (none!) How many Trump supporters are in the audience, I wonder? I have a feeling the number is extremely low.

[@rockmills5060]

Don't have a clue as to how you can call these bozos Republican.

[@TheLivirus]

The woman needs to stop talking and listen to the man on the right. No I'm not saying this because she's a woman. She just isn't saying anything intelligent.

[@thegodlyjorts143]

This was covered up bias, I want Ben Shapiro in this vid

[@bay_leaf1510]

Ew

[@keraatkins7833]

avoid the comments!

[@Say_No_To_e-Girls]

Gretchen is way out of her league.