Humanities Washington: How Beer Might Save Democracy

Polarized politics have turned Americans against their fellow Americans. Pew reports that Americans’ contempt for opposing parties is “broader and deeper than in the recent past.” What are we to do?

Professor Michael Goldsby discusses a simple solution: get off social media and back into bars (or tasting rooms or coffee shops or even bowling alleys). Unlike social media, face-to-face meetings over a tasty beverage encourage finding a common ground and allow us to connect to one another in a more authentic, focused, and empathetic manner. If we are to take the marketplace of ideas seriously as a cornerstone of democracy, then achieving common ground is necessary. So, join us for drink and do your part to save democracy. 

Michael Goldsby (he/him) is a beer enthusiast and associate professor of philosophy in the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs at Washington State University. He earned his PhD in the philosophy of science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is also a part of the Columbia FEW Storage Project, a team of researchers testing innovations to ensure food, energy, and water security in the Columbia River Basin throughout the 21st century and beyond. Goldsby lives in Pullman.

This talk is presented in partnership with The Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service, which educates citizens across the state about democratic institutions and public affairs, and is based at Washington State University. For more information, visit The Foley Institute’s website.

This program is made possible by Humanities Washington’s Speakers Bureau—"Fascinating talks by fascinating people." For more information visit https://www.humanities.org/program/speakers-bureau/.