The writer Yuval Noah Harari – author of Sapiens, among other books – recently observed that “… democracy cannot last long without conversation.” At Civil we entirely agree, and this exactly captures what we are trying to do. And, as I think about the last three weeks since our launch, I am so grateful for you; the nearly 1,000 new subscribers who have joined us in the long effort to reinvigorate our national conversation that has felt increasingly lost and shrill in recent years.
In a democracy, conversation is synonymous with process. This is the crucial element to keeping it all working. At Civil, we favor no ideology or party. Our goal is only a better and broader national conversation, for this is how we pursue a more perfect union.
We designed our content with this goal in mind, with each show building on the others for a complete library that will cover the widest range of interests. Beginning with 24 hrs in 2 min, these supercuts are designed to demonstrate what it looks like when conversation has stopped. Next, Three Whys Deep will look at the basics of our democracy and society in short, rapid-fire explainers. Coming in October, Civil Stories will be mini-documentaries that will explore the hardest subjects with nuance, depth, and length. September will see the launch of our field reporting series, In Your Words, which will range from breaking news to investigations. In the Steelman/ Strawman podcast we seek to explore the best forms of opposing arguments through personal stories, and in Civil Conversations we sit down with Americans from across the political spectrum to demonstrate that once you’re in the same room – once you’re having a conversation – no subject is too hard to find common ground.
But none of this is possible without you. If you are interested in supporting us, please consider a monthly or yearly membership. With this $7/month or $70/year, you’ll have complete access to our entire library – from explainers to mini-documentaries, field reporting to podcasts – and be a part of helping us rebuild our national conversation.
With our thanks,
Ian