TED Talks Daily Political common ground in a polarized United States | Gretchen Carlson, David Brooks
Apr 3, 2017
David Brooks, centrist-conservative columnist who blends psychology with politics, and Gretchen Carlson, former Fox News anchor known for her media and advocacy work, discuss bridging left-right divides. They cover why voters feel unheard, open versus closed worldviews, media echo chambers, political correctness, automation's social impact, and ways to rebuild shared civic life.
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'Not Word People' From West Virginia
- David Brooks shares meeting a West Virginia woman who described herself as "not word people" to explain cultural divides.
- He uses her story to show how economic shifts create nonverbal communities feeling left behind.
Two Trumps: Teleprompter vs Twitter
- Gretchen Carlson notes Trump alternates between prepared speeches and impulsive tweets, creating unpredictability.
- She credits Ivanka's influence for some policy shifts and calls his mode 'teleprompter Trump' versus 'Twitter Trump.'
Conservatism Should Be Future‑Oriented
- Brooks argues true conservatism values limits of politics and moral character over nostalgic populism.
- He frames Bannon-style backward-looking nationalism as a betrayal of traditional American future-oriented identity.