Newsletter #396 — October 29, 2025
 

by Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess

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Highlighted Links

A few suggestions about links that we think are especially interesting.

• Saving Democracy
  America Needs a Mass Movement—Now — From David Brooks, an in-depth article outlining what he sees as the key to escaping our hyper-polarized and dysfunctional politics.
• Communication Complexity
  The Dawn of the Postliterate Society — Reflections on the complex cognitive and social changes that are accompanying the shift from the society that gets most of its information by reading to a society that relies on phone-based imagery.
• Freedom of Speech 
  Open Societies Are Stronger Than They Appear — An encouraging reminder that open democratic societies have historically proven themselves to be extremely resilient and able to survive challenges as serious as the one we now face.
• Israel / Hamas War
  The ceasefire created two Gazas. One will consume the other. — Following the cease-fire, a story about the conflict that has erupted in Gaza between Hamas supporters who want to continue the fight and Palestinians who want to live in peace.
• Social / Economic Complexity
  Gambling. Investing. Gaming. There’s No Difference Anymore. — For those trying to understand whether or not we are in an about-to-burst financial "bubble," an eye-opening article explaining how finance has become more like gambling (and vice versa).
• Social / Economic Complexity
  How Bad Is Finance’s Cockroach Problem? We Are About to Find Out. — Worrying signs that the highly leveraged and speculative economic bubble may be about to burst with terrifying implications for social welfare and stability.
• Psychological Complexity
  The Rot Creeping Into Our Minds — An especially good and detailed account of the way in which hyper-polarization has undermined the way we think, the values we live by, and the actions we take.

Reader Suggested Links

Highlighting links suggested by our readers. Please send us links to things that you find useful.

• Class Inequity
  Why Are the Democrats Increasing Inequality? — For those wondering why inequality is increasing and students are learning less in school, a well-reasoned argument that the problem lies in our equity-based approach to education.
• Israel / Hamas War
  A Time to Say Thank You — From an Israeli perspective, an expression of gratitude for all of those who helped Israel survive the many threats that it has faced over the last two years.
• Israel / Hamas War
  The silent success of the Middle East’s peace treaties — Another, if it has been done, it must be possible. story. This one remembers the complex negotiations that led to peace between Israel and Egypt — a peace that survived the recent war.
• US Politics
  Patriotism Against Authoritarianism — An essay highlighting the ways in which the No Kings protests attempted to reclaim patriotic imagery -- something that the left had previously ceded to the right.
• Communication Complexity
  Against the obsession with narratives: A materialist critique — Critical reflections on the role that narratives and the debate over narratives play in contemporary society.
• Israel / Hamas War
  Truth Is Hard to Get in Gaza — A review of the many reasons why one should be skeptical about much of the information that came out of Gaza during the war.
• Israel / Hamas War
  Hamas Is Not Done Fighting — From Foreign Affairs, an important observation that the recently concluded cease-fire agreement merely sets the stage for the next chapter in the struggle between Hamas and Israel.

Colleague Activities

Highlighting things that our conflict and peacebuilding colleagues are doing that contribute to efforts to address the hyper-polarization problem.

• Non-Violence
  The Strategic Logic of the Naked Bicycle Ride — An explanation of the strategic logic behind Portland's decision to oppose federal forces with fun and silliness, rather than with the kind of forceful and potentially violent response that Trump was trying to provoke.
• De-Escalation Strategies
  Leading a Community During Times of Conflict — This guide from the Ohio State Divided Community Project offers practical strategies to help local leaders strengthen community resilience and prepare for moments when conflict may escalate into crisis.
• Constructive Communication
  Symbols and Public Spaces Amid Division — Creating accessible public spaces that feel welcoming to residents and visitors can bring people together to interact across societal fault lines. Improving the symbolic nature of that space can contribute to their sense of belonging, inspire them, advance their understanding, and more.
• Saving Democracy
  First, Do No Harm! Five Steps All Funders Should Take to Bolster Liberal Democracy — Defending philanthropic freedom is not enough. Philanthropy also needs to do its part in supporting democracy in America. It can start by not messing it up.
• De-Escalation Strategies
  Depolarization Isn’t Weakness—It’s Strength — Understanding and learning from division is how we keep our democracy healthy.
• Peacebuilding
  Building Peace Economies at Scale — The Alliance for Peacebuilding is organizing a coalition to develop new ways to sustainably fund its work by aligning peacebuilding goals with the goals of business, multilateral development, and venture capital.
• Developing a Unifying Vision
  Chapter 1: Introducing Potentialism — A new vision for America's "exhausted majority" from the Beacon Project.
• Nihilists
  The Dangerous Mindset Spreading Across America: Cultural Nihilism Among Gen Z — There’s a dark philosophy hollowing out America, particularly our youth. This burgeoning philosophy is one of utter helplessness, where nothing can change and life is void of purpose.
• Peacebuilding
  Global Fragility Act 2.0? Amid a Possible Bipartisan Revival, a Chance to Make U.S. Peace Efforts More Effective — Republicans and Democrats are still finding common ground on one of America’s most urgent security challenges: supporting countries where violence and instability fuel migration, empower malign actors, and open doors for U.S. adversaries.
• Psychological Complexity
  The Hidden Cause of America’s Mental Health Crisis — Politics is making us sick. Literally. Hyper-polarization is driving stress, depression, mistrust, a sense of helplessness, and sadness.
• Psychological Complexity
  Minds & Movements — A brain science guide from Beyond Conflict on social change messaging.
• Education
  Prohuman k-12 Curriculum — A large collection of free educational materials that help teach character strengths like optimism, grit, gratitude, as well as civic virtues and the art of constructive dialogue.
• Psychological Complexity
  Connection: The Social Multiplier of Joy — If you ask people what they want most out of life, many will say happiness. But if you look at what actually sustains happiness over decades, the answer is surprisingly consistent: relationships.
• Violence
  Issue Brief: Interviews With Local Elected Officials Spotlight Acute Safety Concerns in the Wake of High-Profile Attacks — Following the attack on two Minnesota state lawmakers at their homes in June, which killed former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, officials at all levels of government have raised the alarm about serious safety and security concerns.
• Immigration
  We Have to Talk About Immigration — Tips and facts for a sensible conversation about immigration from the Better Conflict Bulletin.
• Bridge Building
  Sports Fans Are Bridging America’s Political Divide — Sports bring people together in ways few other parts of American life can.

News and Opinion

From around the web, more insight into the nature of our conflict problems, limits of business-as-usual thinking, and things people are doing to try to make things better. (Formerly, Beyond Intractability in Context.)

• Saving Democracy
  Liberalism Is a Bold Force That Ends Corrupt, Oppressive, and Arbitrary Hierarchies — A reminder that liberal democracy has long been society's best defense against oppression, corruption, and tyranny.
• Violence
  When ICE came for a U.S. citizen and Army veteran — A harrowing account of one US citizen's encounter with an ICE dragnet -- an account that, in at least this one case, validates our worst fears about Trump's immigration crackdown
• Violence
  The Left Attacks the Rule of Law — A look at why those on the right (including ICE agents) feel threatened by militants on the left (and a reminder about how close we are to large-scale violence).
• Saving Democracy
  The Unfinished Revolution — In preparation for the United States' 250th 4th of July celebration, the first in a major series of articles exploring the continuing challenge of building a democracy that lives up to its ideals
• Developing a Unifying Vision
  Democrats Could Learn a Lot from the Progress Movement — For those intrigued with the abundance movement, an article about the emerging progress movement. Is this the kind of vision that could actually bring us together?
• Communication Complexity
  The Rise of the Smartphone and the Fall of Western Democracy — From Thomas Edsall, a compilation (with lots of links) to what leading scholars think about the complex relationship between smart phones and increasingly dumb society.
• Leadership
  The Underrated Power of ‘Glue Employees’ Who Hold Everything Together — Thoughts about the often unrecognized role played by people who help their organizations more constructively handle inevitable tensions and conflicts.
• Israel / Hamas War
  How the Muslim Brotherhood Built a Media Empire — An informative description of the sophisticated propaganda and media strategy being used by one major Islamist organization.
• Communication Complexity
  What Killed Print Media--and What Died With It — Reflections on how recent changes in the way in which we learn about the world affect what we learn about the world – and not in a positive way.
• Peacebuilding
  Why María Corina Machado Deserved the Nobel Peace Prize — A profile of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner — a person who has a lot to teach us.
• Education
  We Already Have a Social Contract for Universities — A especially thoughtful and balanced analysis of the ongoing debate regarding the appropriate relationship between United States and its universities.
• Race / Anti-Racism
  A Supreme Court Reckoning for Racial Gerrymanders — An analysis of upcoming Supreme Court Decisions on gerrymandering that will also consider laws now on the books that require racial gerrymandering.
• Authoritarianism
  After Trump, the deluge — Thought-provoking reflections on where the MAGA movement and the populist right might go once Donald Trump leaves the scene.
• US Politics
  America Still Has a Political Center, and It’s the Key to Winning — An enlightening statistical analysis of the role that moderates are playing in determining electoral outcomes.
• Progressive Left
  Diversity is overrated. Yeah, I said it. — A thought-provoking and quite persuasive challenge to the notion that diversity should be a penultimate societal goal.
• Race / Anti-Racism
  How the Redefinition of Discrimination and Racism Changed How We Understand Racism, Fairness, and Justice — An overview of an extremely important, but seldom understood, aspect of efforts to combat racism in the United States — the changing definition of discrimination and racism.
• Race / Anti-Racism
  OMB Can Stop Biden’s Race Counting — A bit of an eye-opening article that takes a critical look at the way in which the federal government gathers and uses information about the racial characteristics of its citizens.
• Education
  Public Schools Are Molds Not Platforms — A sensible strategy for thinking about educational reform -- one that avoids partisan minefields and is actually likely to appeal across the political spectrum.
• Family / Gender / LBGTQ+
  Why feminists fell out of love -- Mankeeping spells the death of intimacy — An unsettling look at the relatively low priority that contemporary couples place on building strong, loving relationships.
• Israel / Hamas War
  Remaining Hamas groups in Gaza — For those still trying to understand what the militants in Gaza want and what they are trying to do, an article explains how you can find out — read what they openly post on the web.
• Corruption
  Kleptocracy, Inc. — From one of the United States foremost experts on authoritarianism, a review of the many ways in which corruption has been normalized under the Trump administration.
• Media Reform
  Why Bari Weiss Matters — For those who would like to see more viewpoint diversity in our mainstream media, a story about two recent developments with reflections on the challenges that lie ahead.

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About the MBI Newsletters

Two or three times a week, Guy and Heidi Burgess, the BI Directors, share some of our thoughts on political hyper-polarization and related topics. We also share essays from our colleagues and other contributors, and every week or so, we devote one newsletter to annotated links to outside readings that we found particularly useful relating to U.S. hyper-polarization, threats to peace (and actual violence) in other countries, and related topics of interest. Each Newsletter is posted on BI, and sent out by email through Substack to subscribers. You can sign up to receive your copy here and find the latest newsletter here or on our BI Newsletter page, which also provides access to all the past newsletters, going back to 2017.

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