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Podcast: The decline of moral community and the rise of public corruption

Podcast: The decline of moral community and the rise of public corruption

Why don’t liberals seem to care about moral behavior and the moral communities that support it? Why don’t conservatives seem to care about rampant public corruption at the heart of our political system? If we care about doing the right thing, can’t we care about both? There is perhaps nowhere in our civic debate where the conversation has grown so calcified as the one about morality.

We’ve long since stopped any form of real communication, instead hurling accusations at each other across what seems to be an impossible – and ever-widening – divide. But if you take a fresh look at the best case each side makes, they each have a real argument, in fact we think each sees an “asteroid” coming our way – with the problem getting bigger over time and the longer we ignore it. And until we cross the partisan divide and realize that team effort can solve both problems – as we would behave if they were real asteroids, we must deflect to protect life on earth, we’re stuck in a do-loop of failure to communicate.


Guests on this episode of Village SquareCast are Lucy Morgan, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and Dr. Bill Shiell, President of Northern Seminary and former pastor at First Baptist Church.

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True Confessions of an AI Flip Flopper
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True Confessions of an AI Flip Flopper

A few years ago, I would have agreed with the argument that the most important AI regulatory issue is mitigating the low probability of catastrophic risks. Today, I’d think nearly the opposite. My primary concern is that we will fail to realize the already feasible and significant benefits of AI. What changed and why do I think my own evolution matters?

Discussion of my personal path from a more “safety” oriented perspective to one that some would label as an “accelerationist” view isn’t important because I, Kevin Frazier, have altered my views. The point of walking through my pivot is instead valuable because it may help those unsure of how to think about these critical issues navigate a complex and, increasingly, heated debate. By sharing my own change in thought, I hope others will feel welcomed to do two things: first, reject unproductive, static labels that are misaligned with a dynamic technology; and, second, adjust their own views in light of the wide variety of shifting variables at play when it comes to AI regulation. More generally, I believe that calling myself out for a so-called “flip-flop” may give others more leeway to do so without feeling like they’ve committed some wrong.

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Support for International Students’ Mental Health Fails As Federal Visa Revocations Rise

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Support for International Students’ Mental Health Fails As Federal Visa Revocations Rise

The University of Washington’s international student population is raising concerns about the lack of mental health support provided to them by International Student Services, particularly in the context of visa revocations.

“I've personally sacrificed so much to get to UW,” first-year Kaira Wullur said. “I know my parents have also sacrificed so much. It is super draining to think that what I've been working towards could be stripped away from people who don't even know who I am.”

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Strengthening Elections, Rights, and Citizen Engagement

Strengthening Elections, Rights, and Citizen Engagement

Strengthening Elections, Rights, and Citizen Engagement

Welcome to the latest edition of The Expand Democracy 5. From Rob Richie, with Eveline Dowling and Juniper Shelley’s assistance, we highlight timely links and stories about democracy at the local, national, and global levels. Today's stories include:

🔁 The primary problem is a lack of general election competition

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