Latest / Save Democracy / The state of things - the state of us

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The state of things - the state of us · Save Democracy

• 0:04
  Hi, this is Save Democracy, and I'm the host and creator, Katherine Davies.
• 0:10
  This week's a quick check-in with the state of things, where we are, and what
• 0:15
  might be important to draw attention to.
• 0:18
  In the news of late, you may have noticed the rising prospects of the
• 0:23
  hard right in France or the harder right in Germany or the rising support
• 0:29
  for One Nation in Australia, and in other countries around the world,
• 0:34
  autocrats are tightening their grip.
• 0:37
  Like me, you might be feeling the weight of the world.
• 0:43
  Here on Save Democracy, we don't pretend these trends don't exist.
• 0:49
  In fact, we value remaining aware, and I have a formidable guest joining
• 0:54
  us soon to lay out what autocratic forces are up to, utilizing the
• 0:59
  latest AI tools and much more.
• 1:02
  But I find it helpful to remember something closer to home, and
• 1:07
  I'm just going to reflect on that, and I hope it's useful.
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  Yes, we need to be aware or we are in danger of being manipulated.
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  Yes, we need to play a part in some way, fit it into our lives, to help
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  breathe life into our democracies.
• 1:26
  Yes, the news overall is not good.
• 1:30
  But I tell myself something simple, there are two ways to get out of bed.
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  What does doom and gloom feel like if I dwell on it?
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  How does that make me feel?
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  What does that turn me into?
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  How do I start the day?
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  How am I when I interact with others?
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  What example do I set?
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  Now, what if I lie in bed before I get up and reflect on my blessings, that
• 1:55
  unlike Ukraine, there were no sirens in the middle of the night warning me the
• 2:00
  Russians may bomb my home or my family?
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  My bed is comfortable.
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  It's quiet.
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  The morning air is cool.
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  I am alive and well, and so much more.
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  The list of blessings could fill a very boring book, but I only need to
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  reflect on a few to bring me to the right state - productive, aware, calm,
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  energized, and no one can penetrate this state with fear and 'othering'.
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  It will not get through.
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  How do those words sound?
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  How do they make you feel?
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  It's funny how we forget how much we affect each other.
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  And what do the fearmongers want?
• 2:53
  Part of the autocratic toolkit is to spread fear, and to depoliticize
• 2:59
  us, to make us feel that there's no point - indifference.
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  Russia, for example, is currently a depoliticized society.
• 3:09
  And where does that get you to be completely passive?
• 3:13
  Where does that get your children and their world?
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  Motivation's a funny thing.
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  When I hear that autocrats spread fear, it makes me a little fearless.
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  It just inspires a kind of quiet strength.
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  What about you?
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  So here at Save Democracy, we recognize the power of 'state', how important
• 3:40
  it is to stay in a good state.
• 3:43
  It's why we keep on the pod a calm tone, episodes short, focus on the
• 3:49
  key things to be aware of, and find inspiring defenders of democracy,
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  because inspiration is a beautiful fuel for helping us stay in a good state.
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  We seek to navigate a path through all the noise, all the bad news, highlighting
• 4:05
  the work of democracy's defenders and how we can play a part effectively.
• 4:11
  What I like to bring to the table, what my role is here, is to deeply appreciate what
• 4:17
  matters to us - or attempt to - and why.
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  To feel the gratitude and the connection to the past and present and future
• 4:27
  generations when we stand in these values.
• 4:31
  The power of example, the inspiration of civic virtue, the fun of working
• 4:36
  with others on a good cause, the realization that at the kitchen table,
• 4:42
  in the workplace, in the community center, under the fears and noise and
• 4:47
  fatigue, if we're really listening, the fundamental thing we express by what
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  we do or say, or don't do or say, the fundamental underlying need is love.
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  We can call it many things, connection, being seen, acknowledged, valued,
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  generous, caring, kind, being present, but love it is, and love
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  it will always be, at least at my table, and I imagine yours too.
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  And if you think of the millions and billions of souls in the world who care
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  about love, family, fresh air, unpolluted rivers, that our kids do well, that we
• 5:39
  have food on the table, and our community suffers less, that's a lot of feet.
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  And we can stand for what matters.
• 5:50
  That's something to fear, the power of our love
• 6:03
  Our podcast is growing, and we've launched on Substack, where I've
• 6:07
  just started writing articles and we're starting a chat.
• 6:11
  I encourage you to subscribe, it's free, and to join the
• 6:14
  chat, you'd be very welcome.
• 6:16
  I'd love to hear your thoughts, as would other listeners.
• 6:19
  And we'll be keeping a close eye on the chat to ensure it stays a safe
• 6:23
  space, positive, and constructive.
• 6:26
  It'll be our kitchen table, if you like, so make yourself a cup of tea and join in.
• 6:32
  Also, we're putting the final touches to a guide to engaging based on all
• 6:36
  the great ideas from our guests.
• 6:39
  Our Substack subscribers will receive a free copy of the guide.
• 6:43
  A final word on the pod.
• 6:45
  We've been running on a weekly timetable, weekly release, getting great guests on
• 6:50
  the key issues, and meeting high standards in audio and video, aiming to at least.
• 6:58
  But we have been running the risk of falling into a heap to make that
• 7:01
  happen, especially as we're new and few people have heard of us, so we
• 7:06
  cannot get financial support and sponsorship until our audience grows.
• 7:12
  We're going to keep the high quality going forward, and we are
• 7:15
  not going to risk that by trying to meet an arbitrary weekly deadline.
• 7:20
  So just to say, sometimes it'll be weekly, sometimes less often,
• 7:26
  but we'll always focus on quality.
• 7:29
  And we humbly beseech you to please help us by spreading the word.
• 7:35
  Before I go, I'd like to mention a few of the bright spots in the news.
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  So it appears that the Ukrainians have been given permission to build
• 7:44
  the air defenses they desperately need, which required US approval.
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  Whatever happens next, that is huge for Ukrainians, as they have been running
• 7:56
  out of defenses for the air, with tragic consequences for their citizens.
• 8:02
  And a sweet moment this week in the UK, when an entrepreneurial populist, under
• 8:09
  pressure and under investigation over failure to declare a 5 million pound
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  gift from a crypto billionaire, resigned his seat, only to say he will run again
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  in the same seat in a by-election he caused, which costs the taxpayer more
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  than a quarter of a million pounds.
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  So that 'the people can decide his fate', in effect sidestepping
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  institutional oversight.
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  And then, in a sweet moment, all the major political parties here refused
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  to participate in the by-election.
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  Marvelous.
• 8:46
  My warmest thanks for your support.
• 8:48
  Bye for now.