Jun 23
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Apr 20
When bullying and personal attacks are rewarded, kids see them as desirable and effective. Photo: Valentina Nity’s Images|Canva Pro

Do You Want Your Kids Arguing Like a Politician?

U.S. politics teaches kids to handle conflict by fighting dirty, not listening and responding with respect. Those lessons won’t serve them well in their own relationships. Key Points: Kids see politics and social media as tutorials on how power, attention, and winning work Repeated exposure to hostile, winner-take-all conflict is... read more →
Apr 20
Gottman’s four negative communication patterns that predict divorce dominate American politics and threaten democracy. Can this marriage be saved? -Photo: John Summers|Getty Images Signature

U.S. Politics Look Like a Bad Marriage

Psychologist John Gottman identified four communication patterns that predict divorce; all are present in U.S. politics today. Key Points Character attacks, not policy debates, are now the primary mode of political communication Contempt in public discourse trains people to see opponents as “others” who are less worthy and less human... read more →
Apr 01
War memes - propaganda

We’re Being Played: Propaganda, Memes and War

Packaging war in meme-driven narratives uses cultural cues to turn combat into entertainment, normalizing violence and influencing how future conflicts are perceived.Key pointsMemetic warfare uses pop culture symbols, like Call of Duty and Captain America, to frame conflict as heroic and morally right.Social media is flooded with memes that glorify... read more →