Outrage Science Bites

<p><strong>Day 30</strong>—the final episode of our 30-day journey into <strong>bridging our divides</strong>.</p><p>Over the last month, we’ve explored everything from navigating disinformation and polarization to building trust and transforming how we relate to one another. We’ve covered big challenges — and big ideas. And today, we’re closing out with something vital: <strong>practical exercises</strong>.</p><p>We’re joined once again by <strong>Guy and Heidi Burgess</strong> of <em>Beyond Intractability</em>. Guy walks us through a set of real-world conflict resolution exercises designed to help people manage deep political and moral disagreements more constructively — and with more respect.</p><p>Bridging isn’t just a concept. It’s something we <em>do.</em>And these skills help us take that first step.</p><p>And that’s a wrap on our <strong>NaPodPoMo 2025</strong> challenge!Thirty episodes in thirty days.</p><p>Thank you for listening, for caring, and for joining me in this work of rebuilding trust — one conversation at a time.</p><p><strong>A huge thank you to:</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.listenfirstproject.org/karissa-raskin"><strong>Karissa Raskin</strong></a> - CEO, <em>Listen First Project</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.si.umich.edu/people/paul-resnick"><strong>Paul Resnick</strong></a> - Michael D Cohen Collegiate Professor of Information and Professor of Information, School of Information</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.uraction.org/who-we-are/our-team"><strong>Kira Hamman</strong></a> - Senior Director of Programs, <em>Urban Rural Action</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/center-for-political-future/about-the-center/staff/kamy-akhavan-managing-director/"><strong>Kamy Akhavan</strong></a> - Managing Director, the Center for the Political Future (CPF) at the University of Southern California</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.us-united.org/#who-we-are-2"><strong>Adam Mizel</strong></a> - Co-Founder & CEO, <em>US United</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bahai.us/public-affairs/about-us/team/matthew-cotton-jr/"><strong>Mat Cotton</strong></a> - US Bahai Office of Public Affairs Race Discourse Officer, Baha’is of the United States</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://thinkingispower.com/about/"><strong>Melanie Trecek-King</strong></a> - Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College and Creator of <em>Thinking Is Power</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://taniaisrael.com/"><strong>Tania Israel</strong></a> - Professor, Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology - UC Santa Barbera</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://juneklees.com/"><strong>June Klees</strong></a> - Historian and educator at Bay College in Michigan</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.morelikeus.org/cofounders"><strong>James Coan</strong></a> - Co-Founder and Executive Director, <em>More Like Us</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.beyondintractability.org/moos/ghburgess"><strong>Guy and Heidi Burgess</strong></a> - Lifelong educators and conflict resolution pioneers, Co-Directors of the <em>Conflict Information Consortium</em>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.beyondintractability.org/">Beyond Intractability</a>, and the free <a target="_blank" href="https://beyondintractability.substack.com/">BI Substack Newsletter</a></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://moreincommonus.com/team/calista-small/"><strong>Calista Small</strong></a> - Research Manager, <em>More in Common</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://www.longertables.org/about"><strong>Tim Jones</strong></a> - Founder & Executive Director, Longer Tables</p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://legislativesemester.org/"><strong>Kate Ullman</strong></a> - Executive Director, <em>Legislative Semester</em>; CoFounder and Chair, <em>Wisconsin Civic Learning Coalition</em></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://crossingpartylines.com/about-crossing-party-lines/"><strong>Lisa Swallow</strong></a> - Co-Founder, <em>Crossing Party Lines</em></p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/">OutrageOverload.net</a> </p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.beyondintractability.org/educationtraining/exercises-and-simulations">BI Exercises, Online Tutorials, and Simulations</a></p><p><strong>Join the movement to lower the temperature:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/join-the-movement/">Count Me In for Calm</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at <a href="https://outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p><strong>Day 29</strong> of our 30-day challenge, bringing us near the conclusion of our deep dive into <strong>bridging our divides</strong>.</p><p>We’ve talked a lot about connection, listening, and disagreement—but there’s a subtle distinction that can make or break your efforts: the difference between <strong>dialogue</strong> and <strong>discourse</strong>.</p><p>In the context of bridging, these words aren’t interchangeable. Dialogue is a cooperative exchange aimed at understanding, while discourse can often be adversarial, aiming to persuade or argue. Recognizing which approach you’re in — and which is appropriate — is key to successful connection across differences.</p><p>Today’s audience question:</p><p><strong>How do dialogue and discourse differ in the bridging context — and why does that distinction matter?</strong></p><p>Answering that is <strong>Tania Israel</strong>, Professor of Counseling Psychology at UC Santa Barbara and award-winning author of <em>Beyond Your Bubble: How to Connect Across the Political Divide</em>. Tania breaks down how to identify and intentionally use dialogue to foster understanding, even with those you strongly disagree with.</p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/">OutrageOverload.net</a></p><p><strong>Join the movement to lower the temperature:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/join-the-movement/">Count Me In for Calm</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at <a href="https://outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p><strong>Day 28</strong> of our 30-day challenge, continuing our deep dive into <strong>bridging our divides</strong>.</p><p>As we approach the end of this journey, we’re shifting to one of the most action-oriented challenges in the bridging movement:</p><p>It’s hard to strengthen community when people rarely come together.</p><p>Neighborhood gathering spots — from local diners to civic clubs — have been fading. Meanwhile, more of our lives have moved online. So how do we create opportunities to reconnect, to show up for one another, and to rebuild a sense of belonging?</p><p>Our audience question today:</p><p><strong>What are some ways in our communities to get people together in person, given that we no longer have shared public spaces?</strong></p><p>To help us explore that, we’re joined by <strong>Karissa Raskin</strong>, Deputy Director at <em>Listen First</em>. Her work revolves around designing community-centered experiences that make face-to-face dialogue not only possible — but joyful.</p><p>Karissa offers inspiring and practical ideas for bringing people together again — whether you’re a local organizer or simply a motivated neighbor.</p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/">OutrageOverload.net</a></p><p><strong>Join the movement to lower the temperature:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/join-the-movement/">Count Me In for Calm</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at <a href="https://outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p><strong>Day 27</strong> of our 30-day challenge, continuing our deep dive into <strong>bridging our divides</strong>.</p><p>Earlier in the series — on <strong>Day 9</strong> — we explored how disinformation fuels division with Kamy Akhavan. Today, we’re returning to that same challenge from a new angle.</p><p>Because sometimes, trying to correct someone’s “facts” can feel like you’re criticizing <em>them</em> — their judgment, their community, even their identity. And that can shut down a conversation faster than anything else.</p><p>So our audience question today is:</p><p><strong>What are ways to address disinformation without alienating those who value their own “facts”?</strong></p><p>To help us with this, we’re joined by <strong>Kate Ullman</strong> — lifelong educator and Executive Director of <em>Legislative Semester</em>. Kate specializes in helping young people engage across differences and think more deeply about where their beliefs come from.</p><p>She offers practical strategies for truth-seeking together — without shame, blame, or humiliation.</p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/">OutrageOverload.net</a></p><p><strong>Join the movement to lower the temperature:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/join-the-movement/">Count Me In for Calm</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at <a href="https://outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p><strong>Day 26</strong> of our 30-day challenge exploring <strong>how to bridge our divides</strong>.</p><p>For the past few weeks, we’ve featured deep, thoughtful answers to big questions from the Bridging Movement Summit — the real questions people across the country are wrestling with.</p><p>Today, we’re mixing it up. ⚡️🎧</p><p>We invited <strong>Lisa Swallow</strong> — co-founder of <em>Crossing Party Lines</em> and author of <em>Yes, You CAN Talk Politics</em> — to give us <strong>Rapid-Fire Answers</strong> to a handful of those pressing questions, including:</p><p>* What systems are primarily causing division, and what can realistically be done to change those systems in the next few years? What’s priority one or two for you?</p><p>* What should be the limit of civic goodwill — and who gets to decide that?</p><p>* The panel seems to ask for non–zero-sum engagement — but how can that work with people who only want zero-sum outcomes?</p><p>* People tend to bond over shared dislike or hatred. How can we harness this bonding energy without it becoming destructive?</p><p><strong>Learn more:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/">OutrageOverload.net</a></p><p><strong>Join the movement to lower the temperature:</strong> <a target="_blank" href="https://outrageoverload.net/join-the-movement/">Count Me In for Calm</a></p> <br/><br/>Get full access to Outrage Overload Newsletter at <a href="https://outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_4">outrageoverload.substack.com/subscribe</a>