Can the Common Good Still Prevail in America?

In his latest book, Tribe, award-winning war reporter and documentary filmmaker Sebastian Junger examined how, throughout human history, a sense of shared purpose and identity has resulted in altruistic communal behavior. Today, he says, in a large-scale society that’s not in crisis, “our best behaviors are not called forth on a daily basis.” So how do we intentionally create that sense of tribe—that impulse to become our best selves and act for the common good? Junger explores this question with political scientist Rose McDermott, and talks about why he stopped reporting from the front lines, what it means that the American public trusts the military more than Congress, and the role veterans can play in fostering bipartisanship—and safeguarding our democracy. You can read a transcript of this episode here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/11Oa3vlPjZeJ8rKM2msh5J1ebeltNJvbH/view?usp=sharing]