In this episode, MacArthur Fellow and lifelong human rights activist Loretta J. Ross shares why humor may be one of the smartest ways to fight fascism, and why outrage alone often falls short.

Drawing on more than 50 years of activism, including her work deprogramming white supremacists, Loretta explains the philosophy of her new book “Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel.” The discussion explores authoritarian psychology, cancel culture, and what actually helps people change their minds. To finish the episode, Loretta plays an improv game to show how laughter, curiosity, and dignity can open conversations that anger shuts down.

03:45 Why fascists hate being laughed at
07:30 Calling in vs. calling out
12:10 Why outrage often backfires
16:20 Fighting extremism without losing empathy
21:40 Lessons from deprogramming white supremacists
28:05 How fear fuels authoritarianism
33:10 Calling in family, friends, and strangers
39:00 When to disengage—and why that matters
42:40 The improv game: "good advice / bad advice"
55:10 How to fight fascism without losing yourself

In this episode, former naval officer and Republican candidate Aaron Dimmock talks about what it really takes to stay honest; in politics, in community, and with ourselves. He reflects on polarization, party identity, and the cultural forces that make admitting mistakes feel risky. Through stories from military life, his congressional run, and everyday human moments, Aaron explores why transparency is so hard and why it matters.

The conversation weaves through psychology themes like threat perception, group identity, and the silent-majority effect—ending with a hopeful look at how love, listening, and shared humanity can shift the tone of our national conversation.

00:00 — Calling out America’s “Bad Breath”
02:00 — Aaron’s journey: Navy officer to candidate
03:20 — The Ted Lasso metaphor for honesty
08:15 — Why politicians won’t admit mistakes
14:30 — The Stockdale Paradox & facing reality
19:30 — Aaron's take on how to mend the divide
23:40 — Losing friends for running Republican
34:00 — Fear, pain & why people get loud
55:50 — Improv game: the halftime speech to save America

Independent journalist Aaron Parnas shares how growing up in a partisan household shaped his early conservative political views, and how moving out helped him rethink what he believed. With Scott and Allison, they explore online polarization, identity, media ecosystems, and why social media makes the country feel more divided than it really is.

Aaron explains why 80% of Americans actually agree on 80% of issues, how algorithms reward outrage, and why meeting your neighbors can do more for democracy than any online debate.

00:00 Meet Aaron Parnas
01:12 What is independent journalism?
02:45 Aaron's favorite comedy bit
04:30 Cancel culture and late night comedy
07:24 How Aaron went from supporting Trump to moderating Kamala Harris' book tour
08:40 Why Aaron rejected political polarization early
10:23 Why America feels divided -- but isn’t as divided as we think
11:09 Why 80% of Americans agree on 80% of issues
12:03 The responsibility of reaching millions with news
13:55 What social media actually rewards
17:44 Authenticity, cringe, and being yourself online
19:51 How social media is changing the news landscape