82. Tribal Thinking Is Eroding Democracy – Timothy Redmond

Episode DescriptionHow does political identity shape what we believe—and whether we accept democracy itself? In this episode, David speaks with political scientist Timothy Redmond, author of Political Tribalism in America: How Hyper-Partisanship Dumbs Down Democracy—and How to Fix It.Redmond reveals how modern politics has reversed the democratic ideal: instead of forming views and then choosing a party, many people adopt a party identity first and align their beliefs accordingly. This fuels motivated reasoning, selective information consumption, and perceptual biases that make people on opposite sides experience the same events in radically different ways.The conversation explores "losers' consent"—the principle that democracy depends on losing sides accepting electoral outcomes and winners governing with restraint. Redmond draws on an ancient Greek myth from the Oresteia to show how societies break cycles of retaliation through shared rules and third-party judgment, offering a powerful metaphor for modern political conflict.Why do so many people believe the media is biased against them? Redmond discusses the hostile media effect, showing that people across the political spectrum perceive neutral coverage as slanted—suggesting that perceived bias often comes from our expectations, not the reporting itself.Throughout, Redmond offers practical tools for clearer thinking: recognizing cognitive biases, evaluating political arguments, distinguishing fact from opinion, and resisting outrage-driven media. A calm, research-based conversation about polarization, democracy, and how to think more clearly in an age of tribal politics.GuestTimothy Redmond – Political scientist and author of Political Tribalism in America: How Hyper-Partisanship Dumbs Down Democracy—and How to Fix ItExcerpts from The Oresteia (2014), originally broadcast on BBC Radio 3.Source: Drama on 3: Aeschylus’s Oresteia.Adaptations by: Simon Scardifield (Agamemnon), Ed Hime (The Libation Bearers), and Rebecca Lenkiewicz (The Furies).Direction: Sasha Yevtushenko and Marc Beeby.Used under Fair Use for the purposes of illustrationText me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidSupport the showShow Notes:https://outrageoverload.net/ Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email [email protected]. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.comHOTLINE: 925-552-7885Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episodeIf you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverloadAlso check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.Outrage Overload, a Conners Institute podcast, is part of The Democr...