Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox, a Republican, called for a revival of civil discourse and urged Americans to disagree with respect during his TED Talk Wednesday.
“Freedom is a fragile thing,” Cox said, echoing the words of former President Ronald Reagan, another Republican. “It’s never more than one generation away from extinction.”
During his 2020 gubernatorial election, Cox emphasized the importance of civility and respect amid intense political division following a summer of nationwide protests and social unrest. Cox discussed the bipartisan campaign ad he filmed with his 2020 gubernatorial opponent, Democrat Chris Peterson. The ad, in which Cox and Peterson encouraged voters to respect one another despite political differences, gained widespread attention, receiving millions of views and media coverage nationwide.
“We can debate issues without degrading each other’s character,” Peterson said in the ad. “We can disagree without hating each other,” Cox said.
Cox said that the ad had a measurable depolarizing effect, reducing urges toward political violence, according to data from Stanford Polarization and Social Change Lab.
“It turns out there really are things we can do to alter the trajectory of the United States,” Cox said.
Cox emphasized that the divide between Republicans and Democrats is not as wide as people think, attributing much of the perceived polarization to media and political figures exaggerating extremism. He stressed that practical solutions exist to heal divides, such as turning off cable news, which he and his wife did over a decade ago while highlighting the importance of spending time with people with different views.
“In the words of Bryan Stevenson, proximity will empower you,” Cox said. “You see, it’s just harder to hate up close. ‘Tell me more about why you feel that way’ is a magical request.”
In addition, Cox encouraged serving others, volunteering and giving back to the community to improve society and offer personal benefits like reducing blood pressure.
“There is nothing better for the soul or society than giving back,” Cox said. “Aristotle really was on to something when he described and summed up the essence of life as: ‘Serve others and do good.’”
Finally, Cox called for the revival of classical political virtues such as humility, patience and moderation. As John Adams warned, without these qualities, people risk becoming “ravenous beasts of prey.” He acknowledged that it might seem almost laughable to invoke humility in modern political discourse, but he argued that it is essential to relearn how to disagree without hatred.
“The true spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right,” Cox said, echoing the words of former judge Learned Hand, who presided in the Southern District of New York. “The spirit of liberty is the spirit which seeks to understand the minds of other men and women.”
Cox pressed that it is the solemn responsibility of this generation to reclaim the freedoms bestowed upon us. He argued that Americans cannot depend on politicians or the media to take on this task. It will require real and diligent effort from each individual. Cox ended his speech with a powerful call for humility and love, even toward those with opposing views.
“We must rise up and meet that radical call to love our enemies,” he said. “If we really want to change the world, we have to start by changing our own hearts.”