Navigating Control and Agency in Politics and Parenting
In the second episode of 'We Made This Political,' hosts Lura Forcum and Lauren Hall explore the concepts of control versus agency through the lenses of political science, psychology, and parenting.
We discuss Mel Robbins' book 'The Let Them Theory' and its relevance to reducing anxiety by relinquishing control. We delve into psychological theories like illusory control, locus of control, and reactance to explain how people respond to attempts at control. The conversation also touches on the implications of these ideas for public policy, highlighting the necessity of understanding people's behaviors and motivations before attempting to change them.
The episode emphasizes the importance of personal interactions in overcoming polarization and advocates for a bottom-up approach to building community trust.
00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview
01:10 Exploring Control vs. Agency
01:20 Mel Robbins' 'Let Them Theory'
04:56 Psychological Concepts: Illusory Control and Reactance
10:09 Parenting and Control Dynamics
18:06 Nudge Theory in Policy and Parenting
27:22 The Complexity of Retirement Savings
28:04 The Role of the State in Retirement Planning
29:06 Communicating Policy Effectively
29:57 Understanding Human Behavior in Policy Making
31:46 Polarization and Policy Interventions
34:39 Ingroup and Outgroup Dynamics
43:49 The Importance of Face-to-Face Interactions
49:19 Parenting and Policy Parallels
51:12 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wemadethispolitical.substack.com
Share this post