Arthur Brooks, an economist and former head of the American Enterprise Institute, believes that there is only one remedy for our political polarization: love. In this 2021 episode, we ask if Brooks is a fool for thinking this — and if perhaps you are his kind of fool?

• SOURCES:
  • Arthur Brooks, professor of public and nonprofit leadership at Harvard University.

• RESOURCES:
  • “Vital Statistics on Congress,” by Molly Reynolds and Naomi Maehr (Brookings Institute, 2024).
  • Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence, by Anna Lembke (2021).
  • “Reading Too Much Political News Is Bad for Your Well-Being,” by Arthur Brooks (The Atlantic, 2020).
  • Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt, by Arthur Brooks (2019).
  • “This 75-Year Harvard Study Found the 1 Secret to Leading a Fulfilling Life,” by Melanie Curtin (Inc., 2017).
  • The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America, by Arthur Brooks (2015).
  • “Grin and Bear It: The Influence of Manipulated Facial Expression on the Stress Response,” by Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman (Psychological Science, 2012).

• EXTRAS:
  • “Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?” by Freakonomics Radio (2021).