On Tyranny Lesson 16: Learn from Peers in Other Countries

It's been a minute, but I want to get back to this series of videos that accompany Timothy Snyder's book, On Tyranny. This particular lesson strikes me as more common sense than anything else. Keeping in contact with friends and acquaintances from other countries strikes me as a sound idea, for more than a few reasons. One is that our peers often offer a perspective on how our nation is faring that can be quite illuminating, if we are willing to listen. Even better is the realization that our peers elsewhere across the world may have direct experience with authoritarian systems and know the importance of exercising our democratic rights and responsibilities. We can learn by studying other democratic systems and what aided their survival or led to their downfall. I also see the value in having a passport - partially to travel to see the world and experience new people and cultures, but also just in case something goes sideways. Snyder continues to repeat the importance of understanding that our democratic system and its institutions are only as good as the people who defend our system. That's you and me. Learn from others and accept that we aren't that exceptional. 

On with the video:


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