TED2019
Eric Liu: How to revive your belief in democracy
Filmed:
Readability: 5.2
1,717,761 views
Civic evangelist Eric Liu shares a powerful way to rekindle the spirit of citizenship and the belief that democracy still works. Join him for a trip to "Civic Saturday" and learn more about how making civic engagement a weekly habit can help build communities based on shared values and a path to belonging.
Eric Liu - Civics educator
Eric Liu is founder of Citizen University, which teaches the art of powerful citizenship, and the executive director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship & American Identity Program. Full bio
Eric Liu is founder of Citizen University, which teaches the art of powerful citizenship, and the executive director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship & American Identity Program. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I bring you greetings
0
736
1534
00:14
from the 52nd-freest nation on earth.
1
2294
2332
00:18
As an American, it irritates me
that my nation keeps sinking
that my nation keeps sinking
2
6084
4685
00:22
in the annual rankings
published by Freedom House.
published by Freedom House.
3
10793
2850
00:25
I'm the son of immigrants.
4
13667
1732
00:27
My parents were born in China
during war and revolution,
during war and revolution,
5
15423
3339
00:30
went to Taiwan and then came
to the United States,
to the United States,
6
18786
2976
00:33
which means all my life,
7
21786
1550
00:35
I've been acutely aware just how fragile
an inheritance freedom truly is.
an inheritance freedom truly is.
8
23360
4926
00:41
That's why I spend my time teaching,
preaching and practicing democracy.
preaching and practicing democracy.
9
29364
4507
00:46
I have no illusions.
10
34760
1842
00:48
All around the world now,
11
36626
1262
00:49
people are doubting
whether democracy can deliver.
whether democracy can deliver.
12
37912
2626
00:53
Autocrats and demagogues seem emboldened,
13
41276
2438
00:55
even cocky.
14
43738
1499
00:57
The free world feels leaderless.
15
45261
1928
01:00
And yet, I remain hopeful.
16
48086
2349
01:03
I don't mean optimistic.
17
51406
1963
01:05
Optimism is for spectators.
18
53393
2098
01:07
Hope implies agency.
19
55515
2437
01:09
It says I have a hand in the outcome.
20
57976
2301
01:12
Democratic hope requires faith
21
60301
2437
01:14
not in a strongman or a charismatic savior
22
62762
3292
01:18
but in each other,
23
66078
1979
01:20
and it forces us to ask:
How can we become worthy of such faith?
How can we become worthy of such faith?
24
68081
4571
01:26
I believe we are at a moment
of moral awakening,
of moral awakening,
25
74885
3118
01:30
the kind that comes
when old certainties collapse.
when old certainties collapse.
26
78027
2809
01:33
At the heart of that awakening
is what I call "civic religion."
is what I call "civic religion."
27
81496
3920
01:38
And today, I want to talk about
what civic religion is,
what civic religion is,
28
86310
4015
01:42
how we practice it,
29
90349
1603
01:43
and why it matters now more than ever.
30
91976
2460
01:46
Let me start with the what.
31
94460
1523
01:48
I define civic religion as a system
of shared beliefs and collective practices
of shared beliefs and collective practices
32
96932
5169
01:54
by which the members
of a self-governing community
of a self-governing community
33
102125
3687
01:57
choose to live like citizens.
34
105836
1857
02:00
Now, when I say "citizen" here,
I'm not referring to papers or passports.
I'm not referring to papers or passports.
35
108643
3620
02:04
I'm talking about a deeper,
broader, ethical conception
broader, ethical conception
36
112287
3217
02:07
of being a contributor to community,
a member of the body.
a member of the body.
37
115528
3142
02:12
To speak of civic religion as religion
is not poetic license.
is not poetic license.
38
120120
3984
02:16
That's because democracy
39
124626
1151
02:17
is one of the most faith-fueled
human activities there is.
human activities there is.
40
125801
3189
02:21
Democracy works only when enough of us
believe democracy works.
believe democracy works.
41
129840
4128
02:26
It is at once a gamble and a miracle.
42
134611
2737
02:30
Its legitimacy comes not from
the outer frame of constitutional rules,
the outer frame of constitutional rules,
43
138437
5013
02:35
but from the inner workings
of civic spirit.
of civic spirit.
44
143474
2634
02:39
Civic religion, like any religion,
45
147633
2373
02:42
contains a sacred creed,
sacred deeds and sacred rituals.
sacred deeds and sacred rituals.
46
150030
4123
02:47
My creed includes words like
"equal protection of the laws"
"equal protection of the laws"
47
155055
4749
02:51
and "we the people."
48
159828
1861
02:53
My roll call of hallowed deeds
includes abolition, women's suffrage,
includes abolition, women's suffrage,
49
161713
4533
02:58
the civil rights movement,
50
166270
1600
02:59
the Allied landing at Normandy,
51
167894
2314
03:02
the fall of the Berlin Wall.
52
170232
1353
03:04
And I have a new civic ritual
that I'll tell you about in a moment.
that I'll tell you about in a moment.
53
172655
3388
03:09
Wherever on earth you're from,
54
177337
1864
03:11
you can find or make
your own set of creed, deed and ritual.
your own set of creed, deed and ritual.
55
179225
4484
03:16
The practice of civic religion
is not about worship of the state
is not about worship of the state
56
184423
4250
03:20
or obedience to a ruling party.
57
188697
2382
03:23
It is about commitment to one another
58
191103
1830
03:24
and our common ideals.
59
192957
1343
03:26
And the sacredness of civic religion
is not about divinity or the supernatural.
is not about divinity or the supernatural.
60
194943
4690
03:32
It is about a group of unlike people
61
200572
2746
03:35
speaking into being our alikeness,
62
203342
3098
03:38
our groupness.
63
206464
1378
03:41
Perhaps now you're getting
a little worried
a little worried
64
209293
2036
03:43
that I'm trying to sell you on a cult.
65
211353
2126
03:45
Relax, I'm not.
66
213503
1545
03:47
I don't need to sell you.
67
215381
1767
03:49
As a human, you are always
in the market for a cult,
in the market for a cult,
68
217172
3692
03:52
for some variety of religious experience.
69
220888
2823
03:55
We are wired to seek
cosmological explanations,
cosmological explanations,
70
223735
3337
03:59
to sacralize beliefs
that unite us in transcendent purpose.
that unite us in transcendent purpose.
71
227096
3642
04:03
Humans make religion
because humans make groups.
because humans make groups.
72
231556
3007
04:07
The only choice we have is whether
to activate that groupness for good.
to activate that groupness for good.
73
235262
3774
04:12
If you are a devout person, you know this.
74
240204
3066
04:15
If you are not,
75
243294
1632
04:16
if you no longer go to prayer services
76
244950
1842
04:18
or never did,
77
246816
1664
04:20
then perhaps you'll say
that yoga is your religion,
that yoga is your religion,
78
248504
3775
04:24
or Premier League football,
79
252303
2536
04:26
or knitting, or coding or TED Talks.
80
254863
2833
04:30
But whether you believe in a God
or in the absence of gods,
or in the absence of gods,
81
258950
4489
04:35
civic religion does not require you
to renounce your beliefs.
to renounce your beliefs.
82
263463
3778
04:39
It requires you only
to show up as a citizen.
to show up as a citizen.
83
267265
2919
04:43
And that brings me to my second topic:
84
271578
2497
04:46
how we can practice
civic religion productively.
civic religion productively.
85
274099
2924
04:50
Let me tell you now
about that new civic ritual.
about that new civic ritual.
86
278293
2660
04:52
It's called "Civic Saturday,"
87
280977
1921
04:54
and it follows the arc
of a faith gathering.
of a faith gathering.
88
282922
2778
04:57
We sing together,
89
285724
1341
04:59
we turn to the strangers next to us
to discuss a common question,
to discuss a common question,
90
287089
3967
05:04
we hear poetry and scripture,
91
292199
2143
05:06
there's a sermon that ties those texts
92
294366
2810
05:09
to the ethical choices
and controversies of our time,
and controversies of our time,
93
297200
2650
05:12
but the song and scripture and the sermon
94
300889
2492
05:15
are not from church
or synagogue or mosque.
or synagogue or mosque.
95
303405
2653
05:18
They are civic,
96
306082
1372
05:19
drawn from our shared civic ideals
97
307478
2154
05:21
and a shared history of claiming
and contesting those ideals.
and contesting those ideals.
98
309656
4489
05:27
Afterwards, we form up in circles
to organize rallies, register voters,
to organize rallies, register voters,
99
315016
5517
05:32
join new clubs, make new friends.
100
320557
2062
05:36
My colleagues and I
started organizing Civic Saturdays
started organizing Civic Saturdays
101
324243
2834
05:39
in Seattle in 2016.
102
327101
2300
05:41
Since then, they have spread
across the continent.
across the continent.
103
329425
2866
05:44
Sometimes hundreds attend,
sometimes dozens.
sometimes dozens.
104
332315
3242
05:47
They happen in libraries
and community centers
and community centers
105
335581
2679
05:50
and coworking spaces,
106
338284
1350
05:51
under festive tents
and inside great halls.
and inside great halls.
107
339658
2545
05:55
There's nothing high-tech
about this social technology.
about this social technology.
108
343114
3428
05:59
It speaks to a basic human yearning
for face-to-face fellowship.
for face-to-face fellowship.
109
347115
4331
06:04
It draws young and old, left and right,
110
352374
3553
06:07
poor and rich, churched and unchurched,
111
355951
2802
06:10
of all races.
112
358777
1324
06:13
When you come to a Civic Saturday
and are invited to discuss a question
and are invited to discuss a question
113
361130
4948
06:18
like "Who are you responsible for?"
114
366102
2203
06:20
or "What are you willing to risk
or to give up for your community?"
or to give up for your community?"
115
368329
6066
06:27
When that happens, something moves.
116
375363
2040
06:29
You are moved.
117
377427
1847
06:31
You start telling your story.
118
379298
1798
06:33
We start actually seeing one another.
119
381120
2686
06:35
You realize that homelessness,
gun violence, gentrification,
gun violence, gentrification,
120
383830
4281
06:40
terrible traffic, mistrust
of newcomers, fake news --
of newcomers, fake news --
121
388135
3458
06:43
these things
aren't someone else's problem,
aren't someone else's problem,
122
391617
2407
06:46
they are the aggregation
of your own habits and omissions.
of your own habits and omissions.
123
394048
3523
06:50
Society becomes how you behave.
124
398319
2284
06:55
We are never asked to reflect
on the content of our citizenship.
on the content of our citizenship.
125
403484
4602
07:01
Most of us are never invited
to do more or to be more,
to do more or to be more,
126
409244
5700
07:06
and most of us have no idea
how much we crave that invitation.
how much we crave that invitation.
127
414968
4126
07:13
We've since created a civic seminary
128
421014
2296
07:15
to start training people from all over
to lead Civic Saturday gatherings
to lead Civic Saturday gatherings
129
423334
3769
07:19
on their own, in their own towns.
130
427127
1754
07:21
In the community of Athens, Tennessee,
131
429865
2362
07:24
a feisty leader named Whitney Kimball Coe
132
432251
2581
07:26
leads hers in an art and framing shop
133
434856
2453
07:29
with a youth choir
and lots of little flags.
and lots of little flags.
134
437333
2461
07:32
A young activist named Berto Aguayo
135
440205
2210
07:34
led his Civic Saturday on a street corner
136
442439
2445
07:36
in the Back of the Yards
neighborhood of Chicago.
neighborhood of Chicago.
137
444908
2963
07:39
Berto was once involved with gangs.
138
447895
2267
07:42
Now, he's keeping the peace
139
450186
2492
07:44
and organizing political campaigns.
140
452702
1857
07:47
In Honolulu, Rafael Bergstrom,
141
455705
2796
07:50
a former pro baseball player
turned photographer and conservationist,
turned photographer and conservationist,
142
458525
4639
07:55
leads his under the banner
"Civics IS Sexy."
"Civics IS Sexy."
143
463188
2809
07:58
It is.
144
466793
1151
07:59
(Laughter)
145
467968
2623
08:02
Sometimes I'm asked,
even by our seminarians:
even by our seminarians:
146
470615
2391
08:05
"Isn't it dangerous
to use religious language?
to use religious language?
147
473030
2924
08:07
Won't that just make our politics
even more dogmatic and self-righteous?"
even more dogmatic and self-righteous?"
148
475978
4380
08:12
But this view assumes that all religion
is fanatical fundamentalism.
is fanatical fundamentalism.
149
480382
3896
08:16
It is not.
150
484990
1150
08:18
Religion is also moral discernment,
151
486767
3834
08:22
an embrace of doubt,
152
490625
1932
08:24
a commitment to detach from self
and serve others,
and serve others,
153
492581
3513
08:28
a challenge to repair the world.
154
496118
2165
08:31
In this sense, politics could stand
to be a little more like religion,
to be a little more like religion,
155
499057
4301
08:35
not less.
156
503382
1175
08:37
Thus, my final topic today:
157
505747
2549
08:40
why civic religion matters now.
158
508320
2039
08:43
I want to offer two reasons.
159
511544
1925
08:45
One is to counter the culture
of hyperindividualism.
of hyperindividualism.
160
513493
3517
08:50
Every message we get
from every screen and surface
from every screen and surface
161
518193
3183
08:53
of the modern marketplace
162
521400
1838
08:55
is that each of us is on our own,
163
523262
1781
08:57
a free agent,
164
525067
1554
08:58
free to manage our own brands,
165
526645
2240
09:00
free to live under bridges,
166
528909
1325
09:02
free to have side hustles,
167
530941
1996
09:04
free to die alone without insurance.
168
532961
2035
09:08
Market liberalism tells us
we are masters beholden to none,
we are masters beholden to none,
169
536027
3978
09:12
but then it enslaves us
170
540029
3110
09:15
in the awful isolation
of consumerism and status anxiety.
of consumerism and status anxiety.
171
543163
3524
09:19
(Audience) Yeah!
172
547005
1182
09:20
Millions of us are on to the con now.
173
548211
3010
09:23
We are realizing now
174
551245
2979
09:26
that a free-for-all is not the same
as freedom for all.
as freedom for all.
175
554248
3505
09:29
(Applause)
176
557777
5870
09:35
What truly makes us free
is being bound to others
is being bound to others
177
563671
2737
09:38
in mutual aid and obligation,
178
566432
2084
09:40
having to work things out the best we can
in our neighborhoods and towns,
in our neighborhoods and towns,
179
568540
4377
09:44
as if our fates were entwined --
180
572941
2095
09:47
because they are --
181
575060
1386
09:48
as if we could not secede
from one another,
from one another,
182
576470
2573
09:51
because, in the end, we cannot.
183
579067
1921
09:53
Binding ourselves this way
actually liberates us.
actually liberates us.
184
581793
3357
09:57
It reveals that we are equal in dignity.
185
585640
3393
10:01
It reminds us that rights
come with responsibilities.
come with responsibilities.
186
589057
2926
10:05
It reminds us, in fact,
187
593201
1516
10:06
that rights properly understood
are responsibilities.
are responsibilities.
188
594741
4095
10:12
The second reason
why civic religion matters now
why civic religion matters now
189
600130
3112
10:15
is that it offers the healthiest
possible story of us and them.
possible story of us and them.
190
603266
4238
10:20
We talk about identity politics today
as if it were something new,
as if it were something new,
191
608536
6325
10:26
but it's not.
192
614885
2129
10:29
All politics is identity politics,
193
617038
2105
10:31
a never-ending struggle
to define who truly belongs.
to define who truly belongs.
194
619167
3458
10:35
Instead of noxious myths of blood and soil
that mark some as forever outsiders,
that mark some as forever outsiders,
195
623379
5397
10:40
civic religion offers everyone
a path to belonging
a path to belonging
196
628800
3745
10:44
based only a universal creed
of contribution, participation,
of contribution, participation,
197
632569
4705
10:49
inclusion.
198
637298
1150
10:51
In civic religion, the "us"
is those who wish to serve,
is those who wish to serve,
199
639079
4915
10:56
volunteer, vote, listen, learn,
empathize, argue better,
empathize, argue better,
200
644018
3982
11:00
circulate power rather than hoard it.
201
648024
2740
11:02
The "them" is those who don't.
202
650788
2150
11:06
It is possible to judge the them harshly,
203
654250
3150
11:09
but it isn't necessary,
204
657424
1952
11:11
for at any time, one of them
can become one of us,
can become one of us,
205
659400
4549
11:15
simply by choosing to live like a citizen.
206
663973
2658
11:19
So let's welcome them in.
207
667836
1541
11:22
Whitney and Berto and Rafael
are gifted welcomers.
are gifted welcomers.
208
670027
3616
11:26
Each has a distinctive, locally rooted way
209
674598
3094
11:29
to make faith in democracy
relatable to others.
relatable to others.
210
677716
3214
11:33
Their slang might be Appalachian
or South Side or Hawaiian.
or South Side or Hawaiian.
211
681494
3551
11:37
Their message is the same:
212
685069
1881
11:38
civic love, civic spirit,
civic responsibility.
civic responsibility.
213
686974
4087
11:44
Now you might think
that all this civic religion stuff
that all this civic religion stuff
214
692822
2573
11:47
is just for overzealous
second-generation Americans like me.
second-generation Americans like me.
215
695419
3309
11:52
But actually, it is for anyone, anywhere,
216
700045
2787
11:54
who wants to kindle the bonds of trust,
217
702856
2258
11:57
affection and joint action
218
705138
2576
11:59
needed to govern ourselves in freedom.
219
707738
1984
12:02
Now maybe Civic Saturdays aren't for you.
220
710851
2541
12:05
That's OK.
221
713416
1425
12:06
Find your own ways to foster
civic habits of the heart.
civic habits of the heart.
222
714865
3940
12:12
Many forms of beloved
civic community are thriving now,
civic community are thriving now,
223
720360
3231
12:15
in this age of awakening.
224
723615
1802
12:17
Groups like Community Organizing Japan,
225
725441
2498
12:19
which uses creative performative
rituals of storytelling
rituals of storytelling
226
727963
3326
12:23
to promote equality for women.
227
731313
2059
12:26
In Iceland, civil confirmations,
228
734075
2675
12:28
where young people are led by an elder
229
736774
1997
12:30
to learn the history
and civic traditions of their society,
and civic traditions of their society,
230
738795
3329
12:34
culminating in a rite-of-passage ceremony
231
742148
2876
12:37
akin to church confirmation.
232
745048
1563
12:39
Ben Franklin Circles in the United States,
233
747984
2430
12:42
where friends meet monthly
234
750438
1966
12:44
to discuss and reflect upon the virtues
that Franklin codified
that Franklin codified
235
752428
3565
12:48
in his autobiography,
236
756017
1910
12:49
like justice and gratitude
and forgiveness.
and forgiveness.
237
757951
3598
12:55
I know civic religion is not enough
238
763394
2485
12:57
to remedy the radical
inequities of our age.
inequities of our age.
239
765903
2626
13:01
We need power for that.
240
769022
1805
13:03
But power without character
is a cure worse than the disease.
is a cure worse than the disease.
241
771323
3785
13:08
I know civic religion alone
can't fix corrupt institutions,
can't fix corrupt institutions,
242
776393
3223
13:13
but institutional reforms
without new norms will not last.
without new norms will not last.
243
781243
4300
13:18
Culture is upstream of law.
244
786375
2120
13:20
Spirit is upstream of policy.
245
788519
2458
13:23
The soul is upstream of the state.
246
791001
2946
13:25
We cannot unpollute our politics
if we clean only downstream.
if we clean only downstream.
247
793971
4596
13:30
We must get to the source.
248
798591
1500
13:32
The source is our values,
249
800846
1761
13:35
and on the topic of values,
my advice is simple: have some.
my advice is simple: have some.
250
803752
4333
13:40
(Laughter)
251
808556
2419
13:42
(Applause)
252
810999
4505
13:47
Make sure those values are prosocial.
253
815528
2428
13:49
Put them into practice,
254
817980
1666
13:51
and do so in the company of others,
255
819670
2208
13:53
with a structure of creed,
deed and joyful ritual
deed and joyful ritual
256
821902
3818
13:57
that'll keep all of you coming back.
257
825744
1912
14:01
Those of us who believe in democracy
and believe it is still possible,
and believe it is still possible,
258
829067
3820
14:04
we have the burden of proving it.
259
832911
2327
14:07
But remember, it is no burden at all
260
835262
3137
14:10
to be in a community
where you are seen as fully human,
where you are seen as fully human,
261
838423
3346
14:13
where you have a say
in the things that affect you,
in the things that affect you,
262
841793
2424
14:16
where you don't need
to be connected to be respected.
to be connected to be respected.
263
844241
2657
14:19
That is called a blessing,
264
847884
1508
14:22
and it is available to all who believe.
265
850171
2332
14:25
Thank you.
266
853434
1151
14:26
(Applause)
267
854609
6033
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Eric Liu - Civics educatorEric Liu is founder of Citizen University, which teaches the art of powerful citizenship, and the executive director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship & American Identity Program.
Why you should listen
Eric Liu is an author, educator and civic entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Citizen University, which promotes and teaches the art of great citizenship through a portfolio of national programs, and the executive director of the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program.
Liu's books include the national bestsellers The Gardens of Democracy, and The True Patriot, co-authored with Nick Hanauer. His most recent book is A Chinaman's Chance, published in July, 2014. His first book, The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker, was a New York Times Notable Book featured in the PBS documentary "Matters of Race." His other books include Guiding Lights: How to Mentor – and Find Life's Purpose, the Official Book of National Mentoring Month; and Imagination First, co-authored with Scott Noppe-Brandon of the Lincoln Center Institute, which explores ways to unlock imagination in education, politics, business and the arts.
Liu served as a White House speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and later as the President's deputy domestic policy adviser. After the White House, he was an executive at the digital media company RealNetworks. In 2002 he was named one of the World Economic Forum’s Global Leaders of Tomorrow, and in 2010 he was awarded the Bill Grace Leadership Legacy Award by the Center for Ethical Leadership.
Liu lives in Seattle, where he teaches civic leadership at the University of Washington and hosts Citizen University TV, a television program about civic power. In addition to speaking regularly at venues across the country, he also serves on numerous nonprofit and civic boards. He is the co-founder of the Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility. A board member of the Corporation for National and Community Service, he is a graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School.
Eric Liu | Speaker | TED.com