On Freedom: A Conversation with Timothy Snyder

As today’s guest, Timothy Snyder argues, “Freedom is the great American commitment” but we’ve lost sight of what it means. In his new book, ‘On Freedom’, the New York Times best selling author and Yale historian, digs into the concept of freedom, what it is, how it’s been misunderstood, and why upholding it our only chance for survival. “We’ll see how it goes” is not a plan. We have to DO something.

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Thank you so much! xoPG

Guest social:
Twitter: @TimothyDSnyder

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[stephanieunderland]

Everyone should read Tim's books. He is a great & thorough historian. Heed his warnings

[CassandraCassandra.]

What a delightful treat this was—thank you, Leigh!

As someone who once considered becoming a historian, I am absolutely *thrilled* to see historians like Timothy Snyder, Heather Cox Richardson (fingers crossed you’ll have her on soon!), and Anne Applebaum getting the recognition they deserve! During my university years, it always felt like the English Department was the star of the show, so I feel somewhat vindicated by this newfound attention on historians. It's particularly important given the shrinking size of history departments and the challenges in history education overall.

This aligns beautifully with the positive vision of freedom that Professor Snyder discusses in his book—the freedom to explore whatever quirky passion drives us, rather than being pushed solely towards STEM fields that offer financial security. Without a supportive structures and institutions that the government creates and maintains so that freedom could flourish, our understanding of the past will inevitably be incomplete.

PS: enjoying “A Return To Common Sense” - thank you!

[PamelaC]

Brilliant interview, thanks very much to you both.

[Mabelinini]

What a wonderful conversation. Thank both of you.

[Angels-xist]

“It’s not just the absence of Democracy or an attack on the American constitution, but the presence of an alternative model, which is entirely possible if we don’t recognize it”

These models do not include the future of a Democratic America. Timothy is a great guest and they both have a good understanding of the history and connecting the geopolitical dots around the rise of fascism, autocracy, theocracy and strongmen etc. It’s important to understand the connections and what’s possible in both good and bad terms and that if we do not act on or recognize and counter these problems as they are happening the impacts will be and already are global with the potential to upend every system which holds this and many countries together while we are in a landscape of more war, tyranny, death and human atrocity than we have seen on this planet in a long time. The question is whether we see whats happening and whether we want to be part of pulling the world and ourselves back into a state of peace or whether we want to be part of these ‘alternative’ models, even by just ignoring them. My opinion is that if we value any life, even if it’s just our own we would not want to be part of these alternative models and can’t afford to ignore their potential rise. I also really like the bit from 28:00 to 30:24 highlighting the hopeful side, which is very important.

For anyone who wants to get a better sense of what’s going on and what’s happened spanning centuries of geopolitical events to present day, a good start would be Leigh McGowans book - ‘A Return to Common Sense: How to Fix America Before we Really blow it’. Or by checking out pretty much any of Timothy Snyders books (several of which can be found in audiobook form here on youtube for free) such as - ‘On Freedom’, ‘On Tyranny’, ‘Bloodlands’, ‘The Road to Unfreedom’, or ‘Black Earth’

Learn. Vote. Speak. Act. And remember there is hope and a future. We create it together.

[cats-for-this-life]

I'm already teaching my 4 year old granddaughter. She'll either look at it as a continuity movement or a resistance movement. It's really heavy.

[toi_techno]

I hope the Dems are listening to Snyder
He should be sitting on on all of their strategy meetings as they struggle against this rising fascism

[kevingates]

Shout out a professor Marshall Poe who forced my class to read bloodlands by tim in 2010, I’ve been a huge fan of Snyder ever since

[toi_techno]

FIRST THEY CAME By Martin Niemöller
First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist Then they came for the Socialists And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

[LauraBethDonna]

That was a sweet interview. I watch most of Tim's public addresses, and your concurrent work and thinking along the same "freedom as positive" lines opened up some vistas here, and gave him a chance to really enjoy the thought of upside potential here if we each do the right things.

[susha]

I'm so glad to hear this from Timothy. Also, he's got a great interview with Tim Miller at The Bulwark

[randallsmith]

Freedom's a verb& not a noun.

[ianblake]

His book Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin is a must read.

[peterh]

Excellent video.

I am not optimistic: a big reason we are here is lack of voter education. Half the US voter population votes Republican and I just don't see how that can be overcome.

[trinidadscorpion]

Trump has to be in violation of his release bonds. Arrest his sorry ass.

[MichaelJones-ekvx]

On the face of it, it is absurd to think that this country was founded for Christians. The founders almost to a man, were deist. They were products of "the enlightenment" . Being a Unitarian universalist, I'm very familiar with this story. Our church was founded by the same people that formed the founding fathers ideas. Inclusion, no original sin, and humanism were the founding ideas. They were culture specific in their execution thus, We had to reformulate them for our evolving ideas about who was entitled to be a full citizen, but, the founders provided a vigorous and sturdy document to work with.

[Zetirix]

According to his words, he was going to rework the border priorities to ensure a lower amount of crossings, and to push for more federal leases for drilling. That's it.

And you're a fool to think government officials aren't "party loyal" already.

[stevencottonwood]

FOXTROT/DELTA/JERICHO/TANGO
💙💀💙💀💙💀💙💀💙💀💙💀💙

[Griftless-jg]

As we strive for our own personal freedom the government must protect that freedom within the limitations to not allow it to infringe upon another's. Laws are passed and deliberated on limits. From murder to shoplifting, traffic to slavery, or drugs to child abuse... these are examples of your freedom to do what you want are balanced against everyone else's freedom. No government no rules or protections just Anarchy.

[hamzaabdel-Y]

Can someone please tell me who's the author they were talking about in 36:02 ? Thank you