Politics Archives – Integral Life

The New War on the First Amendment: Words as Violence, Jokes as Crimes

Keith Martin-Smith — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 18:54:20 +0000

Keith Martin-Smith tackles America's free speech crisis in the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination—examining how both left and right have abandoned principled commitments to the First Amendment in favor of tribal speech enforcement.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

When Democracy Eats Itself: Navigating the Politics of Confusion

Mark Edwards — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 00:27:28 +0000

Mark Edwards and Bruce Alderman explore Jean-Pierre Faye's "Horseshoe Theory," which reveals that political extremes curve toward each other when they abandon democratic norms, explaining why some voters support both Trump and AOC as anti-establishment alternatives. The discussion introduces meta-theoretical tools including Roy Bhaskar's concept of "demi-reality," Bruno Latour's analysis of "modal confusion," and the possibility of "post-conventional coalitions" that transcend left-right polarization while maintaining democratic integrity.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Making Sense of the New Right

David Storey — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 21:27:51 +0000

What happens when an entire political movement loses its center of gravity and fragments into conspiracy theories, tech libertarianism, and religious separatism? Philosopher David Storey uses Integral Theory to map the post-Trump American Right and explore whether a truly developmental conservatism might emerge from the chaos.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

The End of America? How the Founders’ Genius Is Breaking Down (And What We Can Do About It)

Keith Martin-Smith — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 18:34:55 +0000

Can America still save itself — or is collapse inevitable? Drawing lessons from history, developmental psychology, and the meta-crisis, Keith explores why systems built on “enlightened self-interest” are faltering… and what kind of leadership could restore the balance.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Integral Democratic Inclusivity: A New Vision of Human Rights

Mark Fischler — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 17:52:04 +0000

Law professor and integral scholar Mark Fischler argues that American courts remain trapped in a binary approach to rights — a structure that cannot meet the complexity of today’s pluralistic society. Drawing on the example of Roe v. Wade, comparative legal models, and integral theory, he proposes a new legal paradigm — Integral Democratic Inclusivity — capable of honoring multiple rights and fostering a more inclusive, evolving vision of justice.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Becoming Whole in a Divided World

Keith Martin-Smith — Fri, 30 May 2025 06:37:05 +0000

In this thought-provoking episode of Integral Edge, Keith Martin-Smith sits down with executive coach and consciousness explorer David Arrell to explore what it truly means to become whole, both personally and collectively, amid ongoing division and conflict.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Why Philanthropy Is the Most Powerful Lever for Systemic Change

Josh Leonard — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 18:39:49 +0000

This episode introduces a groundbreaking developmental map of philanthropy, revealing how the field is evolving from strategic rigor to empowerment-driven justice — and now toward a new paradigm of integrative systems change. Josh Leonard and Robb Smith explore how philanthropic institutions hold the unique freedom and leverage to become civilization’s steering mechanism, capable of addressing root causes rather than symptoms in the age of the metacrisis.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

How Can DEI Survive? (And Should It?)

Keith Martin-Smith — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:54:21 +0000

Keith Martin-Smith offers a bold, developmental critique of modern DEI, tracing its evolution from fairness-based policy to postmodern orthodoxy. He explores how inclusion can become exclusion when empathy gives way to ideology—and outlines how DEI might survive by embracing complexity, dissent, and shared humanity.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

Terminal Crisis: The Economic World War Has Begun

Robb Smith — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:14:48 +0000

The global system isn’t collapsing — it’s transforming. In this urgent episode, Robb Smith reveals why the U.S. is facing a historic terminal crisis, what comes next in the 700-year cycle of capital accumulation, and how a new world order — or global anarchy — is already taking shape.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.

The Shadow of Trump

Kim Barta — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:54:50 +0000

Psychotherapist and developmental theorist Kim Barta joins Keith Martin-Smith for a deep dive into the psychological and developmental dynamics surrounding one of the most polarizing figures of our time: Donald Trump.

This post was originally published on Integral Life.