Brad Kershner - How Education can Heal a Sick Society

Brad Kershner is an educator, independent scholar, and Head of School at Kimberton Waldorf School. He is also the co-founder of a meta-political think tank - The Reconstitution Project - and is the author of the book "Understanding Educational Complexity: Integrating Practices and Perspectives for 21st Century Leadership". In addition to his work in education, Brad works in collaboration with thought leaders and spiritual teachers from around the world who are engaged in developing wisdom-based responses to planetary problems. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore the Waldorf approach to education, child development, the negative impacts of social media, politics and polarization, artificial intelligence, and the role of contemplative practice in wisdom cultivation. 

🔗[Links & resources] 🔗

• Subscribe to Brad’s Substack
• Listen to Brad’s lectures on YouTube
• Connect with Brad on Twitter
• Kimberton Waldorf School
• Waldorf education
• Rudolf Steiner
• The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Taking Children Seriously
• Aaron Stupple & Naval Ravikant on Tim Ferris
• The Sovereign Child by Aaron Stupple
• The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley
• Iain McGilchrist
• TESCREAL

📝[Show Notes] 📝

0:00 - Intro 
2:05 - Becoming an educator and the Waldorf approach to education 
7:47 - Fundamental principles of child development 
17:52 - Emotions & mental health in young people 
24:36 - Haidt’s research on the negative impact social media is having on children 
26:39 - Debating the parenting approach of Taking Children Seriously 
35:22 - Reflecting on navigating screen time in children via “The Sovereign Child” by Aaron Stupple  
49:14 - Before you can help children solve a problem you need to understand it 
55:27 - Meta-crisis sensemaking and the limits of rational optimism 
59:25 - Navigating politics & polarization 
1:17:40 - Developing a wise relationship with technology & artificial intelligence 
1:22:49 - Beyond the Tescreal Worldview: Integrating Wisdom & power
1:30:12 - The big questions and disagreements in the metamodern & liminal spaces 
1:36:49 - Why materialism is a less true view than idealism 
1:40:53 - Flipping what we think we can and cannot know 
1:44:20 -The role of meditation & contemplation
1:49:50 - The importance of emphasizing meditation early in life 
1:53:27 - Connect to Brad’s work

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