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Together, we research and break down complex, and even controversial, topics facing our society. Our goal isn’t to convince you to see things our way. We want to build a foundational understanding of these complicated topics so that we can address them together. We talk about some pretty heavy stuff on this show, and we tackle topics that might feel polarizing. But we do that because we have an important goal in mind: We want to change the way people have hard conversations. And, we think we can do that using research and discussion to create common understanding. And, since you’re here, we hope you want the same thing. So we suggest getting comfortable, and maybe having a good drink on hand as we work through this stuff. Welcome to our fireside.
Episodes
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Fun things happening around here this week! We're moving to a weekly episode, which means we can bring you more great content! This week, we're talking about why Representation matters, and how important it is for us to see ourselves (our race, our gender identity, our core identities) reflected in the world around us.
Though there are a lot of different groups we could discuss, we're choosing to focus on:
- Representation of/for women
- Representation of/for people of color
- Representation of/for those with LGBTQ identities
- Representation of/for those living with disabilities
You can listen to the PBS NewsHour Clip referenced in the podcast here: Why on-screen representation matters, according to these teens | PBS NewsHour
Image credit: Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash
So, grab a drink and get comfy! Welcome to our fireside!
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Monday Nov 23, 2020
This week we’re taking on the timely topic of Presidential Transitions. With all the talk of task forces and transition budgets, we wondered what exactly happens in the 2 months between the election and inauguration day. Why is it taking so long for the General Services Administration to release the transition budget? Have there ever been messy presidential transitions before? Turns out, there’s a lot happening there. So, grab a drink and get ready to learn some stuff!
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Monday Nov 09, 2020
This week, we're taking a break from our usual deep dive format to answer some of the questions we've been asked about the outcomes of Election2020.
Recorded on Nov 5, 2020 this episode answers questions like: What happens if no one earns 270 Electoral Votes? Is there any legal reason not to count votes that arrive after election day? And, is there really evidence of fraud in the battleground states?
Oh, and we rant a little too. Because that's what we do.
Photo Credit: Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Seeing as how the 2020 election is right around the corner, we thought we’d be of service to the American people by breaking down the Electoral College in this episode. This behind-the-scenes process has a long and interesting history in American elections, and elections in the past 20 years have raised some serious questions about its continued value here.
In this episode, we're breaking down it's history, how it works, and some of the reasons folks do and don't love it. We'll also talk a bit about the most prominent alternative - Direct Election.
Welcome to our fireside.
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Monday Oct 12, 2020
Are you Ready for the Big Luau? This time, we’re learning all about The Boogaloo Movement. Turns out, neither Jon or Robin knew much about The Big Igloo, so we decided to dig in and see what we could find! What we found was...interesting (thanks, Internet). Tune-in to episode 8 to learn all about the history, values and beliefs... and attempted revolutions of The Boogaloos.
If you find this episode compelling, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen on. This link can walk you through the steps:
www.ratethispodcast.com/fireside
Every positive like and review helps new listeners find the show, and the more people that listen, the better off our country will be.
If you have a question or comment, you can also find the show on Facebook by searching Fireside Breakdowns, or send an email to firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com. They'd love to hear from you.
Monday Sep 28, 2020
Monday Sep 28, 2020
What exactly is Affirmative Action? Is it really all about quotas and preferential treatment? Do all companies have to have Affirmative Action Plans?
Jon and Robin take on this hot topic, and examine what the research says, in their first listener-requested episode.
Monday Sep 14, 2020
Monday Sep 14, 2020
This time, Robin and Jon are capping off the series on Systemic Racism by addressing arguments against the idea that Systemic Racism is - in fact - a thing, and looking at some of the counter theories presented by those who stand in opposition. Using feedback from real-live people and research (as always) to guide the discussion, they set aside their own biases and examine the points folks make about America being a meritocracy, about Systemic Racism being a myth invented by the media, about the core of the problem being a “few bad apples” (pun intended), and about wealth being the “real” issue rather than race. This one’s a deep dive, and there are some strong feelings presented here. So, hang on to your hats.
If you found this episode compelling, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen on. This link can walk you through the steps:
www.ratethispodcast.com/fireside
Every positive like and review helps new listeners find the show, and the more people that listen, the better off our country will be.
If you have a question or comment, you can also find the show on Facebook by searching Fireside Breakdowns, or send an email to firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com. They'd love to hear from you.
Photo Credit: Maria Teneva on Unsplash
Monday Aug 31, 2020
Monday Aug 31, 2020
After a whirlwind couple of weeks, Robin and Jon dive back in to the complex world of systemic racism. This session focuses on how systemic racism in healthcare developed, and how it impacts people today. It's another big episode. Fair warning: some of the information in this session is pretty rough. If you want to understand how this crucial part of every American's life is not quite set up to work for every American, this is a good place to start.
If you found this episode compelling, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen on. This link can walk you through the steps:
www.ratethispodcast.com/fireside
Every positive like and review helps new listeners find the show, and the more people that listen, the better off our country will be.
If you have a question or comment, you can also find the show on Facebook by searching Fireside Breakdowns, or send an email to firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com. They'd love to hear from you.
Image credit: Ashkan Forouzani on Unsplash
Monday Aug 17, 2020
Monday Aug 17, 2020
This week Robin and Jon take a break from discussing systemic racism to address an issue making headlines every day: voting by mail. This topic is incredibly important in the face of the global pandemic. There's so much information (and disinformation) floating around that it can be hard to figure out what is true and what is... colorful exaggeration.
So, in order to clear the air a bit, this breakdown covers the history of mail in voting, then talks about some arguments for and against the practice. You can decide which method you prefer to get in your vote; hopefully this will allow you to make a more informed decision.
As always, if you enjoy this episode, please leave a review on whatever platform you listen on. This link can walk you through the steps:
www.ratethispodcast.com/fireside
Every like and review helps new listeners find the show.
If you have a question or comment, you can also find the show on Facebook by searching Fireside Breakdowns, or send an email to firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com.
Monday Aug 03, 2020
Monday Aug 03, 2020
This week, Jon and Robin are taking a closer look at systemic racism in education. There was SO MUCH INFORMATION to cover! Too much, really. But this episode gives listeners some insight into the racist ideas that informed explicitly racist education systems, what those explicitly racist systems looked like, and how systemic racism impacts education today. There's also some talk about outcomes for students of color, a few rants, and even some good news at the end.
All our shownotes and sources are available on Podbean and Facebook (Fireside Breakdowns).
If you'd leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform, we'd be so grateful.
And, if you want to get in touch, find us at firesidebreakdowns@gmail.com