George Packer on Patriotism, Democratic Values, and Turning to Fiction

In this candid and searching conversation, George Packer wrestles with what it means to be a patriot in a fractured nation, and Ted presses him on whether shared facts or shared values will really unite us. George distinguishes between love of country and nationalism, and acknowledges a fading empathy for those he feels have betrayed democracy. Drawing on his newly published novel, The Emergency, he describes turning to fiction to reach the deeper truths that journalism could not.

Find his work at theatlantic.com/author/george-packer

For more, visit goodcitizenpodcast.com.

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Good Citizen is hosted by Ted Roosevelt V and produced by The Future of StoryTelling in collaboration with Charts & Leisure, on behalf of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation. Learn more about T.R.’s upcoming presidential library at www.trlibrary.com.

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Future of StoryTelling

Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher

Director, Carolyn Merriman

Producer, Alison Byrne

Assistant Producer, Madison Brown

Production Assistant, Tsuki Carlson

Charts & Leisure

Executive Producer, Jason Oberholtzer

Producer, Meghal Janardan

Editor, Garrett Crowe

Mix, Andrew Atkin

Music and Final Assembly, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Paul Jackson, Edward F. O’Keefe, Robbie Lauf, Courtland Miller, and Matt Briney.