[Genuine Realist]

Not Covid-related, but politically neutral: An episode of the podcast, Hidden Brain (brought to you by Stanford alumnus Shankar Vedantam), provides some insight into why it is so difficult to reach compromises.  This episode is somewhat slow to get to the heart of the matter, but it discusses how, when so many issues are viewed as absolute and of great moral significance, compromise is anathema.

https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/moral-combat/

What isn't explored is why this is so much more of a problem than in years past -- say, pre-Obama.

Getting back to the topic, I have to note that any survey of nations in which Lichtenstein finishes first - other than good places to set an operetta - has to be a little suspect.

[Genuine Realist]

Not Covid-related, but politically neutral: An episode of the podcast, Hidden Brain (brought to you by Stanford alumnus Shankar Vedantam), provides some insight into why it is so difficult to reach compromises.  This episode is somewhat slow to get to the heart of the matter, but it discusses how, when so many issues are viewed as absolute and of great moral significance, compromise is anathema.

https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/moral-combat/

What isn't explored is why this is so much more of a problem than in years past -- say, pre-Obama.

Getting back to the topic, I have to note that any survey of nations in which Lichtenstein finishes first - other than good places to set an operetta - has to be a little suspect.