KHA Political Advocacy and Grassroots Breakfast (Ticket Required)
Purposeful Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing: How to Foster Real Civic Engagement for Stronger Communities and a Healthier DemocracyPete Davis
With no shortage of streaming platforms, dating apps and job sites, it's easy to feel like we should always be browsing, swiping and holding out for the next best opportunity. But Pete Davis calls for a radical alternative: Dedication. Committing to "the slow but necessary work of turning visions into projects, values into practices and strangers into neighbors" provides an antidote to the loneliness so pervasive in America today. This kind of purposeful commitment pushes back against a consumer culture of instant gratification, which has taught Americans to take more than they give, and whose empty promises have hollowed out a deeper sense of belonging.
In this talk, Pete Davis uses examples from his own civic projects and research from his book, Dedicated and documentary, Join or Die, to demonstrate how commitment fosters community and enhances civic engagement—and, in turn, our democracy.
Speaker Biography
Pete Davis is a writer and civic advocate focused on strengthening American democracy and community life. He is the co-founder of the Democracy Policy Network and co-producer of the award-winning documentary Join or Die, which explores civic decline and the future of democracy. His book, Dedicated: The Case for Commitment in an Age of Infinite Browsing, is based on his viral Harvard Law School commencement speech, Champions, the Power of Long-Term Commitment.
Davis also co-founded Getaway, a company that offers tech-free escapes to nature, and authored How to Get Away, a book on finding balance in a hyper-connected world. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, Fast Company and America Magazine.