Is Democracy good for the nervous system?

On Saturday November 7th at 1:30 PM, Meg Mott will lead an outdoor discussion on the Passions of Freedom. Voters and non-voters across the political spectrum are invited to consider the emotional costs of freedom in a constitutional democracy.

Meg Mott, professor emeritus at Emerson College, developed the Debating Our Rights series after the 2016 election. For this post-2020 election discussion, the focus will be on the political theory behind those fundamental freedoms. The first four Articles of the Constitution impede any concentration of power through a clever design known as checks and balances. How do our freedoms fit into this design?

"The Framers," explained Mott, "were aware that the experiment of self-governance could
easily be corrupted by the passions. They attached the Bill of Rights in order to allay specific fears about political power. Too much fear and no one would engage with the new democracy. Too much hope and the experiment would collapse under unrealistic expectations. Democracy requires individuals to manage their hopes and fears."

While participants will have a chance to share some of their feelings about the election, the focus will be on the habits needed to channel those feelings into democratic engagement. How can we manage our hopes and fears for the good of the country?

This discussion will be outdoors. In case of inclement weather, the event will take place on Sunday, November 8 at 1:30 pm.

The Moore Free Library is located at 23 West Street in Newfane. For more information, please contact the library at 365-7948 or moorefreelibrary.org