BTW, our education system has become increasingly lacking for decades, therefore we need people like Jon to teach.

What a relief from the current plethora of hysterics and screamers. I love how calm and concise he is in his describing, explaining, and gentle teaching.

Great interview with one of America's great historians. Calm, rational and extremely knowledgeable.

@victorianorton8972

Жыл бұрын

Uuuu😊uu

@victorianorton8972

Жыл бұрын

I’m u

I know this is 2 years old but it's timeless. What a great way to wake up. Thanks John.

The deep and thoughtful insight of some of our current historians is so valuable. More people need to shut up, take a deep breath, and listen. We can be better and we must always strive to be.

@garygiles9182

Жыл бұрын

1q11111q we 1q

Jon Meacham A National Treasure

Rational reason and intellect is not extinct - yet. Bless you, Jon Meacham 😃

@andrewscott9610

2 жыл бұрын

I second, that!!!!

Jon Meacham's thought leadership is always a pleasure. That this interview was recorded in March 2019 without the experience, perspective and reflection of all that we have endured and learned as of January 2023, makes the second and third installments all the more compelling. Looking forward to his evolving analysis and observations.

Excellent interview with one of Americas foremost and articulate historians.

Love John Meacham. 🙏🏾

Thank you for making this content available on KZread

Many of the ideals in the New Testament "amounts to socialism" and in fact lifesaving programs like Social Security and food stamps come out of the belief in God and in a view of Christian values, that not like Strom Thurmond, does not discriminate against or for poor people based on race. Henry Wallace invented the food stamp program, also developing a hybrid of corn that is used worldwide to feed millions. Thank you for this, KFF and Jon Meacham, treasures of the US.

Sheer profundity here, well-spoken in the grand legacy of common sense, pursuit of happiness and striving toward universal justice.

Meacham's comment on nostalgia being a powerful force, and that things were better in past times, brings to mind another thought... Memory Lane is not a well-lit road....

@lindahochstatter5527

2 жыл бұрын

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I want Jon Meacham to be president! He would bring so much to the country. He is brilliant and compassionate.

@marcellesmith6432

4 ай бұрын

I wish we had him for President!

@user-zb7gf3um7t

4 ай бұрын

Me too. But, he would never do so. He is a humble man, and not an egomaniac. It would be amazing if we could have a president like him. Obama came closest in his intelligent, well spoken calm, but Meacham is a national treasure.

Historian. Philosopher. Educator. Optimist. Inspiring. Add to all that, a voice I could listen to all day long-- thanks Jon Meacham. You've got an admirer from the Great White North.

@tammyburke9453

5 ай бұрын

i have listensed to this many times, testament to its heft. Jons voice, choice of words, format here is so smooth Ive gone to sleep by it 😊

Jon Meacham, THANK YOU for lifting my spirits up, time after time! I listen to your talks, read your books, hunger for your wisdom... I’ve traveled the world, was schooled at some of the finest schools, best teachers, mentored by legends, but I’ve needed my Meacham perspective talks to keep me going. Thank you always Mr. Jon Meacham.🙏📜

Thank you for FINALLY MAKING AMERICANS KNOW a when they finally got into the 2WW. I’m so sick of there chest pounding.

Excellent discussion 🕊🇺🇸

Smart and nuanced. As rare as a solid gold unicorn nowadays.

We need more like him

John does a great job as always in storytelling. At @33.03 he talks beautifully of the founders understanding of the Presidency but of course he realizes that in the 1790's none of the founders could predict what the role of the U.S in world affairs would become.

@mbords01

Жыл бұрын

I am novice in, yet I do like to listen to anything about American History.

Jon makes most politicians seem so empty and devoid of character. Sad but true.

Very incredible interview.

We, as Americans who (enjoy our freedom(s) that we literally thoughtlessly take for granted - have a duty to attempt to guide our world in our time - toward the light of that freedom. Who says we have an exclusive right to it? If others require help in achieving it, then we are bound to help them. For what is the alternative? Tyranny!

The most important point that Jon Meacham consistently makes is that America has always been uniquely complicated in a way that precludes the brand of national unity other countries may have had. We never came together. Over anything. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. He drove this home in his recent book on Lincoln, And There Was Light. The book isn't really about Lincoln. Its focus is the discourse of the time. It makes today's divisions, largely manufactured, seem trivial. And yet we came through that. Partially. We continue to try to come through that.

I am not an American. I was posted from the U.K. to America, job reasons. I lived and worked there for a few years. Some things I admired, some things I hated, some things were plain crazy. It appeared to me that the majority lived in fear and suspicion of the elected government. The gun mentality I sort of understood. Except for the bit which persuaded many Americans that the possession of a gun was the last bastion between the freedom of the individual and a tyrannical government. That appeared to me as psychotic.

@Texasguy316

Жыл бұрын

You get 100 million people who each own multiple guns. And a ton of those folks are in our military, law enforcement and government. If the government ever wanted to overrule us like Russias, Chinas or any of the sorts. They’ll never be able to. We have the man power and a lot of those who work for our government would leave it for our sakes. And therefore they’d become even weaker. So our gun owning selves is not psychotic. It’s very reasonable and cautious against past civilizations mistakes. Even if they look and feel far away. It’ll happen.

@tomarmstrong1281

Жыл бұрын

@@Texasguy316 Simply on nothing more than the logistics. How would a bunch of untrained civilians fare with a bunch of rifles and ammo from Uncle Joes Gun Shop match up against one Bradley? The M2/M3's primary armament is a 25 mm chain gun using either 100 or 300 rounds per minute, accurate to 3,000 m (approximately two miles). It is armed with a TOW missile[a] launcher capable of carrying two loaded missiles. The missiles, capable of destroying most tanks to a maximum range of 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), can only be fired while the vehicle is stationary. The Bradley carries a coaxial 7.62 mm medium machine gun to the right of the 25 mm chain gun? You make yourself sound silly, and would have to be psychologically impaired not to appreciate the fact.

@alicehardy9094

2 ай бұрын

As an observer, avid reader & lifelong learner, it occurs to me that you might have been transferred to an urban/metropolitan area. I grew up in a rural area in the northwest. We were lower middle class, some might call us poor. However, I was never aware of the fear of which you speak nor of the hunger for guns. I knew only people with hunting rifles. While I am becoming fearful about the MAGA and other hard right attitudes, I hope you don't judge all of us on your experience. Thanks for taking the time to listen to Jon Meacham and also to reply.

@janedarc7731

Ай бұрын

@@alicehardy9094 Your take is (respectfully) kinda funny to me. I too would consider myself an observer, avid reader & lifelong learner, and I would’ve assumed that this commenter was transferred somewhere rural, perhaps in the Midwest. Because I’ve lived in NYC for over 50 years and I don’t think I’ve come across more than 4 people, in all that time, that own a gun. And even then, we’re talking about 1 hand gun. I also lived in Boston for about 6 years, and I knew nobody there that owned a gun. I mean, sure, of course criminals probably own guns, in both these cities, but not so much regular law abiding citizens. And let’s face it, criminals are by no means partial to big cities. As far as the fear thing goes, I can’t relate to that either; there’s not much appetite for fear in NYC, because we find it so distasteful. lol. However, like you, it saddens me that this commenter apparently ended up surrounded by some of the worst of us. But it’s a really big country, with far more great people than baddies; hopefully they’ll visit us again and have better luck. And lastly, Jon Meacham is a national treasure!😊

@janedarc7731

Ай бұрын

@@tomarmstrong1281 100%! What exactly do they think will happen, when Meal Team 6, the Gravy Seals and the Mayonnaise Militia come face to face with Reaper drones, carrying Hellfire missiles?💥🤯😆

I need to express my continued admiration for you, Jon Meacham, for your calm, intelligent insight into America. I wish a majority of people were more like you than not. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

11:46 "I'm in more need of amendment and adjustment..." SO HUMBLING AND SO TRUE. We are ALL in more need of amendment and adjustment. Because Trump and the GOP refuse to admit that, it will lead them to their doom.

What an awesome thinker.

Excellent and informative. Thank you!

Mr. Meacham, I applaud you!

Thank you! Your historical insight has always been greatly appreciated. Just syk, I'm a sr. & a veteran ~

Wonderful.

There are so many wonderful places to live in this world, not one of them is in America.

The nobility of America’s involvement in WW2 was less in joining the war than in rebuilding Japan and Germany and other parts of Europe.

Reason vs. Passion (thank you)

A commercial interrupts every question just before the answer of given, which disorients the viewer. It lowers the quality of the overall experience.

@lifestoriesinterviews

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the feedback - we're looking into this.

I am in analysis of myself. I am Canadian.not really familiar with true American way,honestly sitting back in love. This guy is very smart. I really like the smoke and coke. Ido the smoke and coca cola, too. The smoke and coke. Have tried to quit several times. Think I have been hooked since womb. My father, real heavy smoker. But anyway, thanks. Educational. Xo

Jon Meacham is a great historian and he raises an interesting point in discussing the extreme political nature of the country right now: ''What should people who hate Donald Trump think if he were right about something?'' Here is where a great thinker like Meacham goes astray in his attempt to be objective. It is not that those who call ourselves haven't tried to shake hands with conservatives. We applauded President Nixon when he created the EPA and when he tried diplomacy with the Soviet Union and Communist China. We had a better chance for worl safety because of those movies. When 9/11 happened, many of us backed President Bush. But the seeds of extremism had already been set in the Republican Party going back to Joe McCarthy with HIS witch-hunt. Nixon had his extremist side with his ''Southern Strategy'' for packing the Supreme Court with extreme anti-liberal Justices. President Reagan ignored AIDS for the first six years of his administration. When he finally appointed an AID Commission, it was made up of Reagan campaign donors, not doctors or scientists. At the time, we were told, ''We're not interested in Solving this disease. We just want to know how many beds we need.'' No meds, just beds+. To the credit of Presidents Bush, there WAS effort on AIDS, but that many of us are alive today is due to the work during President Clinton's administration. But let's skip ahead to President Trump. What did he ever do to make us think he was President of all Americans? He aimed for distrust of all brown and black-skinned people in the same way Hitler excoriated Jews. He cozied up to neo-Nazis and praised Vladimir Putin. He considers John McCain a coward. Anyone who served in the military was a ''sucker'' and a ''loser.''I respect you, Prof. Meacham, but we Progressives didn't create this nation's discord. All one has to do is look at the extremism of the current GOP.

I truly enjoyed your commentary on US history, past and present. It was balanced and insightful and often extremely erudite… right up until the end when your entire dialogue took a hard turn to the left with a barely disguised jibe at Donald Trump. To make my personal motivations clear, my purpose of voting for him was not out of blind devotion to him as with some others, but simply because I realized that the massive crimes and misdemeanors of Hillary Clinton simply could not continue. Her warlike stance toward so many countries, along with her blatant abuses and apparent collusion with the FBI quickly brought her own election chances to an abrupt end, which never rose from the ashes of her past. In relation to Trump, I have taken an intense interest of the precise “whys” and “wherefores” for the vast popularity of this populist candidate, as well as the simultaneous hatred by seemingly everyone on Capitol Hill, and they are as follows: 1) First and foremost, Donald Trump was NOT a politician, he was a BUSINESSMAN, an avowed outsider. Meaning, his was not used to compromise, which obviously terrified nearly every member in Congress. The “Old Guard” have an unflattering term for a man like this, “a loose cannon,” one who refuses to be kowtowed by the ambitions of those occupying power, and Trump certainly qualified. 2) Trump was clearly more interested in RESULTS over APPEARANCE, which is no doubt why he adopted his signature “bull in a china shop” attitude that offended many, and continues to. He was clearly against a pro-war stance against Russia, believing that it was a far more productive option to do business with them than enter into a “no-win” war with them, which under the leadership of Joe Biden has done exactly that, a US-led NATO proxy war that only enriches the corrupt Ukraine hierarchy and wealthy arms manufacturers, worldwide. In addition to ending your heretofore balanced commentary as a thinly-veiled sledgehammer against Trump, you simultaneously DEIFIED the of tenure of Barack Obama, whose only actual accomplishments amounted to the bombing of thousands of innocent men, women, and children in Syria (which curiously won him The Nobel Peace Prize and a million dollar prize with which to purchase a second luxury home on Martha's Vineyard ), his direct enrichment of the entire health insurance industry, while never accomplishing a single positive thing for his own people (witness the impoverishment of the black citizens of Chicago, the actual city of his birth). If these errors in your commentary weren't egregious enough, while you vigorously condemned Trump, you never even mentioned the federal crimes of Joe Biden and his criminally complicit son. Curious, indeed. 3) You named “Twitter,” the most popular online forum on earth, as the primary source of so many of our current problems, when in fact the internet remains that last bastion of free and unfettered dialogue left to the average American. I believe in the sanctity of the First Amendment, the right to Free Speech. Apparently, and to your detriment, you do not. Whenever anyone seeks to abridge these fundamental rights, you are standing on perilous ground. In fact, so abundant are these abuses against our essential civil rights, *it would be a miracle of Biblical dimensions if this post even remains up.*

So now that this is 2 years old. Do you think we've restarted the conversation between the new deal and Reagan omics?

For future interviews, having the question read would make this a better interview to follow. It’s not a visual interview, so having to pay attention here and there is a bit cumbersome

@ivandaly3679

3 жыл бұрын

You should pay attention ALL the time

@veritas6335

Жыл бұрын

Many of us listen to these KZread talks and lectures in the dark, with eyes closed. The silent written titles/questions are useless and a poorly conceived notion.

@mljones655

11 ай бұрын

​@veritas6335 This was originally a TV series, meant to be watched.

That 500 people have found this video remarkable is shocking.

@dross24MA

Жыл бұрын

Why is it shocking? Because it is too few? With all the screamers out there, it is surprising to me that more people are not commenting in a like manner.

22:09 Do watch it.

"George H. W. Bush thought Arsenial Hall was a building at Yale." Lol. I love Jon Meacham's dry wit.

Where you get your wording?

Motions!,.and su cessations! hank you!

Oliver Wendell Holmes famously said Roosevelt had "A first-class temperament, but a second-class intellect." Not a their class intellect If I remember correctly from Jeffery C Ward's book "A First Class Temperament". A really great book on FDR.

Deep, thoughtful, eye-opening. Yet still lacking and the shining example of just how disconnected from godliness (and humanity) the European is. Out of all the communities of humans, this one - the one with the least experience, like a child - is the dominant cultu. We Are Damn!

Acceptance of politician's imperfections has limits. Donald Trump is not imperfect he is toxic. We are not past the poison of Trump or of Trumpism. i wouldn't say that America will not survive the back-up of poisonous politics; but we have not survived it yet. There is much work to do.

Very important to read history. WW 2 we imposed sanctions on Japanese triggering PH

We go from newt gingrich to mitchell mcconnell to kevin mccarthy

@pjpredhomme7699

Жыл бұрын

Not really - Gingrich really substantially changed the way the government worked (or didn't more appropriately ) he turned it into an existential blood sport . Mcconnell is the prototypical backroom power dealer and Kevin Mccarthy - is just a turd leftover in the punchbowl

I love this guy. Hes legit national treasure. Although, i fear his repeated, " its been worse we've been here b4, " instances that he keeps using that are comparable to the Insurrection where 5-10 ppl throughout the country stopped a constitutional crisis in 2020 being 40, 50, 60 or more yrs ago doesn't help in getting ppl to take seriously whats happening right now with the 2o23 version of The Confederacy, The REPUBLICAN PARTY and their intentions for this country.

We want real America back vote out trump GOP

We need an "Immigrants" [Reparations] and a "Hate Crimes" bill

The one and only value I have taken from the Trump experience is that he has made us stop taking our Democracy for granted.

"Jon Meachem groks America!" - Robert A. Heinlein

@veritas6335

Жыл бұрын

What?

We always think of apartheid as an anti black measure it was an anti colours measure. When ghandi fought in south africa it wasnt for the blacks.

Hope is bad. Fear is bad.

@A331yt

Жыл бұрын

Huh?

@williamhedrick5950

Жыл бұрын

Foo BallJesus has spoken.

I love Jon.

Definitely not the most ancient form of government. The elected form of government is not the most ancient! At least not the way elected has become, or of general voting. There has been many higher forms of chosen leaderships.

The hard part about an appeal to reason is that it doesn't acknowledge our own frailty. For example, if I read pseudohistories, I have no training as a historian at all to dissect those terrible arguments, and so if I were to mistakenly appeal to reason, I'd fall for all of these crackpot theories. So much pseudoscience is being peddled by people telling you to do your own research. I do not think this is a question of ability, but time. Surely, I could build up a parallel knowledge base of human history and train to become a historian... but I've got other things to do. It is far easier to just go with the majority and listen to the people with fancy history degrees. Are they always right? No. Is an appeal to authority a valid form of argument? No. Is it useful anyways as a shortcut in daily life? Yes. It's a rather dangerous argument to make, the argument against reason itself as first made by Scott Alexander as he calls it "epistemic-learned-helplessness". But I would call it humility instead. There are certain things that we should recognize we're bad at reasoning because at present, we don't have the tools or knowledge; and we should make the trade off of whether to spend *months* (because that is how long it takes to become an expert in something; look at video game developers or actors trying to learn a subject really quick) trying to learn a subject, or to just go with the sanest sounding opinion.

I am a "liberal,' in my case actually a Social Democrat (a system of governance used, for instance, in the Nordic countries). I think Trump was right in re-negotiating NAFTA to make it easier for the USA to abandon a banker/financial sector led globalist enterprise in favor of drawing back into a regional North American economy (Canada, USA, Mexico). This economy will balance the current outsized role of the financial sector with a strong manufacturing as well as technology sector. This will mean the serious diminishment of China as an economy and a military power.Certain foreign countries will be strongly affiliated with the North American economy: Japan, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand. NATO will continue. Africa will grow and prosper on its own, but linked to Europe and North America. Nuclear power, which now makes France energy independent, will spread through Europe and North America. Getting rid of oil and gas cannot be eliminated unless nuclear is in the replacement mix. The water problem of the US west and Mexico will be solved with desalinization planst and/or water pipelines from nrthern Canda (and a good source of revenue for Canada).

Ooh wee. This was made b4 tha pandemic. Not that that changes history, obviously.

@mljones655

11 ай бұрын

Also, before the worst of trump.

1:02:51 yes a broken clock is right twice a day and even a mad man can occasionally be right. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t all do everything legitimate in our power to prevent such a person from having access to our nuclear codes and national security secrets ever again. And btw Mr Meacham while I do enjoy your calm approach and sonorous male voice as much as anyone else here I find it very disappointing that you apparently are not oriented completely to time and place. Even in 2019, it was plainly obvious that climate change is a clear and present danger and our beloved USA is over the span of history the largest contributor. Hence we have the largest responsibility to correct our course. You not only treat this fact as a minor problem but a nonexistent problem. Wake up please!

The whole time Thurman was bleating about racial segregation, he had a biracial daughter. Her name was Essie and she died in 2013. Hypocrite.

It was good vs evil and grandpa won - Grandpa was British...

I admit i enjoyed watching this, good production values and very watchable storytelling etc, but it felt like (at least what should be) high school level. It glosses over so much of the less than positive or brave aspects of our history, and if you can’t tell the whole story don’t do it. History is written by the victors. For adults i give it a C-.

@user-zb7gf3um7t

4 ай бұрын

Most people don’t know history as they once did, so it is vitally important that he explain everything very clearly.

So, WTH isn't Jon Meacham's wife at any of this ...

@veritas6335

Жыл бұрын

What are you talking about?

@veritas6335

Жыл бұрын

Are you stoned or just drunk?

Listening & Trump is an oxymoron!

Souls do not exist.

Too bad there are ads with ranting teens with device solutions every 5 minutes. I'm out.

Enjoyed most of this except the under-rated threat to democracy the author holds about a second Trump administration.

You purposely mentioned Mr. Obama's middle name and didn't mention Mr.. Donald Trump's middle name. I think you did it for the MAGA culture. That wasn't a mistake.

It's easy to be blase' about racism and supremacy when you're a "white" male. His casualness in describing these foundational and ingrained issues are laughable.

Tuchman’s “March of Folly” is one of the greatest history books ever. And it really upset the ol boys historian club…..

This man is pure EVIL!!!!!

@fsantoro60

Жыл бұрын

What?

@RideoutMr

Жыл бұрын

@@fsantoro60 Wrong video...oops.

PLEASE 🛑 feeding me this !! Im 67 but not this inactive or lazy. Go Away !!

Torture. If you want to drive a person insane, force them to listen to Jon Meacham. The man is a talking machine with not ONE original idea.

@chef2542

3 жыл бұрын

He's an author and historian...that means he writes other peoples ideas, still confused?

@jonky5

3 жыл бұрын

@@chef2542 Not confused. You confused? Are you saying every word he speaks is someone else's words?👀

@chef2542

3 жыл бұрын

@@jonky5 no, I was just referring to the fact that the majority of his work is reciting ideas and events that have happend at the hands of other people

@A331yt

Жыл бұрын

Hmmm. . . Requires an attention span and the ability to follow an idea for a few minutes. Yep. That’s a tough one. Damned unfair to expect that of an adult who,presumably, votes. If you’re our model? We’re all screwed.

@A331yt

Жыл бұрын

SolidSteele, he’s doing that because most haven’t read the authors at all. Maybe something that might rub off because of him. But hold out there Steel! It’ll make you. less likely in the future to reach out for something tough to grasp. Protect yourself from thought!