Welcome back to The Red Letter.
This conversation actually made me feel hopeful.
It’s not about what’s broken. It’s about recognizing how much power we still have.
It’s a blueprint for taking that power back.
We spend so much time talking about what’s broken—corruption, power grabs, the erosion of democratic institutions—that it’s easy to believe nothing can be done.
That’s why I wanted to sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Angwin to discuss her new book, On Courage: How to Be a Dissident in the Age of Fear.
Based on hundreds of interviews with dissidents around the world, Angwin argues that authoritarianism isn't inevitable. She shows how ordinary people have successfully pushed back throughout history and what we can learn from them today.
Angwin told me writing the book was a form of "therapy," and she came away convinced there is more reason for hope than we think. Her research shows that authoritarianism succeeds when people comply—and that ordinary people have repeatedly stopped it by refusing to do so. It’s called "collective stubbornness."
She also explains why supporting independent journalism isn’t just about staying informed, it’s one of the most effective ways to resist authoritarianism. In any democracy, the media, the courts, and the military serve as the referees. But the media is often the first to fall, pressured by advertising dollars and a system that rewards access.
“It’s really important to support independent, fearless media,” she said. “Someone who’s supported by their readers, because that’s a funding source they can’t take away from you.”
If you believe accountability journalism matters—and if you're able to support my work—I hope you'll become a paid subscriber.
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