Tired of the political fighting? David Deighton, a conceptual artist, found a radical way to cut through the noise: talking about the most taboo subject of all—politics—with total strangers in national parks.
Deighton’s project, which he calls “art as civic science,” operates on the idea that active listening is the best way to bridge interpersonal divides. His method is deceptively simple:
He uses three identical, non-confrontational questions.
He finds a single word that they have in common, which is usually a shared emotion like anger, frustration, or hope.
The results are astonishing. People are so grateful for the opportunity to be heard that some have even broken down crying, noting it was the only chance they had to express themselves politically to someone who would genuinely listen.
Deighton’s work also challenges people’s perceptions using creative exercises, like asking strangers what “democracy tastes like” or what a word “smells like”. This technique forces people out of their typical cognitive comfort zone to look at issues in a new, conceptual light, which reduces outrage and fosters connection.
Watch the short reel for a glimpse into this fascinating conversation, and dive into the full discussion on the Outrage Overload YouTube channel to hear more about David’s methods, including his work with “artivist books,” time capsules, and how he manages to conduct up to 50 brief, impactful conversations in a single day.
Want to try it yourself?
David Deighton invites you to connect with his project, Triptych Dialogue, on YouTube and try his methods. He’s open to collaborations and even sends out boxes of repurposed books stamped with his non-confrontational questions.
Watch the full conversation on YouTube:
Join Me at the First Cameron Journal Salon on May 7
Looking forward to joining Cameron for the first Cameron Journal Salon on May 7, 2026, at 7:00 PM ET. The topic is Outrage Journalism, and it should be a thoughtful conversation about how media incentives shape public discussion and how our media became a machine of outrage.
The panel includes Terry Whalin, Michelle Stiles, David Beckemeyer, and Barry Maher (and Cameron Lee Cowan, who will be moderating!)
If you are interested in media, culture, publishing, or public life, you are warmly invited to join the panel for an evening of conversation and Q and A. This is a private event, so the conversation will be open and honest. This will not be broadcast publicly, and only those who come will get to have this unique experience.
Sign up for the event at this link:
https://cameron-journal-salons-meeting-2605.eventraptor.com/
Hope to see you there.
Podcast Episodes Coming in May
May 6, A Diagnostic Deep-Dive: In a shift from our usual guest format, this episode takes a "documentary-style" approach to the psychology of belief. We use an interview with Sidney Pines as a case study to decode the "Three Cs" (Comprehension, Control, and Community) that drive individuals toward alternative media and deeply-held fringe narratives. It’s an analytical look at the mechanics of the "reality gap" and what happens when shared facts disappear.
May 20, Productive Conflict over Purity: Dr. Allison Ralph of Cohesion Strategy joins us to discuss how ancient metaphors of the "body politic" drive modern polarization—and why the hardest part of pluralism is learning to live with people you fundamentally disagree with.
New This Week in Outrage Episode!
It’s everything the Outrage Overload podcast is not. It’s not edited. It’s not scripted. It’s lightly researched. It’s David and Lisa talking about this week in outrage, what was in the news, in the memes, and maybe finding some backstory with a humorous (at least to us) twist.
