Democracy, Technology, and Plurality with Glen Weyl │ S4Ep3 💻🎧

Tereza Bizkova -

What if technology could enhance the very fabric of our democratic systems?

In Episode 3 of Season 4, The Regeneration Nexus, of the ReFi Podcast, hosts Maya Dentzel and Tereza Bízková welcome Glen Weyl, a political economist, researcher at Plural Technology Collaboratory at Microsoft Research, and founder of RadicalxChange, and Plurality Institute. In this conversation, Glen shares his insights on how concepts like plurality can reshape democracy and finance, building systems that prioritize interconnection and community.

After a successful career in economics, Glen turned his focus toward exploring new ways of thinking about governance, technology, and democracy. In this episode, he discusses how technology can enable more nuanced democratic systems and offers examples from Taiwan's digital democracy to explain how governments can adapt to the challenges of the 21st century.

Through his work on plurality, Glen advocates for breaking down rigid structures and enabling more dynamic connections within our social and political systems. From blockchain's role in supporting decentralized coordination to addressing polarization in the U.S., Glen explains how embracing complexity and diversity can lead to more resilient systems.

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"We need to take the places where there’s energy—like the anger on social media—and convert that energy into work, instead of letting it dissipate as heat. That’s the challenge, turning emotional reactions into productive outcomes."

Key insights from Episode 3 include... 💡

  • The Importance of Plurality: Glen explains how pluralistic systems better reflect the complexities of human relationships and community needs, in contrast to rigid political and economic frameworks.
  • Taiwan’s Digital Democracy: Glen highlights Taiwan as a leading example of combining technology with democracy, showcasing the POLIS system, which has helped reduce polarization through innovative citizen engagement tools.
  • Conflict as a Catalyst for Progress: Rather than avoiding conflict, Glen suggests that embracing multiple forms of conflict can help break down polarization and lead to more collaborative societies.
  • Blockchain and Regenerative Communities: While blockchain can be a tool for decentralized coordination, Glen stresses that not all blockchain models are beneficial—advocating for privacy-oriented, community-based ledgers over speculative public blockchains.

🎧 Tune in to Episode 3

And don’t forget! We’re hosting a live discussion on Episode 3 this Friday, Oct 4, at 11 AM ET! 🎙️ Share your thoughts and dive deeper into the world of regenerative economics with us on Twitter Spaces. 🌿

👉 Join the discussion on Twitter Spaces: https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1vOGwrprqZVKB

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