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Today on NOW and NEXT:

We're joined by Ujwal Arkalgud, a cultural anthropologist and EVP at Lux Research. He's also the host and producer of two Story Studio Network podcast series - The NEXT NORMAL and Why Meaning Matters.

Ujwal says illiberalism has commandeered political and cultural discourse around the world. There is little or no room for dissent or disagreement, let alone healthy debate. That's not simply an academic observation. It's signs of a cultural crisis.

He tells NOW and NEXT:

Liberalism has lost its historic meaning for most people and has become equates and aligned with extreme left behaviour or rhetoric.

"In their minds, liberalism is defined by the modern woke culture. It's defined by this modern idea that you know, no debate is allowed, and this modern idea that, you know, you can't say the wrong thing even in the slightest way and you're gonna get raked over the coals. You can't say the right thing either."

He says a diversity of ideas and experiences in society no longer nealy fit into traditional political silos.

"There are different belief systems and they no longer align with liberal or conservative or centrist.If (those) three camps (are all) you've got, you're missing five others. I think that's the issue. I think the gap for me is that the major political and cultural institutions in our country are just missing this.

Gone unchecked. "It's a full-on crisis of faith, if you will, in terms of where our culture is headed."

The solution? We need to know and acknowledge it can still be a "safe place" even when you're out of your comfort zone. Start there.

"The first issue we have to solve is how to create a pluralistic environment, even within our own social circles, on any issue, it doesn't matter what the issue is. We have to be able to have conversations and we have to be able to ask questions without feeling judged and raked over the coals."