The fight you don’t see. In today’s conversation Judith Germain speaks to Wendy Davis, author of “The Fight You Don’t See”, discussing her book and political experiences. Wendy shares that she lives in the Salt Lake City, Utah area but is originally from the Midwest. She has a day job as a chief experience officer for a technology company, but also has a PhD in political science and previously ran for political office in 2020. Wendy is a stepmom to four adult children and a grandma to 10 grandchildren.
You can listen to Episode 455 on any of the popular podcast platforms or apps (including Spotify, and Audible). If you prefer to listen to your browser you can do that below. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways
- Wendy’s book offers a first-hand narrative of local political campaigning, exposing often unseen challenges and power structures
- The conversation highlighted cultural differences between US and UK political/media landscapes and labour protections
- Both participants expressed concerns about modern information consumption habits and their impact on political discourse
Topics
Wendy’s Book: “The Fight You Don’t See”
- Memoir focused on Wendy’s 2020 political campaign experience
- Aims to expose unseen challenges in local political races
- Highlights various power structures encountered (financial, patriarchal, corporate, political)
- Intended to empower readers, especially potential political candidates
- Applicable to corporate settings due to similarities in power dynamics
US vs UK Political/Media Landscape
- US politics perceived as more personally attacking compared to UK’s issue-focused approach
- UK print media seen as more aggressive, with frequent libel lawsuits
- US voter information often publicly available (e.g. party registration), unlike UK
- Concerns raised about low-information voters and soundbite-driven political discourse
Labour Laws and Cultural Differences
- UK has stronger worker protections compared to many US states
- “Right to fire” concept in US states alien to UK perspective
- Non-compete clauses more restrictive in US, especially in tech sector
- California noted as having strongest worker protections in US, more aligned with UK standards
Information Consumption and Media Evolution
- Concern over TikTok as primary information source for younger generations
- Discussion of TV show evolution (e.g. Twilight Zone remakes) losing nuance and depth
- Shift from intellectual news programs (e.g. Nightline) to entertainment-focused content
- Worry about oversimplification of complex issues in modern media
In this conversation Wendy and Judith discussed how American politics has become increasingly personal in recent years, with candidates and their families facing personal attacks rather than just debates on the issues. Wendy shared her experience of running for office and receiving comments about her appearance and intelligence. They contrasted this with the more issue-focused political discourse in the UK.
Wendy explained the inspiration and themes behind her book “The Fight You Don’t See”, which chronicles her political campaign. The title refers to the many unseen battles and challenges that political candidates face, from personal attacks to internal party conflicts. Wendy hopes the book will expose these power structures and encourage more people to run for office.
Wendy Davis holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Utah where her research interests included education policy, state and local government, and political participation. Wendy is a former candidate for the Utah House of Representatives, and after losing her race by 78 votes. She wrote a book about her journey to the ballot and her experience as a candidate. Her book provides an insider perspective on local politics.
Wendy Davis can be found on LinkedIn here. Her website can be found here.
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