As we close out Season 3 of Terrified Nation, we’re doing something a little different. In this final episode, Debilyn Molineaux revisits a talk she gave at the 2018 Bridge Alliance Summit—a moment that was both visionary and deeply relevant to the challenges we face today. She reflects on how independent efforts to strengthen democracy have transformed into a more unified and collaborative movement over the years, even if the media largely ignores this progress.
The 2018 talk, which you can watch in full on YouTube [ Bridge Alliance Summit 2018 ], uses nature’s fractals as a metaphor for democracy—small, repeating patterns that scale up to create something greater. Just as nature thrives through interconnection, so too must our civic efforts. The call to action then, as now, was to shift from competition to cooperation and collaboration, recognizing that no single solution can “fix” democracy, but a shared strategy can sustain it.
This episode isn’t just about revisiting the past—it’s about inspiring action for the future. Debilyn asks an important question: What is a fractal of democracy? How do we create systems that work at every level, from local communities to the national stage? It’s a thought-provoking way to end the season, leaving us with a challenge to rethink our role in shaping the future.
Thank you to all our listeners, guests, and the Bridge Alliance community for being part of this journey. Terrified Nation is more than a podcast—it’s a new way of thinking during challenging times. Let’s keep the conversation going at Terrified Nation and continue working toward a democracy that truly serves us all. See you next season!
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