Bonus: Prof. Greg Jackson interview on The Road to Now with Dr. Ben Sawyer
6/15/20261 hr 1 min
Professor Greg Jackson is interviewed by Professor Ben Sawyer on The Road to Now podcast to discuss Jackson’s new book, Been There, Done That: What Our History Shows What We Can Overcome. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, the conversation centers on the resilience of the American experiment. Rather than viewing the current political climate with despondency, Jackson argues that American history provides a proven blueprint for endurance. The conversation was recorded live at sea on The History Cruise That Doesn’t Suck!
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First 90 secondsGreg Jackson· Host0:00
[instrumental music] Hello, everyone. Professor Jackson here. As you know, we're in mid-June 2026, a mere few weeks away from the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the effective birthday of the United States. I trust I hardly need to explain how meaningful this is to me, and I expect it is for you as well. In the build-up to early July, I'm going to share some special episodes. Don't worry, our World War II narrative isn't going anywhere, but this moment is special. It's hallowed. It deserves reflection, and I want to do that reflecting with you, perhaps especially because I know this anniversary comes with a mix of feelings. There's celebration, yet also a despondency on both sides of the aisle, fear that we aren't what we were. I understand that fear, the view that these are unprecedented times, but I don't share it. My only real fear is that we will convince ourselves that the American experiment is passed, that we will talk ourselves into giving up. Like Abraham Lincoln, I believe that is our only real threat. To quote the gangly rail splitter, who I can't help but read and hear in my own head, in that nearly falsetto voice of his, "If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation