Paul Meshanko and The Neuroscience Behind Political Behavior

image
Author: TJ OHara
Published: 08 Jul, 2020
Updated: 14 Aug, 2022
1 min read

Paul Meshanko, MBA, CSP, joins host T.J. O’Hara on Deconstructed to discuss the neuroscience behind political behavior.  Mr. Meshanko is an author, professional speaker, and the founder and President of Legacy Business Cultures.  He is a leading facilitator of training in the fields of leadership development and diversity and inclusion who has successfully helped government agencies examine and improve their cultures and performance.

Mr. Meshanko discusses how the human brain works, what chemicals are released under certain circumstances, and the impact those chemicals have on how we behave particularly when it comes to our political beliefs.  Speaking of beliefs, Paul and T.J. distinguish between “Knowledge” and “beliefs” and address the issues or stereotypes and  of in-group behavior that underly the political divisions our country is currently experiencing.

Mr. Meshanko talks about respect and how to resolve the unconscious biases that are passed from generation to generation.  He explains why suspicion needs to be replaced by curiosity if we are to extract ourselves from the partisan malaise that is sweeping our Nation.

Paul and T.J. also examine the impact of social media and how it deepens the political divide.  Find out why T.J. concludes that, “…those who are hyper-partisan are essentially on drugs, not thinking rationally, and they’re killing themselves,” to which Paul responds, “and they’re killing the rest of us, too.”  It would be funny if it were not so sad.

If you tend to post hateful political memes or know someone else who does, if you can’t seem to disengage from a political debate without becoming aggressive, or if you just cannot acknowledge that your Party may occasionally be wrong and the opposing Party made occasionally be right, you should listen to this podcast (perhaps multiple times). It could improve your life and the lives of those around you.

Latest articles

CA capitol building dome with flags.
Why is CA Senator Mike McGuire Trying to Kill the Legal Cannabis Industry?
California’s legal cannabis industry is under mounting pressure, and in early June, state lawmakers and the governor appeared poised to help. A bill to freeze the state’s cannabis excise tax at 15% sailed through the State Assembly with a unanimous 74-0 vote. The governor’s office backed the plan. And legal cannabis businesses, still struggling to compete with unregulated sellers and mounting operating costs, saw a glimmer of hope....
03 Jul, 2025
-
7 min read
I voted buttons
After First RCV Election, Charlottesville Voters Back the Reform: 'They Get It, They Like It, They Want to Do It Again'
A new survey out of Charlottesville, Virginia, shows overwhelming support for ranked choice voting (RCV) following the city’s first use of the system in its June Democratic primary for City Council. Conducted one week after the election, the results found that nearly 90% of respondents support continued use of RCV....
03 Jul, 2025
-
3 min read
Crowd in Time Square.
NYC Exit Survey: 96% of Voters Understood Their Ranked Choice Ballots
An exit poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the nonprofit better elections group FairVote finds that ranked choice voting (RCV) continues to be supported by a vast majority of voters who find it simple, fair, and easy to use. The findings come in the wake of the city’s third use of RCV in its June 2025 primary elections....
01 Jul, 2025
-
6 min read