Screenshot of the Charged Affairs interview Demographics are not destiny with David Allison

In May 2019, looking ahead to the 2020 US election, Benjamin Verdi interviewed me for Charged Affairs about what values research could tell us about voters. Polls usually sort voters by age, gender, race and religion, and 2016 showed how often that can surprise the experts. Our research looks at what people care about, using a long survey where the later questions each person gets depend on how they answered the earlier ones.

Our data at the time pointed to two things for 2020. Worries about money would bring out a lot of people who don't usually vote, and people who vote all the time would be driven to the polls by their concerns about climate change. I also told Benjamin why this matters outside of elections. We fear the things we don't understand, and understanding what other people value is one of the best ways I know to stop being afraid of them.

You can read the original at Charged Affairs.


The Values Map by David Allison, available for pre-order

My new book walks you through all kinds of ways to identify (and use) your values, and it's available for pre-order now. It's called The Values Map, and I would be very grateful if you pre-ordered a copy. My publisher would love it too. ❤️

Everything gets easier when you know What Matters Most.

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