How to talk to people you dislike | Joshua Johnson | TEDxChicago
t’s hard to keep a level head in a tough conversation, especially with someone you dislike. Veteran journalist Joshua Johnson — founding host of NPR's 1A, later anchor at MSNBC — argues the antidote isn't louder debate. It's better questions. Drawing from 20+ years in broadcast journalism including live broadcasts from CPAC, Johnson introduces "clinical journalism": a framework that replaces performative objectivity with genuine curiosity. He examines how asking about the story behind a belief — not just the belief itself — unlocks unexpected human connection. Three strategies, one radical reframe: objectivity isn't an identity. It's a skill anyone can learn.
Joshua Johnson plays anchorman Dwight Richmond on the satirical Onion News Network. His portrayal helped The Onion win a 2025 Webby Award for Comedy. Joshua Johnson has spent more than 20 years in journalism, helping people see each other despite their differences. He was the founding host of NPR’s national talk show 1A, which grew to a weekly audience of four million listeners during his three years on-air. MSNBC later recruited him to anchor The Week with Joshua Johnson, where he created rare spaces for audience interaction in network news, before becoming the anchor of NOW Tonight, a primetime nightly newscast. His NBC News projects included specials for Black History Month, a live broadcast from New York’s Stonewall Inn for LGBTQ Pride Month, and a focus group of small business owners reacting to President Biden’s 2022 State of the Union Address.
Web: www.theresolutiongame.com
LinkedIn: / joshualistening
