Great Ideas – A How-To on Meeting America: Leaving the Bubble with Wesley Warshawer

When a Silicon Valley data scientist realized he no longer understood his own country, he packed up, went remote, and moved from Bismarck to Biloxi to find out who his fellow Americans really are. In this episode of The PlayFull Podcast, Kristine Michie is joined by Wesley Warshawer—a Silicon Valley business analyst, Fulbright alum, and University of Arizona alum-of-the-year. Together, they explore what happened when Wesley spent 18 months living in deeply different cultural, political, and religious communities across the United States. From overcoming "bubble shock" to discovering that core ethics unite people across political divides, this conversation offers a hopeful, practical roadmap for stepping outside our comfort zones, softening judgments, and rebuilding trust across America. Key Takeaways: • You can disagree deeply on candidates or policies and still share remarkably similar core ethics and values. • Reframing questions away from binary talking points toward a request to “paint me a picture” invites nuance and common ground. • Ignorance, missteps, and clumsy language are often the product of different bubbles—not evidence of malice. • You don’t need an 18‑month cross-country journey; you can step into entirely different worlds within an hour of home. • Stories and lived experiences are powerful tools for rebuilding trust, softening judgments, and imagining a more repairable America. "I mean, I think I don't really care who you voted for. I mean, it just doesn't mean anything to me. But I do care about your ethics and your morals. Would you be a good neighbor?" — Wesley Warshawer "Ignorance is not the same as malice." — Wesley Warshawer "I would bet that no matter where you live, within an hour or 90 minutes of your house, you could find a plethora of completely different bubbles." — Wesley Warshawer About Wesley Warshawer: Wesley Warshawer is a business analyst in Silicon Valley’s semiconductor industry, a Fulbright Scholar to South Korea, and an essayist. He loves his work. For a living, he analyzes situations with data and communicates about it. But outside of semiconductors, he is passionate about exiting the safety of his “bubble” to learn. After a profound epiphany during a study abroad semester in India at 19 years old, Wesley has looked for wisdom in travel. Travel can be across the world or across town. It can be as simple as visiting a new neighborhood, trying a new restaurant, or meeting a new person. Outside your comfort zone, you are a sponge for personal insight and growth. Wesley shares his epiphany moments and encourages people to leave the comfort of their bubble to learn more about themselves. Connect with Wesley Warshawer: Website: https://wesleywarshawer.com/ Substack: https://substack.com/@wesleywarshawer LinkedIn: LinkedIn: wesley-warshawer Connect with Kristine: The PlayFull Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Website: https://www.impactfullinc.com/ Instagram: Instagram: impactfull_inc LinkedIn: LinkedIn: kristine-breese-michie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.