Recode Decode: Sally Quinn, author, "Finding Magic"

Kara Swisher introduces Sally Quinn, a renowned journalist and author of 'Finding Magic: A Spiritual Memoir.' The episode explores her expansive career, beginning at the Washington Post where she covered parties and politics, eventually becoming the paper's religion columnist and blogger. Quinn shares personal stories, including her marriage to Ben Bradlee and her early life, notably her childhood atheism sparked by her experiences with World War II atrocities and her questions about God's role in suffering.

Quinn reflects on her initial rejection of belief in God, influenced by her father’s stories and the horrors of war. Her perspective evolves after discussions with John Meacham, who encourages her to explore religion through reading. Her shift is characterized not by organized religion but by a personal journey seeking meaning, love, and connection, influenced by caring for loved ones and her explorations in religion and spirituality.

Quinn discusses her pioneering online religion platform, starting in the early 2000s with the Washington Post. She created a website and panel dedicated to exploring spiritual questions, featuring prominent religious figures. She emphasizes her approach as pluralistic and open-minded, aiming to educate and connect people across different faiths. She shares challenges faced when web-based religious content struggled commercially and how online religion remains a difficult market despite widespread spiritual interest.

Her new book, 'Finding Magic,' is structured into three parts: magic, mystery, and meaning. Quinn recounts her personal experiences, including universal moments of transcendence and the influence of her Southern upbringing's occult practices. The narrative explores how caring for others and understanding love as the core of happiness shaped her worldview. The book ultimately seeks to help readers find purpose and joy beyond organized religion.

Quinn candidly discusses her childhood beliefs in hexes, voodoo, and psychic phenomena, rooted in her Southern roots and family traditions. She recounts her personal practice of casting hexes and her belief in psychic abilities. Her brother, a religion scholar, advised her to stop hexing after she lost three individuals she had wished ill upon, emphasizing the idea that bad energy can rebound. She advocates for positive energy and well-wishing as a healthier spiritual practice.

Quinn critiques the superficiality and coarsening of political discourse amplified through social media, noting how online communication fosters thoughtlessness and misinformation. She laments the lack of depth in public understanding of complex issues like NATO and the Paris Accords, and observes how political figures use Twitter to bypass traditional media, often leading to divisiveness. Despite the negativity, she remains optimistic about the possibility of societal renewal and meaningful engagement.

Quinn comments on the influence of cultural portrayals like 'The Handmaid’s Tale,' viewing it as a warning about unchecked religious and political power. She emphasizes that true spirituality involves love, caring for others, and finding everyday moments of magic. She advocates for gratitude, reflection, and connecting with nature and loved ones as paths to a meaningful life. Quinn also shares her future projects, including a novel and a Washington memoir, and her excitement about upcoming film adaptations of her or her late husband's work.