John Prideaux

speaker

643 appearances 3 recordings 1 series first heard Jun 2026 last heard 19 Jun

John Prideaux’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.

Trend

recordings per month · last 12 months

Recordings per month over the last 12 months — 3 in all, peaking in Jun 2026 with 3.

Appearances

newest first · ▶ plays the moment

The Intelligence from The Economist · Tocqueville Road Trip: 2. Against all obstacles · 13 Jun 2026 podcast

Still, they're smart, eloquent, they have presence. matched

They all sit up straight and look you in the eye as they talk. matched

I'm slightly ashamed to say I didn't anticipate this. matched

The microphone continues round the circle, and when it gets to a tall guy in a light brown sweatshirt, he starts telling the story of his life. matched

This is Jean Franc. matched

He has a shaved head and walks with a loping gait, like a big man who doesn't want you to notice how big he is. matched

But still, John France didn't feel like he was poor, that some people were haves and some were have nots. matched

A trip to Manhattan with his mum when he was eight years old changed that. matched

Like all the prisoners in this room, Jean France is a student. matched

He's taking a psychology degree through a non profit called Hudson Link for higher education. matched

With a lot of time alone in a cell to think, coupled with a drive for self improvement, Jean Franc has found that maybe Tocqueville's equality of conditions is alive and well after all. matched

Fred Rogers was like Tockville, but for kids' TV. matched

He was an avuncular figure full of teachable stories about the importance of social bonds. matched

Jean France says his education inside has not just provided opportunities for him, but also the people close to him. matched

He's able to see his childhood differently now. matched

He didn't have the support he needed growing up. matched

I'd expected to find sitting in a room with a group of criminals and talking about the American dream to be uncomfortable. matched

After all, what do they have to dream about? matched

Instead, it's been oddly moving, like going to church when you need to, or seeing the stars on a clear night. matched

These men, who freely admit they occupy the lowest rung in society, are the most optimistic group of Americans I've encountered for a long time. matched

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