In a conversation on the Soul Boom podcast with Rainn Wilson, actor and activist Mark Ruffalo shared his perspective on America’s current challenges, suggesting the nation needs to fundamentally reimagine its economic system and identity.
The discussion touched on multiple crises facing the country, from g*n violence to economic inequality. Ruffalo, speaking from personal experience after losing his brother to g*n violence, expressed deep concern about the normalization of weapons of war in American society.
“When we keep signing off on that as a nation, we’re signing off on more and more of… when you keep signing off on those weapons being acceptable, you’re actually tacitly signing off on them being used on human beings as the ultimate solution,” he said.
The Marvel star emphasized that relying on violence as a solution represents a fundamental failure of imagination. He warned about the dangerous cycle beginning on both the political right and left, invoking Gandhi’s famous warning that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
Central to Ruffalo’s message is his belief that America’s current economic system isn’t working for most people. He noted that populist movements across the political spectrum share a common recognition that existing institutions are failing ordinary citizens. “This system is not sustainable for the rest of us,” Ruffalo observed, adding that while the country has just created the most billionaires in history, fundamental questions remain about who benefits from American prosperity.
Ruffalo advocates for centering policy discussions on working-class families, acknowledging the real economic challenges they face, from the cost of electric vehicles to job transitions in fossil fuel industries. His approach to activism focuses on amplifying voices from frontline communities rather than imposing solutions from above.
Through his work with The Solutions Project, a thirteen-year-old organization he co-founded, Ruffalo supports grassroots environmental and social justice initiatives, primarily led by women of color in communities most affected by pollution and climate change. The organization operates on the principle of listening to people on the ground rather than dictating solutions from an ivory tower.
“It’s going to take some imagination, reimagining of what America is, what our economic system is because what’s clear is it’s not working and it’s not sustainable,” Ruffalo stated plainly.
Despite his critiques, Ruffalo remains optimistic about America’s foundational promise. He pointed to the national motto “e pluribus unum” – out of many, one – as an ideal the country has never fully achieved but can still strive toward. “The vision of America, the promise of America. We still have that. We have that promise in our DNA,” he said.
Drawing on his theater training under legendary acting teacher Stella Adler, who believed theater should be where people learn what it means to be human, Ruffalo sees storytelling and art as essential tools for social transformation and healing. He encouraged young people struggling with today’s challenges to find creative outlets, spend time in nature, and get involved in their local communities, even if just for a few hours a month.