The hostile tone of our national debate is a predictable result of the worrisome reality that we’ve essentially formed tribes. We’ll all grow old waiting for Washington to fix it, so we’re going to have to get it done ourselves.
… a democracy that embraces difference of
opinion as a strength to celebrate, not an obstacle to overcome
The indispensable guide to surviving the election season with your self-respect intact (and hopefully without developing a heavy reliance on prescription medication)
Civil Politics and The Art and Science of the Village Square
The Village Square was born. It wasn’t always exactly a “square” in the “village,” although sometimes it was. It was the spirit of all this talking.
Presenting:
Neil Phillips of Visible Men Academy on “Race to Truth.”
Within the ethos of the town meeting is the important founding principle that political foes must grudgingly become partners as they engage conflicting ideas in order to govern.
It was probably our founders’ biggest idea – and assuredly their boldest – that a diverse people could self-govern.
Across oceans, across language, across culture, their gift could not have communicated more clearly to total strangers.
Despite the differences between our founders – and the odds against them – in this new country the king was no longer the seat of power. It was now the humble town hall.
The scientific community need not see religion as opposition. Rather, just as science is an attempt to explore truth, religion does the same.
Apparently when vein-poppingly angry people pick up their pitchforks and roll out the guillotine, they’ve been known to get it wrong from time to time.
Almost a decade into our work at the Village Square, we’ve made a decision to become more intentional about sharing the theoretical and academic foundations behind our work product.
Today, we must take special care to remember the principles on which this country was founded.
The two founders ultimately died friends, having given history the gift of their final correspondence.
What we as citizens need to stop and ask ourselves is whether or not we have made obsessions of our political parties.
A nervy bunch of liberals and conservatives who
believe that dialogue and disagreement make for a good conversation, a good country and a good time.
We liked Einstein’s advice so much we named our organization after it. We think it applies to all kinds of problems.
