The complete quote of course—now laughably familiar to my boys and all other Skyrim players—is “I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.” The viral and self-mocking ubiquity of this gaming meme… Read More »
Author Archives: Pete Shively
Discussion Impossible
A few weeks back I participated in a public discussion on education policy. It didn’t go very well. In fact, the experience served more as a cautionary tale or a lesson in what not to do rather than as an… Read More »
Room For Growth
“Leaving something incomplete makes it interesting and gives one the feeling that there is room for growth.”
Kenko (Buddhist monk), from Essays in Idleness, circa 1330
I’ve been thinking a lot about this notion as I struggle with a final… Read More »
The Importance of Listening
Among the most frequent and positive comments that we receive from participants in our discussions is how much they enjoyed the opportunity to speak with their fellows citizens in depth: both the opportunity to listen to what others had to… Read More »
Flip Charts & Textured Wallpaper
I recently facilitated a set of final joint-panel discussions for the IF discussion project on “Food.” These meetings went well, and the panelists contributed a lot of good–if sometimes varying–ideas on how to shape up the final discussion report for… Read More »
Reflections From the Storm
’Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood
When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud
I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form
“Come in,” she said, “I’ll give you shelter… Read More »
Plainer English
“If you can’t explain what you’re doing in plain English, you’re probably doing something wrong.” Alfred E. Kahn
Whereas, prior to this point in time, the premise expressed hereinabove impacts profoundly against all my legal (and, I’m sad… Read More »
Great Taste, Less Filling
I’ve known it for years: that all great ideas derive from beer—or at least television commercials for beer. Though for my purposes here, perhaps a better version of this slogan would be “Great Discussion, Less Text”.
As we continue to… Read More »
Keeping Things Under Control, or Not
“This business will get out of control. It will get out of control and we’ll be lucky to live through it.” Admiral Josh Painter in Tom Clancy’s The Hunt for the Red October.
“The creative process is a process… Read More »
DC-area Public Policy Discussion Club to discuss IF Food report
IF’s Washington, DC-area Public Policy Discussion Club
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via email in advance so that appropriate reservations can be made.
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