Category Archives: Perspectives
The Uses of Diversity
“Diversity” no longer means what it did to my parents’ generation. Rather than simple “variety” the word now means something more like “a mixture of important social categories”—hence the demand that we “Respect diversity” means something like “Recognize the importance of social categories.” When it comes to exploratory discussion, there are good reasons to pay Read more »
A Fractal View of Exploratory Discussion
A fractal is a unique kind of fraction—one that reproduces the form or shape of the thing it’s a part of. Since the concept was first described, fractals have been found in lots of places, some of them quite unexpected. Here’s another one: exploratory democratic discussion. One of the most widely appreciated rules of public Read more »
It’s the Facilitator
When you think back on key moments in your life, what would you say has influenced your development more—special books, or special persons? When you think back on high school or college, which do you remember more—a particular class or a particular book you read? Which do you turn to most frequently when you need Read more »
Truth and Consequences
Remember the old kids’ game Truth or Consequences? IF’s exploratory discussions don’t allow participants to get off the hook by choosing one or another. On the contrary, they put participants in the position of exploring what they really believe—that’s the “truth” part—and the consequences of their beliefs. What ties these together? —Values, purposes, aims, goals, Read more »
Possibilities and Exploratory Discussion
Some people wonder why IF’s discussions focus on possibilities for public policy. The term “possibility” underlines the openended-ness of public policy and the reality that discussing and making public policy both require choice. Still, the real reason for thinking about and discussing public policy in terms of possibilities is that it encourages exploration. And, because Read more »
Being a River Guide
I have often struggled to better explain how the Interactivity Foundation conceives of the role and function of a facilitator in our discussion projects. My incoherence probably derives from a couple reasons (at least and in addition to my usual cognitive limitations). First, “facilitation” is at best a general term and a skill that encompasses Read more »
False Dichotomies and the IF Discussion Process
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