Tag Archives: contrasting possibilities
False Dichotomies and the IF Discussion Process
While on a recent family vacation, I had the “opportunity” to watch a couple hours of cable TV news/commentary. By which I mean that I lost the coin toss with my spouse over which of us would accompany our over-excited children to the hotel pool, where a steady and loud stream of cable news was Read more »
What is Poetry?
When Robert Frost was asked ‘What is poetry?’ he replied ‘Poetry is the kind of thing that poets write’. A natural response to such a definition might be a knowing smile and a barrage of questions that try to get at the core of what poetry is or what it might be. This is one Read more »
Posted in Perspectives Also tagged art, creativity, discovery, personal development Leave a comment
Share:
Creating New Lenses, Asking Different Questions
In 2004 the inventor Saul Griffith, then young grad student at MIT, won the prestigious Lemelson-MIT prize, based in part on his invention of desktop device to manufacture inexpensive eyeglass lenses on demand. Griffith was motivated by a concern for underserved communities around the world. He was wondering how it might be possible to bypass Read more »
In Praise of Partisanship? Exploring Divergences
Praising partisanship might seem like a strange thing to do—at least for a non-partisan organization like the Interactivity Foundation. In the discussions we facilitate, whether in our “Discussion Projects” or our ensuing “Public Discussions,” we don’t seek to stoke the fires of partisanship. We don’t agitate for our discussion participants to adopt one partisan point Read more »
Posted in Perspectives Also tagged democracy, discussion process, partisanship, Project Discussions Leave a comment
Share:
Summiting a Concern Around the IF Sanctuary Table
I recently caught up with one of the Frontline episodes on my DVR. This one was called Storm Over Everest, and it initially aired on May 13,2008. You can view the episode here, if you like. The episode recounts a violent blizzard trapped numerous climbers at about 26,000 feet. Two things stood out to me, Read more »
Posted in Perspectives Also tagged consensus, discussion process, Project Discussions Leave a comment
Share:
Hope, Change, and that Political Fog of Enthusiasm
Public policy possibilities are often developed and discussed within a fog of enthusiasm. It’s not that the people who advance them do not think at all about their possible practical consequences. But they tend to think a lot more about the consequences that are favorable to their goals–about what will happen if everything goes according Read more »
What Is the Difference Between Conceptual and Practical Policy Possibilities?
In our sanctuary projects we ask our panelists to develop contrasting conceptual policy possibilities pertaining to their areas of concern, and to then explore the practical policy possibilities that might flow from them if they were actually adopted as public policy. A policy possibility is a plan, or a strategy, or an approach that we Read more »
Posted in Perspectives Also tagged conceptual possibilities, Project Discussions Leave a comment
Share:
Putting Chicken Little in His Place
Life imitates art, or so they say. But not always. At least not completely. Take the story of Chicken Little. True, we’ve got no shortage these days of Chicken Littles. It’s hard to turn around without bumping into a Chicken Little leading a parade of experts, pundits, and well-meaning officials—all proclaiming the sky is falling Read more »
Posted in Perspectives Also tagged citizen discussions, governance, Public Discussions Leave a comment
If An Idea Does Not Sound Absurd, Then There’s No Hope For It
Share: