Ears to Hear
Three months ago I wrote about wanting to shut up. As it turns out, shutting up happened, and only now am I starting, maybe, to figure out why. It was never intentional. Since my Black [...]
If You Ever Wished You Could Quit the Human Race…
…join the crowd. I’d be happy to take a long hiatus from the current version of homo sapiens, because we’re a hot mess. The rage and hatred in the public square are becoming unbearable. As [...]
The Weirdest Common Ground Ever
Many people are bemoaning America’s vicious public square. Few are discussing the weird common ground that most of us share—and what might be the best way to address it. Two recent conversations brought this into [...]
Where Convictions and Friendship Collide
You’re talking with an old friend over coffee. At one point in the conversation, she uses a word that sets off every alarm bell in your head. Clearly she believes something you don’t believe at [...]
The Second Step Toward Dialogue Is a Doozy
People ask me what my book is about. I tell them it’s about how to change from the inside out so you can talk with people who drive you nuts. They say, “Boy, do I [...]
Dialogue and Dublin Billy
For a few days in June, Billy and I ate breakfast at the same café. It’s in the working-class neighborhood of Dublin where I was staying for the annual conference of the International Listening Association. [...]
Can the Truth Set Us Free in the Trump Era?
This is the story of a weird Bible interpretation and the unexpected wisdom it holds for us today. Recently I came across the gospel account of Jesus and a Jewish sect called the Sadducees. As [...]
Why I’ve Hit the Pause Button on Dialogue
Not so long ago, most of my writing was devoted to dialogue. Dialogue and Donald Trump. Dialogue and the debate over guns. Dialogue and why my website isn’t called Dialogue Venture anymore. A whole book [...]
The Media and Other Groups That May or May Not Exist
Spend 10 minutes discussing any hot-button issue, and you will inevitably hear something about the media. Most of us take the term for granted, as though we all know exactly what it means. It’s like [...]
Whatever Happened to Dialogue Venture?
If you’re a regular reader here, you may have noticed that some things have changed. The most noticeable is the banner. It used to say The Dialogue Venture. It doesn’t anymore. What does that mean? [...]