Things Change Slowly Because They’re Bigger Than We Think
It takes a long time to turn a big ship. This maritime lesson keeps popping up in my life these days. It has profound echoes for much of my work: for dialogue, for spiritual direction, [...]
Rx for Your Trump Hangover
Note: this piece originally appeared in The Huffington Post on January 31. It's written primarily for my progressive friends, and the intent is not to bash Mr. Trump (though I do criticize him--in a measured way, I [...]
In Mr. Trump’s Escher World, Is Dialogue Under Assault?
There’s been a lot of talk in the dialogue field since the U.S. presidential election. Practitioners are talking about the meaning of Donald Trump’s victory for dialogue efforts, our collective failure to listen to a [...]
Is Dialogue Even Safe in the Trump Era?
As you may have gleaned from the last post, the state of the U.S. is troubling me on a deep level. It has, among other things, left me with no stomach for dialogue—a very strange [...]
Are These Dark Times for Dialogue?
Right after the U.S. presidential election, the dialogue field seemed to launch itself into activity. A November 14 post on the blog of the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation proclaimed that “dialogue & [...]
Why I’m Not Inclined to Dialogue Right Now
Last week in this space, we discussed “a time for dialogue and a time to shut up.” In line with my contemplative nature, I’ve opted for the latter recently, sitting in silent prayer with the [...]
A Time for Dialogue, a Time to Shut Up
You may find the title of this post somewhat odd, especially for a blog about dialogue. But the aftermath of the U.S. election has brought up some things for me, and they have to do [...]
Donald vs. Facts: China
Today we bring you a public service courtesy of The Dialogue Venture. The most disturbing aspect of the U.S. presidential campaign, for me, is how unhinged from reality it has become. Truth and nuance are [...]
Guns, Changes of Mind, and the Cost of Dialogue
My opinion on government gun policy is starting to shift. That shift fills me with dread—and the reason, I think, may say a lot about why dialogue is such a hard sell. Let’s start with [...]
How Do You Come to Your Opinions?
Think of a controversial issue in the news. More likely than not, you’ve already formed opinions about it. How did you come to those opinions? The question keeps arising for me this month, thanks to [...]