Tag Archives: Debate
Help Wanted: Wise Leaders
I won’t be watching the State of the Union address on television tonight. It’s nothing against Trump, who will tell us about all the YUUUUGE things he’s accomplished. Nor against Pelosi, who will be sitting there stone-faced with her minions. … Continue reading
Remain Calm, Even If All Isn’t Well
It’s easy to remain calm when everything is going well. But it’s more important to remain calm when everything isn’t going so well. One way I’m lucky is that I have friends and family members who disagree with me about … Continue reading
How to Argue Productively
Most arguments aren’t productive. But argument can be productive if you do it right. The First Rule The first rule of productive argument is the same as in many other areas: Define your goals. Do you want to discover the … Continue reading
Can We See Past Our Own Foundations?
You can’t understand anything in terms of nothing. That much is obvious. What’s less obvious is that it’s a barrier to communication and understanding. Each of us has a foundational viewpoint that biases how we see the world. It includes … Continue reading
Dialogue Is Not Harmful
“There’s a lot of difference between a reasoned discussion and a screaming match.” Continue reading
Do You Want to Believe?
My latest blog post for The Jewish Journal: After a bitterly divisive election season, there’s one question on everyone’s mind: “How can people possibly believe that?” What “that” is depends on who’s doing the talking. It means one thing to … Continue reading