A Focused Conversation for Today
Hi, all, Today is the official publication date of The Art of Focused Conversation, Second Edition! It is available on Amazon.com <http://amazon.com/>, or if you are in Canada you can get it directly from the publisher at newsociety.com. To celebrate, I created a focused conversation that you might like to use after the American presidential debate, which also is happening today. Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move beyond their gut-level responses to something useful. Rational Aim: To think through impact and implications of the debate to personal action Experiential Aim: To move beyond gut-level reactions to more thoughtful response Context: Let’s work through our responses to this debate. O. What words or phrases did you actually hear one of the candidates say? (quote them) What images stood out for you? (describe what you actually saw) R. What part of this debate was exciting or compelling for you? What part of this debate was frightening or depressing? What part made you want to turn it off? I. What is something you learned from this debate? About the candidates and their intentions? About yourself? What are you pondering now? What did you discover about your own values or perspective through this debate? D. How would you summarize how this debate affected your thinking? Closing: Thank you. Jo Nelson jo.r.nelson@gmail.com
Congratulations, Jo! I know what a labor of love this has been for you. I did watch the debate, all by myself tonight, and I'm not sure I could have that conversation though it was a good one. I'm likely to biased about the future here. I do wish that the follow-up conversation with five people from one of the rural counties in Pennsylvania had used this conversation instead of the one that reporter used. This would have been a lot more helpful to both them and the audience watching. On Tue, Sep 10, 2024, 7:44 AM Jo Nelson via Dialogue < dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
Hi, all,
Today is the official publication date of The Art of Focused Conversation, Second Edition! It is available on Amazon.com, or if you are in Canada you can get it directly from the publisher at newsociety.com.
To celebrate, I created a focused conversation that you might like to use after the American presidential debate, which also is happening today.
*Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate*
*With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience *
*Assumption:* *People want to move beyond their gut-level responses to something useful.*
*Rational Aim:* To think through impact and implications of the debate to personal action
Experiential Aim: To move beyond gut-level reactions to more thoughtful response
*Context:*
Let’s work through our responses to this debate.
*O.* What words or phrases did you actually hear one of the candidates say? (quote them)
What images stood out for you? (describe what you actually saw)
*R.* What part of this debate was exciting or compelling for you?
What part of this debate was frightening or depressing?
What part made you want to turn it off?
*I.* What is something you learned from this debate? About the candidates and their intentions? About yourself?
What are you pondering now?
What did you discover about your own values or perspective through this debate?
*D.* How would you summarize how this debate affected your thinking?
*Closing:*
Thank you.
Jo Nelson jo.r.nelson@gmail.com
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
Congrats to you, Jo Nelson, for your decades long commitment to sharing/grounding “the guided conversation method” , as we once called it, with society worldwide, beyond just educators. Brava!! Marilyn
On Sep 10, 2024, at 9:43 AM, Jo Nelson via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
Hi, all,
Today is the official publication date of The Art of Focused Conversation, Second Edition! It is available on Amazon.com <http://amazon.com/>, or if you are in Canada you can get it directly from the publisher at newsociety.com.
To celebrate, I created a focused conversation that you might like to use after the American presidential debate, which also is happening today.
Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate
With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience
Assumption: People want to move beyond their gut-level responses to something useful.
Rational Aim: To think through impact and implications of the debate to personal action Experiential Aim: To move beyond gut-level reactions to more thoughtful response
Context: Let’s work through our responses to this debate.
O. What words or phrases did you actually hear one of the candidates say? (quote them) What images stood out for you? (describe what you actually saw)
R. What part of this debate was exciting or compelling for you? What part of this debate was frightening or depressing? What part made you want to turn it off?
I. What is something you learned from this debate? About the candidates and their intentions? About yourself? What are you pondering now? What did you discover about your own values or perspective through this debate?
D. How would you summarize how this debate affected your thinking?
Closing: Thank you.
Jo Nelson jo.r.nelson@gmail.com
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
And since the value of a focused conversation lies both in the personal reflection journey and also the experience of hearing others, I have copied Jo's questions into a google form. Click the link below and share your responses. In 1 week I will close the form and share all our responses. ENJOY!! Feel free to share with others! Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate | | | | | | | | | | | Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move... | | | Jim Wiegel Theunknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybodyscurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, allthat. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plainsailing. John Lennon 401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com
Hmm. Time flies, life swirls on . . . it is more than a week, but here are our responses to Jo's conversation (3 of us responded) Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate | | | | | | | | | | | Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move... | | | Jim Wiegel Theunknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybodyscurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, allthat. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plainsailing. John Lennon 401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com On Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 06:00:53 PM MST, James Wiegel via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote: And since the value of a focused conversation lies both in the personal reflection journey and also the experience of hearing others, I have copied Jo's questions into a google form. Click the link below and share your responses. In 1 week I will close the form and share all our responses. ENJOY!! Feel free to share with others! Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate | | | | | | | | | | | Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move... | | | Jim Wiegel Theunknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybodyscurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, allthat. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plainsailing. John Lennon 401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
When I click the link, I get the form to fill out, but no responses. One person in Canada answered the questions after the debate and sent me her responses, so I know it worked! Take care, Jo Jo Nelson jo.r.nelson@gmail.com
On Sep 27, 2024, at 4:18 PM, James Wiegel via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
Hmm. Time flies, life swirls on . . . it is more than a week, but here are our responses to Jo's conversation (3 of us responded)
Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate <https://forms.gle/bUXUWAKZNo4eqCiMA>
Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move... <https://forms.gle/bUXUWAKZNo4eqCiMA>
Jim Wiegel <http://partnersinparticipation.com/james-wiegel/>
The unknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plain sailing. John Lennon
401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com <mailto:marilyn.oyler@gmail.com> www.partnersinparticipation.com <http://www.partnersinparticipation.com/>
On Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 06:00:53 PM MST, James Wiegel via Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:
And since the value of a focused conversation lies both in the personal reflection journey and also the experience of hearing others, I have copied Jo's questions into a google form. Click the link below and share your responses. In 1 week I will close the form and share all our responses.
ENJOY!! Feel free to share with others!
Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate <https://forms.gle/q5bS1u47gN1psAKP7>
Possible Focused Conversation on the American Presidential Debate With yourself or others who are interested in exploring the debate experience Assumption: People want to move... <https://forms.gle/q5bS1u47gN1psAKP7>
Jim Wiegel <http://partnersinparticipation.com/james-wiegel/>
The unknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybody scurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, all that. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plain sailing. John Lennon
401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com <mailto:marilyn.oyler@gmail.com> www.partnersinparticipation.com <http://www.partnersinparticipation.com/>
_______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net> http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net _______________________________________________ Dialogue mailing list Dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/dialogue-wedgeblade.net
OUR RESPONSES9/11/202418:12:00 9/11/202418:51:58 9/11/202421:50:23 O.Whatwords or phrases did you actually hear one of the candidates say?(quote them) - Kamala: "I have a plan"; World leaders are worried, Mr. President, about your stability" Donald: "You say you have a plan, why haven't you already done this, you have been in office"; "Immigrants are eating people's pets", "she won't do that because with a 50-50 congress she won't have the votes" - Build on hope; bring us together - 800,000 Polish migrants living in Pennsylvania Whatimages stood out for you? (describe what you actually saw) - Kamala walking over and shaking Donald's hand; Donald's fierce attention looking forward into the cameras; Kamala's facial exparessions and looking at Donald when he spoke - Donald's glaring; Kamala's lifted eyebrows - Kamala's handshake. 81 million people fired you. R.Whatpart of this debate was exciting or compelling for you? - Not really anything. It seemed as though everyone was better behaved than in other recent debates and I liked that. I was excited about the question on climate change, but then my computer froze up and I missed their responses - Kamala's vivid depictions of women who were denied medical help when experiencing a miscarriage - Each time he took the bait and she was able to show her own capability. When she said foreign leaders laugh at you. "You are a disgrace. Putin and all the other dictators see how pliable you are to compliments and favors. What you don't know is Putin would eat you for lunch! Whatpart of this debate was frightening or depressing? - On the one hand, another Trump presidency is frightening and the degree to which the conservative movement(s) in this country are taking power in so many ways. On the other hand, a bit depressing thee assumption that all a President has is policies to carry out with no acknowledgement of the uncertainties and complexities of life. Also depressing the time spent going back and forth on how well I/we did and how poorly the other one did - Donald's story about Hatian migrants eating the dogs and cats of Ohioan residents. - When Kamala did not answer the question. Whatpart made you want to turn it off? - Not anything, really - Non - I couldn't stop watching - When Trump was allowed so much time. I.Whatis something you learned from this debate? About the candidates andtheir intentions? About yourself? - I relied A LOT on the visual cues and voice tones and outrageous statements much more than anything factual or concrete - We are a divided nation largely caused by Trump's lies. Kamala is a voice of hope and unity. I am opting, with my vote, for democracy, the rule of law, and compassion for my neighbor. - Kamala knows how to command a sitation with poise. Whatare you pondering now? - how to get over this mutua belief that we are one another's enemies - Am I doing enough to help, beyond voting and contributing? - How can anyone believe and vote for Trump? Whatdid you discover about your own values or perspective through thisdebate? - I am betting on the more diverse "faces" of the US (and the world) to move things forward, especially the tone of debates. also it is difficult for me to firmly identify myself as "American" - I love my country and its foundational pillars more than I realized. I am grateful I grew up at a time (1950s) when that was just assumed. - I am uncomfortable with Trump's many lies. When they are laughable and oulandish (eating pets or claiming to have won a lost election) D.Howwould you summarize how this debate affected your thinking? - I am wondering what it would take for the federal governement/state and local to work more to get things done and less to rhetorical reviews of their right ideology -- end the constant campaigning and focus on the boring parts -- getting things done and making that newsworthy even if not gripping and dramatic - I truly believe the moment has come for a Woman, and a woman of Color, to become our next president. - Baiting can set someone off guard. Whatfurther reflections would you like to share? - I'm good - We need to stop banning books and re-empower social studies in our secondary school curricula, especially what we once knew as Civics. - Harris's competence and joy is palpable and contagious! - Thank you. I will leave this conversation open for a week and then share all our answers. - - Thanks for giving us this opportunity. - Thanks, Jim! - Jim Wiegel Theunknown is what is. And to be frightened of it is what sends everybodyscurrying around chasing dreams, illusions, wars, peace, love, hate, allthat. Unknown is what is. Accept that it's unknown, and it's plainsailing. John Lennon 401 North Beverly Way, Tolleson, Arizona 85353 623-363-3277 jfwiegel@yahoo.com www.partnersinparticipation.com
participants (4)
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James Wiegel -
Jo Nelson -
Mari Crocker -
Sunny Walker