Why Deliberate?
Deliberation is the discovery of a SHARED direction, Guided by what we VALUE most.
UNBIASED TALKING
Deliberation is an unbiased kind of talking that starts where the problem starts—with your experience of it. It’s not a bunch of abstract backroom negotiations, but real, genuine, human struggles of which we are a part.
SHARING EXPERIENCES
Unlike debate, or lecture, or an airing of grievances, deliberation asks us to begin with what we hold most dear and share our personal experiences with a given issue. It’s not about reaching agreement or seeing eye-to-eye. It’s about looking at the costs and consequences of possible solutions to daunting problems, and ending out what we, as a people, will or will not accept as a solution.
LISTENING TO ONE ANOTHER
We must listen to one another, explore the unbiased facts, test ideas, weigh options and balance tradeoffs to and where our various interests overlap—where purposes can be joined towards a shared future.
Deliberation Leads to Change
Perhaps you want to do more than vote. More than sign a petition or send an email. Because you’ve realized that no one person, no single group has the answer to society’s toughest problems. Deliberation is a way to act together with your community to better understand and deal with problems more directly.
A two- to three-hour session in a thoughtful people-to-people setting, with ground rules that encourage deep dives into the facts, and a thorough examination of several possible solutions can result in clear reasons for a recommended action.
Instead of asking your leaders, “What are you going to do for me?” the question becomes, “Here are our investigations and recommendations. How will you apply these to the problem?” Continued practice makes us stronger. The more we get together and talk, the more we establish a shared future in which we have control.
Who Deliberates?
• K-12 Education
• Higher Education
• Religious institutions
• Senior Living
• Elected Officials
• Local Businesses
• Community Organizations
• Government Organizations
