| Words have power. Their invisible, weightless energy | | | | something you do with people. Dialogue is a living |
| shapes and colors the world around us like an artist's | | | | experience of inquiry within and between people." |
| brush. | | | | The process of dialogue is nothing mysterious or |
| An endless supply of opinions flood us from corporate | | | | complex. Through dialogue, we discover a base of |
| media, the Internet and other forms of mass and | | | | shared meaning from an underlying "wholeness." By |
| personal communication everyday. Soundbite-driven | | | | harnessing the collective intelligence of the community, |
| mass media reduces complex issues into black and | | | | dialogue becomes the cornerstone of civic practice. |
| white fragments forcing viewers into an artificial | | | | Being aware of the contradictions between what we |
| us-versus-them mentality. Caught in this morass of | | | | say and what we do is key to opening true, meaningful |
| information overload, we don't have time to think and | | | | and solution-based dialogue. Together, we can find |
| sort through all the competing perspectives. | | | | new directions and new opportunities more easily then |
| Certainly our education system holds some | | | | we can on our own, and in the process unite people |
| responsibility for weakening the "art of conversation," | | | | over what matters, not divide and destroy based on |
| but no matter the source, our interpersonal, family and | | | | fear. |
| civic lives are in jeopardy. | | | | Listening is also an important aspect of a true dialogue. |
| With much of the media creating adrenalin-triggering | | | | When was the last time someone really listened to |
| content to keep viewers in a constant state of | | | | you? When was the last time you listened to |
| urgency and drama, what is lost is our sense of | | | | someone, or even yourself, without internal chatter or |
| commonality, wholeness and shared understanding. | | | | stifling presuppositions? Suspension of thoughts, |
| Most people sense that we live in an age of boundless | | | | impulses and judgments-the simple but profound |
| potential, yet are faced with a variety of ongoing and | | | | capacity to listen-lie at the very heart of dialogue. |
| impending crises with no clear solutions. | | | | Listening requires that we not only hear words, but |
| True dialogue gives us a method to cut through the | | | | also embrace, accept and gradually let go of our own |
| chatter and restore us back to our core values, basic | | | | inner clamor. Listening becomes a spacious, expansive |
| humanity and common connections. Rather then focus | | | | activity. As we develop the inner silence of skilled |
| on divisiveness, dialogue can aid in seeing the world | | | | listeners, we perceive more clearly the ways we |
| coherently. | | | | participate in the world around us. |
| Leading authorities on the theory of dialogue have | | | | David Bohm says that while engaging in Dialogue, "... |
| developed practical applications to help organizations | | | | people can explore the individual and collective |
| and individuals uncover a shared framework where | | | | presuppositions, ideas, beliefs, and feelings that subtly |
| greater understanding can emerge. As one of the | | | | control their interactions. The spirit of Dialogue is one of |
| essential building blocks of human relations, these | | | | free play, a sort of collective dance of the mind that, |
| results can be applied to all aspects of our lives: work, | | | | nevertheless, has immense power and reveals |
| personal relationships, politics and community building. | | | | coherent purpose. Once begun it becomes a continuing |
| William Isaacs, in Dialogue and the Art of Thinking | | | | adventure that can open the way to significant and |
| Together, writes: | | | | creative change." |
| "Dialogue is not in the end merely about talking, it is | | | | In his latest book, Assault on Reason, Al Gore posits |
| about taking action. And at its best, dialogue includes | | | | that the Internet, "perhaps the greatest source of |
| powerful aesthetics such as: meaning, creativity, ethics | | | | hope," will help us bring back civic dialogue. If, as Isaacs |
| and action. Dialogue fulfills deeper, more widespread | | | | has stated, dialogue is also about taking action, can all |
| needs then simply 'getting to yes.' The intention of | | | | these bloggers and pundits translate their ideas and |
| dialogue is to reach new understanding and, in so doing, | | | | chatter into meaningful action? Do you think our current |
| form a totally new basis from which to think and act." | | | | state of communications (Internet, main stream media, |
| Isaacs continues to say that dialogue is a "shared | | | | alternate media, etc.) allow for true dialogue and/or as |
| inquiry, a way of thinking and reflecting together. It is | | | | a balance to corporate power and entrenched |
| not something you do to another person. It is | | | | interests? If so, how? |