The Rules

The Rules

1. Respect Everyone...This one is fairly obvious, if someone is talking, don't interrupt, and try to make sure you do not dominate the conversation.

2. Challenge opinions not people ... We want to make the group conducive to a discussion and if people are being attacked, or feel they are being attacked, then they will stop contributing to the discussion.

3. Agree to Disagree. The objective is not to convince others that our opinions are correct and that theirs are wrong; nor is the intension to change everyone's mind. By offering up opinions in a concise and articulate manner the natural course of shifting perspectives will take place.

4. Consensus is not expected and agreement is not necessary ... Most questions have no one answer and we don't get together to figure out how to solve the worlds problems. We congregate to have an intellectual discussion and discover what others think, and what we ourselves think about a given topic, whether we all agree or not. We want to leave knowing that it's okay to disagree.

5. Create a safe environment for deliberation to occur ... Dictionary.com defines argument as "A discussion in which disagreement is expressed; a debate." We are engaging in an intellectual argument, or exchange of ideas, in a healthy, happy, and thought provoking environment.

6. Be concise. Explain and articulate your position, but get to the point quickly. We have only a finite amount of time and want everyone to have a chance to share their ideas.

7. Listen.