Let's Talk Politics Restoring Civility Through Exploratory Discussion

It has become fashionable these days to decry the decline of public discourse and civility. Let's Talk Politics explores why there is so much incivility plaguing our social discourse-- from the town hall meeting to the extended family's holiday gathering-- and why this should matter to all of us. Rather than just describing the problem, this book outlines how any and all of us can be a part of the solution by creating more productive dialogues, one conversation at a time. If you want to help create a better world, buy this book and start talking. The first chapter of the book reviews some of the evidence for the decline in civility but then quickly shifts gears to explain in depth why declining civility should concern us all. A follow-up chapter counters a series of common excuses for sitting on the political sidelines. Part II presents a hands-on and time-tested approach for reversing the trend toward incivility-one citizen, or group of citizens, at a time. It presents an overview of the Interactivity Foundation discussion process, an explanation of why it is likely to promote civility, and evidence that it actually has. The book's last set of chapters amount to a "how-to" manual.They offer easy-to-follow instructions for organizing, conducting, and following up on discussions that can encourage civility.