Start asking questions of civic proportions
Every other week, we send a list of Questions of Civic Proportions to our email list. These questions focus on the original art of community—learning in pursuit of knowledge that makes us “better or happier people.”
We also enjoy random acts of quoting Cicero. Sometimes Madison. And Einstein, and Thomas Jefferson, and… 🤓
You’ll get the latest news on where to geek out with us too!
What you can expect to find in your inbox
In another quote from The Republic, Cicero described his own work as that of a craftsman who “thinks, ponders, and strives for nothing except to improve” in his field.
Join a community of civic craftsman:
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With a new QCP issue by email every other Sunday morning
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That includes questions to transform headlines into civic dialogue
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And connects a mission-focused community committed to learning together
"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers."
—VoltairePast Issues
July 2019
Can we strengthen democracy by talking about what’s missing from our news?
There’s an all-star crew behind today’s note. A late-night comedian, a journalism professor, and a former anchor of CBS’s Face the Nation all hit the airwaves with a common theme. An informed citizenry requires more than a simple re-telling of the day’s events.Â
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What can our fight against tyranny in the past do for us today?
We seem to think that tyranny is an idea from our past. We kicked it out when we kicked the King out. Madison warned us about the tyranny of the majority but then fixed it for us. Tyranny isn’t our problem anymore.Â
Except that our understanding of tyranny might have everything to do with how well we practice democracy.Â
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June 2019
The Power of a Photo has New Limits but We Can Help
When you step into the arena, you risk everything. No one can tell you what happens next. The work of leading a cause requires a resilience that doesn’t get much air time.
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Time to start telling the truth about the hardest work of democratic life
When you step into the arena, you risk everything. No one can tell you what happens next. The work of leading a cause requires a resilience that doesn’t get much air time.
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What are the stories that carry us forward and give us strength?
John Dickerson made a simple statement last week. It sounded like a public service announcement:Â There are narratives about who we are in the U.S. that have nothing to do with who the President is.
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May 2019
Is “following politics” still working for us?
How do you follow politics? This phrase “follow politics” has been a part of the American National Election Survey for decades. That means thousands of Americans have answered the question. But what habit would you have in mind when you answer, “yes?”
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How to respond to “I don’t know where to start.”
I don’t know where to start. News goes by at a staggering pace. This past week has included shootings in public spaces, a showdown between the Executive and Legislative branches, a new “religious freedom” rule for healthcare workers, and a list of dangerous individuals banned from Facebook. “I don’t know where to start,” is a perfectly reasonable response to all that.
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April 2019
Navigating the generational divide with a zigzag
The advice I didn’t see coming at last week’s Summit on Race at the LBJ Presidential Library: Appreciate the magic of the zigzag These are the words of Valerie Jarrett, the longest-serving advisor to President Obama. She spoke candidly with Brittany Packnett who called Jarrett her “mentor mom because she is a little bit of both.” This time the questions weren’t about race.
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Putting the “I will” back into our (political) willpower
The advice I didn’t see coming at last week’s Summit on Race at the LBJ Presidential Library: Appreciate the magic of the zigzag. These are the words of Valerie Jarrett, the longest-serving advisor to President Obama. She spoke candidly with Brittany Packnett who called Jarrett her “mentor mom because she is a little bit of both.” This time the questions weren’t about race.
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Find the complete archive here.