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founding

Greetings Dialogos community - my first thought on reading this was to remember (Covey?) the general idea that if you would like to be heard, you must first learn how to listen. My second thought is (I work in Washington, DC) how to rise above - and find this missing commonality in this harshly divided political landscape. My third thought is acknowledging that you have really nailed it with the concept of the lack of commune, or huge growth of this lack. Final thought, THANKS for creating at least one space where we can at least agree to talk about these things!

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Covey was a great inspiration. His 7 habits were foundational for me. Habit #5: "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Re: Rising Above, the underlying question is what will elevate the debate to allow us all to rise above it. A foreign war has often been the vehicle to do so. Hopefully, we can find another. As we say over here in Blighty: Carry on, Charlie!

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Great points. The question of common sense requires some common perspectives. In many ways we are more connected virtually than ever but disconnected from a common experience. A lot to think about here.

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Glad to stir the pot, Jackie! Yes, the idea of perspectives is complex, but I have to believe that sharing a common understanding of our past and of facts is a critical point... If you know where you come from, it's easier to get to where you want to go. Of course, you also need to create a common direction... but if that vision isn't somehow based on the common past, it becomes a hazardous if not volatile path forward.

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Great insights, thank you Dialogos! I can experience the huge difference that bonding to a community makes: with my neighbors, my colleagues at the office, or strangers at a local café. As a start, I miss the former atmosphere of French cafés in Paris. They used to be a place where people from various backgrounds would chat and connect. They are now tunnels of missed connections.

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Indeed. The feeling of belonging is so enlivening. I wonder if we all can cite which are our most fitting communities? I will be exploring later on where and how strangers can find ways to exchange... deeply.

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