First Draft: Dialogue for a More Inclusive Democracy

About democracy, inclusion, and communication in a changing populus

A consideration of terms

            A populus is an aggregation of people. Here we will speak mostly, for example, of the people of a nation or state. That is the people of a geographic area which they consider "theirs."  This is not a necessary condition and you may live to note that the geographic condition is less important. 

            Communication includes talk. Talk, especially live face to face talk, is a powerful mode of communication. Print and other media are also a powerful ways of  communicating of a different sort, different because it can effect a great number of people at a time. However, media is less power than face to face talk because it lacks many of the qualities of face to face talk.  Much talk may be carried on between two persons. That talk can be very powerful for them, but may have little effect beyond them. Conversation and  discussion are powerful means of communication for a few persons if is broadcasted by media its power is multiplied. Still live, face to face talk can be the most effective. The talk called dialogue can be carried on effectively with as many as 30 or 40 persons at a time. I believe that it is worth our while to learn more about dialogue.

            Inclusive talk is a useful sort of communication which includes you and me and others who may be different from you or from me or from both of us. When the group talk is a democratic and inclusive dialogue group that group can be satisfying and powerful.

            A dialogue group like this forms a place and time for members to have a more equal opportunity to speak and be heard. Much meaningful understanding as well as respect and friendship can develop in such a group. Dialog groups are usually made up of face to face groups from about three to about thirty individual because groups such size often prove effective and successful.

               Democracy is a word used to describe a ruling or governing group. It indicates that those who govern and rule are the people. Democracy can exist with a great number of limitations. An inclusive democracy is one that attempts to limit the limitations. One limitation has been the limitation to a specified area. For example, a city, state, or country, or a city state like ancient Athens or modern Singapore. "Demo" can refer to the people of Singapore, China, or your group. Among us and others the people of a group are citizens.

Citizen is another limiting word. Just because one lived in a specific area did not make him a citizen there. Slaves could not belong to the ruling group, Infants could not be citizens. Sometimes felons were barred from citizenship. So  among us a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people were limited to citizenship.

            These are terms understood in many dialogue groups. There may be other terms which it would be helpful to define, but this handful makes a good start for now.

            This little essay may turn out to be longer than I anticipated. I may consider publishing it in parts. I tend to feel more comfortable with works of only four or five pages. I will almost certainly publish this work at my blog Dialogue With RCS where there already more than 50 essays on "dialogue" published you may benefit by checking them out.

            Dialogue groups can be used for a variety of purposes, including as a parlor game.

Here I am considering them as a useful and probably vital tool of democratic governance. Democratic governance seems to be my principle theme here.

            So, Inclusivity is implied by democracy so inclusivity is a guiding principle for democratic dialogue groups and all democratic activities. I like the idea that inclusivity implies some interesting variety. That variety may also be an empowering factor of such groups. Expect your awareness of the value of diversity in our democratic processes ton grow.

            An important purpose of the dialogue group I speak of is to provide a safe space and place for the people of these groups to speak. They are made safe from interruption, but are also spaces where appropriate trust can develope, where we get to know one another, where friendship can develop. They are a place where respectful communication is nurtured. However, they are also a place where everyone is not always on the same page. Sometimes a completely new page turns up and we do some interesting learning. Being in a nurturing atmosphere is good, but variety can be the healthy and interesting spice of life.

             The power of a dialogue group is in its ability to support effective democratic governance. The facilitate inclusive democracies by providing productive platforms for a greater number and a greater variety of people to support the stable governance of those democracies. More of the involved voices are heard listened to, heard, and understood and all come to better understand their situation and condition. These groups form a safe and open space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to engage in meaningful communication. They can come to be in a place where at they can come to make good and better decisions and perhaps make them mutually. Through the dialogue, participants can share their perspectives, experiences, and concerns, allowing  for a more comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand. This inclusive approach ensures that the discussion-making process takes into account the needs and intersects of al citizens, of all members of society.

Education, learning, awareness, in accord with the realities of our community

            We have learning to do. Practice helps. Education and a willingness to be a more aware heps. Recognizing democratic processes is important. Active engagement in democratic processes and and practice in carrying them out is important. Showing up is a great start and a great follow through. We learn best where and when the most voices are heard. Heard one at a time so that we hear them well. Inclusivity and diverse perspectives are valuable reality check.

            In our dialogue groups the comfort of a group in which a most members are of very similar views, beliefs, and background is in an unstable dream world in groups interested in governance. We want the reality and actuality of the society to have representation. That is an important approach is to ensure that the composition of the group reflects the diversity reality of the citizen population. We want to have a group which is as representative of, for example, our town as we can. So, probably some seeking out and invitations may be called for. y including a range of perspectives, our group can better understand and address the realities of our community of interest.

            We want a safe just and realistic ambient for our dialogue group. This involves establishing ground rules which promote respectful and open communication, Where participants can feel comfortable sharing their experiences and opinions. It can be and should be arranged  that each and every member have equal opportunities to be heard. It is important to maintain an environment where participants feel empowered to express themselves with fear of negative judgement or reprisal. At best the oral offering(Speach)  of each member ought to be welcomed as a pressesh gift.

            Dialogue groups can provide a platform for marginalized voices, underrepresented citizens, and persons new to the political conversation of the society. They can better learn the nature of the democratic process in their larger community and learn how to be heard their. The participatory democracy we speak of here aims to involve citizens in the decision-making process. Our dialogue groups can help address power imbalances and promote inclusivity in the process of governance.

The nature of a politically oriented dialogue group

            Politics is not always a bad word.

Satisfying and Effective Group Talk

The nature of this group talk, called dialogue

            There are ways of speaking that are often more effective for good lives, good living, and for good dialogue. Ways that make dialogue better for improving our lives are available. That way of speaking takes practice. That practice is best when it includes: a bit of love; abundant respect, honesty and courtesy; civility and kindness are also helpful. Careful and practiced listening  are a must. It can be a pleasant ongoing practice. Some call it dialogue practice.

            Dialogue can be considered group conversation. It can include an exchange of ideas and opinions. Meaningfulness can be a measure of this conversation. It is good talk among more than two persons. Good talk calls for good listening. Good listening usually calls for meaningful practice. This dialogue is one good way of getting to know one another. It is also a good way to develop appropriate trust for one another. It can be used for fun and learning. Such good group talk can include a sharing of feelings, thoughts, and opinions with an honest desire to understand one another.

            Such dialogue can also improve society. For example it can lead to talk of civics and citizenship. Group talk can come to consider group governance! It need not do so, but it can. Creating group conversation can be powerful. It can be a bit like a parlour game which is great, but it can be more.

Uses of dialogue.           

             Present conditions may call for something like societal navigation by way of dialogue. Dialogue may satisfy a need for the growth of a community of meaning and understanding. When we feel a need for a higher quality of meaning and understanding we can use dialogue skills to share meanings and understandings and find healthy satisfactions in doing so.

            Through dialogue we can better maintain a more coordinate state among ourselves. Our dialogue may make evident our more important commonalities.

            Through dialogue we better our chances of living well in the face of what may seem to be our profound differences. We may find that the reality is that beyond our profound differences are our profound commonalities. Through our dialogue we can look at our differences and commonalities and share some of the experiences which led to them. We can come to better appreciate our varied experience and come to more realistic appreciation of one another.

            In any dialogue group we may come to see what seems to be massive differences of perspective, worldview, and identity! In our dialogue is a way to better understand and appreciate those differences.

            We believe that we are able to work together to accomplish common goals and that at some level that we do have common goals. For example, survival is often an recognized common goal to us and that living well is often another.

            With our ongoing dialogue we can provide ourselves with a better chance for acting together to recognize a chosen goal and going on to act on its accomplishment. For example, it is possible for aspects of our mutual survival to be chosen as our common goal. We believe that it is possible for us to come to a common or mutual understanding of what we are trying to accomplish. Can benefit by learning to co-ordinate our actions so as to facilitate their success. Our dialogue skill and practice is important to our making progress toward our common good.

Think together.

            We can think about thinking together. Actually thinking together can be a life saver. Doing so can also be of practical value for more everyday usage. We can decide to learn to do so with just a little will power. We can be ready to recognize useful skills for thinking together. The skills will include some attention to the way we talk among ourselves and a great deal more attention to the way listen to and and understand one another.

            With practice we learn a lot. We come to better recognize the nature of useful skills.

            With some practice we may be pleasantly surprised by the power of our collective thought. We may be good thinkers, but thinking together very often leads to better thinking. It also leads to our acting together more effectively. Still individual thought is the source of collective thought and deserves a great deal of attention and respect. Thinking together is powered by individual thought. Thinking together is not possible without individual thought,

            Thinking together can bring forth new insights. It also contributes much to our ongoing learning,often with seemingly little effort on our part.           

             When we have decided to try to think together as a family group or any other from of grouping we may find it necessary to overcome what have become traditional models of communication. The dialogue 1    hass a set of rules for doing this, The rules are simple, but they take practice. These rules seem new to some, but they are old and have long been used. Humans are very capable of using them. They may seem new to us because many of us have never seen them practiced. With our normal will power we can come to use them with ease.

            We can understand the nature of dialogue. Let's do so. There are some parts which can seem difficult at first, but they are few. One may be learning to practice: more appropriate trust, more openness without blaming, more open examination of difficulties, stick to a high degree of honesty which includes respect and a rather humble understanding. We are not perfect, but we can aim to keep these attitudes in mind.  

About the nature of the dialogue

            In the beginning the dialogue may seem to have no agenda and to have little structure. You will find the agenda/s as you practice and you will find that the structure there is in the dialogue is very important. Also apparent lack of a clear purpose and desired outcomes may be disturbing for some. Many also are please to find that one desired outcome is that you be heard and understood and that another is you improve your ability to listen to others and to get a better feeling for their meanings.

            A nature of well practiced dialogue is that the talk can become more open and honest and we come to trust one another more appropriately. We also find that there is practically no blaming and that there is abundant responsibility. We become aware of our own inconsistencies as well as those of others. We gradually feel feerer to be ourselves. We like the feeling of getting better without having to be perfect.

            

More about the nature of thinking together and beginning to be more clearly aware of its value

            We begin to consider differences between thinking alone and thinking together. At first it is important to keep those differences in mind but find that it is important to do so. Later it can become a second natures and calls for almost no thought. Thinking together is  done differently than thinking alone. Getting another's meaning into your mind and getting her meaning into yours is not easy. Coming to the mutual understanding of meanings enables you to better act on them together. It is is not easy to do so. Accepting the reality of each others understanding is not easy. Still we can do so. And we can do so with a couple of dozen others. It takes practice and the practice can be a pleasure.

            Much of it is pretty simple. We make a time and place for that thinking to take place. I have found that sitting in a circle facing one another is a good practice. Having the opportunity to have equal opportunity to speak and to listen is also good. Listening well is vital, but perfection is not. We need space for each and all to participate in our thinking. We practice talking together one at a time. We find that we are are making meanings and understandings mutual.  

            We are learning  together to form an kind of interaction new to most of us. It begins as a conscious interaction. We are learning to listen more intently to that which is being said. We listen to understand the meaning of what the speaker is saying. As we listen we are not planing that which we are going to say; we listen to understand the meaning of that which the speaker is trying to express. We do try to think more clearly about that which is being said and to understand the speaker's intention. We intend to achieve a deeper and broader understanding of that which is said, without giving ourself a headache. 

            We can be generous and creative as we think together.

            Evokinga dialogue is different than evoking a discussion. We are not trying to make our point of view dominate. We do want it to be understood and we do want to understand the views of others. We may come to want to know more of the experiences which led to those points of view. We are taking part in a democratic process. We become more aware of the nature of meanings and understandings circulating in our group. We learn to operate in a way which increases our awareness of what is happening in our dialogue. We think freely as we think together.

            All there is to it is to do it and enjoy the process

            Is there a person in your life who might be interested in this dialogue? Talk to them. Talk can be very good. If the person is truly interested, they may be interested in cooperating with you to find a third person. With three persons you have the start of a real dialogue group! When you have about 30 individuals in your group you may think of starting a second group. I have gotten pretty old, but am still ready to help a new group with suggestions, information, explanations and like that.

            Thank you for reading.

                                                                         Richard Sheehan