Learning how to talk again

In a polarised and contentious age where civil disagreement seems increasingly impossible, we need more spaces for debate where difficult questions can be explored honestly, disagreement is not treated as failure, and curiosity is not mistaken for hostility.

Into the agora

Athenians understood that democratic speech was both a right and a responsibility, and that the quality of public life depended on the character of its citizens.

Adventures in the big tent

People often extol the virtue of open-mindedness, but can there be too much of a good thing?

What about ‘whataboutism’?

Apologists for communism in the past and Russian war crimes and Chinese oppression today often deflect criticism by pointing to supposed faults in democracies, but this well-worn tactic is increasingly used by politicians and commentators of all political persuasions.

How to have good arguments

If we approach all people as having worthwhile ideas, we’ll not only encourage them to present clearer ideas but also make everyone feel valued.