How to Build Neural Pathways and Decrease Group Polarization

Meg Mott

Deliberation is the practice that holds our democracy together, but does it always lead to better decisions? When citizens only talk to like-minded citizens, the thinking gets stuck and the decisions tend to be more extreme. This presentation gives participants a chance to find new ways to think about a contentious issue by increasing the argument pool. Instead of carving out one’s (predictable) position in the culture wars, we’ll look at the best arguments on an issue from progressives, conservatives, and libertarians. By the end of the discussion, participants will have a greater understanding of the reasoning of their political opponents as well as some awareness of the weaker arguments coming from their side.

This talk is sponsored by the Vermont Humanities Council