Brainstorming

Here are the suggested topics and procedures I received so far. It seems that we are off to a good start. Remember this is still a brainstorming session, so the ideal is not to be critical but to let these ideas stimulate other ideas. Also don't be afraid to suggest something that has already been suggested. Sometimes the same basic idea phrased in a different way will lead to a different line of discussion.

From Gerry;
Possible topic  "The New Jim Crow"

From Norm:
Topics worth exploring only if the audience is diverse e.g.
- Racism - if only one ethnic group shows up, no benefit.
- Abortion - It seems to me only women have standing to discuss this issue.  But that position may in itself be worth discussing, or not.
 - Capitalism v. Socialism if group is ideologically diverse
 - Ethical issues - medical, social, business, political, etc
 - "Is Idealism worth discussing?"

From Vince:
I am interested in how individuals our age (60-70 and older) can have an inter-generational conversation with individuals the age of our children; or more likely our grandchildren. Our generation has witnessed much change(social, economic and so on). How best to convey that change to a generation that will most likely experience as much or more change during their lives. We may also learn much  from the younger generation as to what interests and concerns them. Old people conversing with “old” people is interesting in my opinion, but also quite limited.

From Tim:
Vince your suggestion would have been my number 1 suggestion.  I feel that using this issue as a platform, we can approach many if not all of the cultural, spiritual, and institutional problems facing the nation. Your suggestion also gives us an objective for framing any discussion and suggestions for improvement and further study.

From Dory:
Dory submitted this article about ways to reduce terrorism as as focus for discussion.

From Bill:
We might want to consider the topic “Globalization”.  Although I acknowledge the process probably is unstoppable, I think we could get a lot of insights into current issues; unemployment in the US and throughout the world; the impact of imports on consumer goods; efficiency vs. service in the retail industry; effects on the environment (always a hot topic); and I am sure others.

From Wayne:
I can think of several topics.   One of the very much discussed and in the news at present is the status of our educational system.  I believe that it has been discussed and commented on by president Obama.  It is very interesting to read some of the accounts of the teachers that volunteered for the Teach For America program.  I don’t want to get into the details now, but anyone who has had some teaching experience certainly knows that it has been a thankless job as far as compensation goes.  Of course, there can be other rewards besides money that may come from the teaching profession.  One of them is keeping up with latest topics and also the feeling that you have helped someone acquire the skills and attitudes for a fulfilled lifetime in their trek through this life experience as it is surely going to be quite a challenge (coping with global climate change, food resources for an expanding world population)...

From Lowell:
M ... I sent you, I hope, a separate e-mail with a link to a powerful BBC report from Yemen. Dramatic, perhaps disturbing, but neutral and responsible in terms of origin. At bottom of the take are other pieces re Yemen and al-Qaida. A pretty powerful discussion can be built around this BBC report, especially if you could show it first on a big screen or wall ... Bain, I'm pretty sure, has a projector you could use.


----- 8/15 Update, more suggestions -----

From Hank:
We might want to discuss social conscience. Conscience: the decider of doing what one ought vice what one wants. As a society, how can we influence this decision?

From Dory:
In addition to the I-P conflict, I suggest:  education and healthcare.

From Lowell:

Here's an always-interesting topic you might want to put in the bag, from Pew Research, this past week ... headline: Living to 120 and Beyond: Americans’ Views on Aging, Medical Advances and Radical Life Extension.

From Norm:
- Voting rights, national and in the states
- Criminal justice, prison population, mandatory sentences
- Immigration, how it affects Republicans and Democrats


----- 8/16 Update -----

From Ron:
- I would add, either as a subtopic of "Politics", or maybe under an additional topic covering a multiplicity of DOD or Defense concerns, the exploding use of drones.
- Also, maybe a "Privacy" topic that could embrace the full scope of collection and use of personal information, whether by government or others. Don't think this is totally exclusive of a drone discussion, except that drone use includes offensive anonymous weapon delivery.


----- 8/18 Update -----

From Vince:
- I would like to suggest the issue of growing (from the 70s to the present) income inequity and shrinking middle class. We could also discuss whether income inequity influences Americans to become angry and divides them.
- Group meeting discussion format- It appears to me that the group should have some common reading(s) on any topic it  selects to discuss. A brief presentation by a group member might also be helpful in starting the discussion. Just suggestions. We might want to discuss group discussion format electronically, and most certainly at the first meeting.

From Skye:
- Growing income equality is good. I mean, a good topic!
- And how about - how do wars start? How do they stop?
- I'm not sure about  required reading unless something were passed out one week for the next. A short presentation by someone might be good but it might be hard to limit some people.

----- 8/19 Update -----

From Skye:

- Majors:  Why do some people major in/work in the liberal arts, the social sciences, the hard sciences? I have found some scientists who also are talented in music or something like that but not as many musicians, etc., who have a science as an avocation (other than astronomy or birdwatching). Does a certain major change one? 

- Abortions: Why is an abortion a private matter between a woman and her doctor? Why not just hers alone? or hers and her male's? How do men feel about being left out of the decision? 

- Life lessons: What advice would you give your grandchild? What do you regret doing or not doing? Has your pride gotten in the way of anything (not too personal)? What would you do differently/the same? Do you wish you had lived in another time, even by 10 years? 

----- 8/20 Update -----

From Bill:
How about Guns in America.  There’s lots of material on the subject.



----- 8/23 Update -----

From Vince:
Our group should pick up discussion go a bit deeper on topic and link it to current efforts by the Obama Administration to modify mandatory sentencing laws.

From Hank:
When I suggested Social Conscience I meant to put the emphasis on people reflecting on their own behavior: how they measured the balance between what they knew to be proper and their desires ... and how society might influence the choice for the better. Think of the three Texans who killed a student because they were bored - and later the shooter said he was sorry!

From Skye:
Not about intergenerational discussions but I think having a social conscience is becoming harder with a more crowded society. As we are using up our natural resources, there is competition for those that remain, to the extent that it outweighs the niceties in life. When one is hungry and must feed young ones, it is hard to be polite and wait your turn when that might never come. I am speaking of hard times (the 30s, certain countries today, storms, etc.). In hard times, I think our circle gets smaller - the circle we give to and will defend and care about.