The Potluck Project
Analogue Networking
Last week, I had a conversation with a thoughtful business owner about the Potluck for Democracy. We discussed the impact of social media on our society and how machine learning programs have learned to exploit our outrage, feeding us more of it to keep us on their platforms and generate more ad revenue. These platforms…
Read MoreBe the Chicken or the Egg
We often want to know what “started it.” We want to know what is the chicken and what is the egg. We do need to analyze what is happening. But sometimes our desire for complete understanding keeps us from acting. In a recent book by Robert Putnam, The Upswing, he shows how our nation went…
Read MoreNew Orientation
I almost always know what direction I am facing. As I write this, I am facing north by northeast. I learned this skill when I was driving a wheat truck in sixth grade. The farm I worked on was in the Palouse hills, and the farmers owned thousands of acres. They would tell me to…
Read MoreAntidote to Polarization
Our team and I recently attended the Episcopal General Convention to promote our Potluck for Democracy, our media, and my book, “Go and Do Likewise.” Both at the convention and here locally, some have asked if a religious organization should “engage in politics.” First, this question highlights how the poison of negativity and polarization has…
Read MoreUnder Fear
This week, I’m at the Episcopal Convention in Louisville, KY, together with our Dir. of Youth Engagement, Hannah, and our Dir. of Media, Ean. We are meeting with current and prospective partner organizations and testing how PTU’s Potluck for Democracy initiative can serve communities in the social context of Louisville and that region. As we…
Read MoreDeep Breath
This spring has been so busy for PTU. We are now moving into a phase of spreading the word about the Potluck across the nation. We want to help individuals and community organizations to find their power to come together and strengthen our democracy and communities. Hannah, Ean (our Director of Media), and I will…
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