Community Guidelines

Page Contents

  • Online discussion format
  • Club Introduction
  • What to Expect from the Discussion
  • Support 
  • Unstated assumptions and rules for discussion

The moderator will read this page at every event to make sure everyone understands what to expect from the discussions.  Moderator will read everything except the unstated assumptions and rules for discussion.


Online Discussion Format:

  • To prevent interruption, attendees are muted, and can only be unmuted by the moderator.
  • Raise your virtual hand to raise a comment or question.  (In ZOOM, the raise hand function can be found in the bottom panel, on the right in the 'Reactions' icon.)
  • The moderator cannot see who is trying to unmute themselves, therefor attendees need to raise their hand for comment or question.
  • Moderator directs who speaks.  Prioritizing those who spoke less.  Not on a first-come first-serve basis. 
  • (Note on Bluetooth and ZOOM: There appears to be a technical problem that prevents people who are using Bluetooth to be heard by others.  If you are experiences a problem when speaking, when ZOOM shows unmuted but nobody can hear you, please try removing Bluetooth and then speaking.)

Club Introduction:

The idea for this club is to find the limits of knowledge and then break them.  Limits can be found by a lack of understanding of the topic or how to explain it.  The diverse backgrounds we come from will cause us to have different approaches to the topic which will elucidate arguments for and against the topic.  I expect that we will have a wonderful discussion. 


What to Expect from the Discussion

  1. Members have the responsibility to help everyone understand the topic.
  2. Members also need to voice their disagreement.  Topics are complicated, and we will not agree.  Better to voice the different views.  As we come from different backgrounds, we will see ideas differently.  
  3. The moderator's responsibility will be to give space to those who have not spoken much. 
  4. Reading the book is highly suggested, but not required.  If you have not read the book, you are still more than welcome to participate in the conversation.  What matters most is how you engage with other people’s ideas.  
  5. Everyone is encouraged to speak.  If you have not spoken in some time, you might be randomly called on to speak.  Speaking is voluntary, which means that if you do not want to add to the conversation, that is acceptable, but you will be given the space. 
  6. Each question will be limited to about 30 min.  If you would like to add something for any given topic, do raise your hand for that question.  
  7. The chat has been limited to prevent distractions.  If there is a comment or follow up question that someone would like posted to everyone, send it to the moderator.  It might be posted, but not necessarily. 
  8. To make it easier to discuss any idea, it is good practice to limit how much time you speak, to about 3 minutes and explaining 3 ideas.  If someone is speaking for a long time, the moderator will mute them and ask to speak later or ask to finish up.  Please do not make the moderator interrupt explanations, they do not like to. 


Support 
The club has costs.  If you appreciate the events, you can help cover the costs by contributing: 
1) Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.

Unstated Assumptions and Rules for Discussion

  1. Attendees want to learn.  The way attendees learn is by being challenged and improving their ideas and arguments.  That means that there will be tension, which allows people to become better.
  2. Errors are permitted.  After we find the error, we can look for alternatives and different ways.
  3. No personal attacks.  You can disagree with the argument, but not attack the character of the person.  That leads to people being defensive, and making disagreement difficult. 
  4. No foul language.  Explain why you dislike or disagree with the idea or argument, not just how much you dislike the idea with expressive words.
  5. Do not homogenous people.  Even if people seem to agree on an idea, that does not mean they share every other idea.  
  6. People can change their mind, just not right away.  If an idea is not yet accepted, it might need more time and more reasons.  Be patient and hear the different views.  











Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)