usmbguest5318
Gold Member
USMB happens to be an Internet forum in which people gather to discuss, among other things, public policy. USMB is not, however, the only place where people can and do so. In what other venues does one find and might one participate in discussions of public policy, either physically or virtually, depending on the way the event is organized), perhaps even having something to share with the other participants/attendees? Well, here are some examples:
Do you routinely and periodically attend policy discussion events (virtual or physical) such as the ones indicated at the links above? If so, do you simply sit and listen, or do you participate. If you participate, conduct yourself there in exactly the same way one observes that many people do in policy discussions here on USMB?
Note:
- CFR Presents
- - AEI
- Brookings - Quality. Independence. Impact.
- Events
- Taxes and Inequality | Harris Public Policy
- Events | LBJ School of Public Affairs | The University of Texas at Austin
- Events Calendar - The Earth Institute - Columbia University
- Events
- Upcoming Events
- Book signings by writers on matters of public policy, the environment, etc. often enough have a brief lecture and Q&A period before or after the signing part of the event. [1]
Do you routinely and periodically attend policy discussion events (virtual or physical) such as the ones indicated at the links above? If so, do you simply sit and listen, or do you participate. If you participate, conduct yourself there in exactly the same way one observes that many people do in policy discussions here on USMB?
- By that, I mean, for example:
- Would you stand up (figuratively or literally) and say to the audience/speakers that they don't know they are talking about, perhaps even in a crass manner?
- Would you stand up and say something as childish as is much of what's said here?
- Would you stand and say something and provide no context for your remarks?
- Would you stand, say something, be asked a question in return and simply not answer it, even though by having been asked a question, the other person has respectfully shown an interest and willingness to engage with you on the topic?
- Would you stand and say something that has nothing to do with the topic being discussed?
- Would you spew purely partisan rhetoric rather than having something substantive to say?
- Would you merely share your opinion and then sit down?
- Would you stand and ask a loaded question or make a loaded statement that is almost sure to rather in either a didactic or dismissive response, rather than asking/making a neutrally phrased one that'll advance the discussion?
Note:
- I once went to a signing and I wasn't particularly interested in buying the author's current book. I took an older book he'd written and asked him to sign that and while he did so, I asked him about one of the points he'd raised in it and how it jibed with something I'd read by another author. He asked me if I minded waiting around 'til the end of the signing and invited me to join him and several other attendees for drinks at the bar down the street and we all had a great impromptu "round.table" sort of chat. The people there included one other undergrad like me, two grad students and one dude who was clearly a post-doc or "think tanker" or something.
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