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Harper's Magazine has an interesting taxonomy. (Scroll down.) [Scripting News]

Conversation: A Foundational Skill of Democracy.

Posted by The Happy Tutor

Thought of Doc, David and Cluetrain reading this. Civil Society itself is a many to many conversation. The net and blogging are subsets of civil society.

Non-Profit Quarterly, Fall 2001,The Magic of Dialogue by Daniel Yankelovich 
 
The very process of dialogue has a "civilizing" influence. Dialogue binds us together as communities. To engage in genuine dialogue is to create and strengthen such values of civil society as: building trust in one another; feeling familiar and comfortable together; finding it easy and natural to cooperate with one another and knowing how to create the common ground on which successful cooperation depends; weaving a complex web of working relationships that cut across institutional boundaries; and feeling a sense of identity with those with whom one shares community.

If the values of reciprocity, stewardship, responsibility, citizenship, civic virtue, and love describe various facets of how we take care of one another in a civil society, it matters a great deal whether we like, respect, trust, and understand one another or stereotype, distance, distort, and mistrust one another. Civil society stands or falls on this foundation of feelings. The magic of dialogue is that it really does enhance respect and acceptance of others, thereby creating community and social capital.

[Wealth Bondage]

The language of native American baskets. The language of native American baskets - simply gorgeous display of native basketry with commentary from five weavers who keep classic traditions alive. It includes contemporary and antique basketry ranging from burden baskets, jars, and ollas to fancy baskets and hats. This is exhibit is currently on view at the National Museum of the American Indian. [MetaFilter]