Community Discussion (in progress): Is there space for Critical Thinking without judgement?

This blog entry is a continuation of an ongoing community discussion
started by @rortian and @yvesoler.

Here is the chronicle of related posts:

1. To Steemstem or not to steemstem, who defines science? by @rortian
2. Want to be a part of a Community Discussion? by @yvesoler
3. Community Discussion (continued…) by @rortian
4. Community Discussion continued: A Feeling of Failure by @yvesoler
5. Community Discussion (in progress) by @rortian

You are invited to be a part of the discussion: leave a comment, post your own related post, upvote, resteem… anything that keeps the conversation and the learning going!

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Image by johnhain
@rortian wrote:

I don't see a declaration of failure in your message, and so I don't know where you think you (we?) have failed.

The feeling of failure was due to three things:

1. My inability to keep up with all the questions and comments.

I am feeling overwhelmed and am wondering how to find the right balance between my work/studies and this fascinating experiment. Writing is something that takes time for me because I like to let things sink in before hitting "publish". Yet there is this urgency to answer right away because the amount of incoming commentary is greater than my outgoing content, which means things pile up.

2. My inability to produce content that elicits interaction with others.

I am thrilled by our interactions, really I am, but I would also like to have meaningful conversations with a greater audience. I came to Steemit to hone in my thoughts through critical and engaging writing on key topics. Instead, for fear of taking too long between publications, I tend to comment on a variety of different subjects and allow myself to be taken on a multitude of rides that are fun, but somewhat of a distraction. The result is a reputation score firmly stuck at 44. I know we shouldn't compare, but I can't help but notice that yours is ticking up. This makes me very happy for you, since it indicates that your campaign to elicit more engagement is working! At the same time it makes me sad because my way of giving it my all on Steemit is not working—my contribution level in the community is at a standstill.

3. After multiple posts, I am not sure which direction to take.

I feel like our interactions have built a good level of trust*, and this allows me to take in everything shared with less filters. Without the filters, the richness of the exchange is enhanced, which allows for a greater absorption of knowledge. Is this what is meant by "learning"?

* There is a little, itty-bitty part of me that worries that this is all a farse and in the end you will reveal that the whole experience was an experiment with me as the mouse. But that is the fear talking again. :p

@rortian wrote:

Did you read my ebook? I dropped it at https://discord.gg/3UJyZPc. This isn't my first experience with this sort of thing...

You keep asking me if I read your 85 page ebook when I keep telling you I am overwhelmed by the amount of data coming in. Hmmm... maybe I am not expressing myself very well?

Which direction to take?

In looking over our posts, I wonder if the question to ask now is:

"How does one person create a safe space in a written environment that leads to open discussions on topics that are outside of the desired audience’s comfort zone?"

It is easy to get a following of people that agree with you. But how do you positively engage the people that don't necessarily agree with you or that don't *think* they agree with you?

I loved what Robb Willer had said during his TEDx about How to have better political conversations. His research showed that "if you want to persuade someone on some policy, it's helpful to connect that policy to their underlying moral values."

So in an open environment like Steemit, where anyone can be your reader, how do you attract and elicit critical thinking? What are the elements of a public discussion with multiple points of views that encourage trust and listening while leaving out judgment and fear in order to ultimately arrive at learning?