Are You a Jerk, or a Liar?

Givers think that conversations unfold as a series of invitations; takers think conversations unfold as a series of declarations. When giver meets giver or taker meets taker, all is well. When giver meets taker, however, giver gives, taker takes, and giver gets resentful (“Why won’t he ask me a single question?”) while taker has a lovely time (“She... See more

Communication creates community. The way we communicate forms the types of communities we form: communities where the highest good sought is great entertainment and prestige (“he prepares for those podcasts like none other, and asks banger questions!”) or communities oriented toward the truth and encounters with the real.

Some of these questions people could just type into Google. But the answers are more meaningful when they come from a trusted circle. And many inquiries aren’t about information: they are about sharing resources. When there is underlying trust, people become willing to offer up information that’s valuable, relational and risky: for example introduc... See more

In the age of social media, cyber trolls, and fake news, it is a national and global crisis that people so readily follow their feelings to embrace outlandish stories about their enemies. A community in which members hold one another accountable for using evidence to substantiate their assertions is a community that can, collectively, pursue truth ... See more

Second person sensemaking involves how we communicate with one another, moving toward authentic conversations grounded in honesty and curiosity; conversations that take us somewhere new.