Understanding the Common Good

Initiated by:
• Francisco

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Videos: 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6oSJg6wuBg 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B19t4G0MSF4 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3vmvudzltc 4. https://www.ted.com/talks/oye_waddell_hustling_for_the_common_good 5. https://www.ted.com/talks/krista_tippett_reconnecting_with_compassion 6. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNLOdRMgaDY 7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2XFfh6BDv8 Reading (highly recommended): "The Common Good" by Robert H. Reich Questions: 1. How do you define "the common good" in your country (United States, Canada, UK or other European countries)? 2. Do we have obligations to the nation in addition to paying taxes, serving on juries, and voting? If so, what are they? 3. Some say Americans are selfish and self-centered. Others point to acts of kindness and courage - first responders to emergencies, everyday acts of altruism. How would you describe our national character? 4. Has America's character changed over time - since your parents were children, for example? If so, how and why? 5. Do you trust the government to do the right thing most of the time? Do you believe in our system of government - the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, federalism, and the rule of law? 6. What role does a president play in setting the moral tone of the nation? 7. Does a democracy depend on a shared reality, or can a democracy function with people believing fundamentally different facts? 8. Do we have an obligation to break out of our self-made "bubbles" of friends, neighbors, and Internet algorithms that confirm everything we believe? If so, how can we do it? If not, can we still be effective participants in our democracy? 9. How do you think the common good can best be restored? By courtesy of Robert B. Reich