Ken Cloke’s 50 Questions for Political Arguments
Editor’s Note: On an episode of Mast Appeal, Colleen Kelly Mast shared a list of 50 questions we should ask when discussing politics. The list was developed by mediator Ken Cloke, and the first 10 questions can be found below. There is also a link to the full list at Ken’s website.
In the period leading up to, and in the aftermath of elections, we may find ourselves talking with friends, relatives, or colleagues and disagreeing passionately over principles. In addition to the substantive points we want to make, here are 50 questions we can ask to help make our conversations more interesting and productive:
1.             What life experiences have you had that have led you to feel so passionately about this issue?
2.             Where do your beliefs come from?  Family? Faith? Culture? Work?
3.            What do you think your beliefs might be if you had been born into a different family, religion, race, gender, class, or time?
4.             What is at the heart of this issue, for you as an individual?
5.             Why do you care so much about this issue?
6.            Do you see any gray areas in the issue we are discussing, or ideas you find it difficult to define?
7.             Do you have any mixed feelings, doubts, uncertainties, or discomforts regarding this issue that you would be willing to share?
8.             Is there any part of this issue that you are not 100% certain of or would be willing to discuss and talk about?
9.             What questions or points of curiosity do you have for people who have different views?
10.         What are some of the key words or phrases that divide us?
