The most important election of our lifetime?

 

by Diane Tran
follow me on Twitter: @MinnesotaRising

The turn of phrase comes as regularly as election cycles, but was this last election really the most important in our lifetime? Youth voter turnout, while high, was not record-setting in 2012; and although much has been made of older Americans lamenting the low civic engagement and voting patterns of Millennials, it turns out that today’s youth are voting at the same rate the Baby Boomers did when they were our age. Clichéd expression and middling benchmarks aside, here are three key observations from the recent election that reflect the transformation of the rising generation’s role in politics and change-making.

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Conversations that Count: Appreciative inquiry and cascading conversations

by Diane Tran
follow me on Twitter: @MinnesotaRising

Are you reading what I’m writing?

One of my favorite theoretical concepts is that of linguistic determinism, or the idea that language and its structures limit and determine human knowledge or thought. Our classic Minnesota example is the various types of condensation we encounter in the winter, being able to refer to the white stuff as slush, wintry mix, and sleet, whereas others in warmer climates might only be able to name it snow. The idea that we can only understand the purposes or capacities of items insofar as we have been introduced to them should urge us to dream up new ways to relate to and interact with everything around us. It matters not only to our ability to repurpose vases as drinkware when the rest of the dirty cups are in the sink, but also to the creativity and vision we can have for our lives and the communities we call home.

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Give it some gusto: Nuance in word and action.

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” -Author Unknown

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