Roundtable Blog

Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about.

A single conversation across the table with a wise person is worth a month’s study of books

…knowledge consists of a network of people and ideas that are not totally in sync, that are diverse, that disagree… The Web only has value because it contains difference… We are beginning to think of knowledge itself as having value insofar as it contains difference.

The days of leading countries or companies via a one-way conversation are over,” … “The old system of ‘command and control’ — using carrots and sticks — to exert power over people is fast being replaced by ‘connect and collaborate’ — to generate power through people.” Leaders and managers cannot just impose their will, adds Seidman. “Now you have to have a two-way conversation that connects deeply with your citizens or customers or employees.

Reflective dialogue is a powerful vehicle to critical thinking and deep understanding. So often now, much of what is called “dialogue” is not. It is simply sharing with, or shouting at, others in our increasingly polarized society. Civil discourse online is even harder: the physical distance, the anonymity, and other factors feed into a communication culture of multiple monologue, not dialogue… In response, Roundtable is a website dedicated to empowering meaningful conversations – between thought leaders, between friends, and between curated communities of strangers… This model could be leveraged in many forms of elearning and blended learning settings. My mind is racing with the thought…

… like-minded people do not argue anymore, just share. Share on social networks, an automatic gesture of pressing a button. Information is not exchanged, experiences are not crossed and everything ends in the superficiality of a thumbs up or a hundred or so characters. Whats missing here are conversations in the form of a round table, where people interested and interesting spend quality time discussing their opinions. If these meetings are less frequent in person, its just our luck to have something appear like Roundtable.

I am seriously loving the concept of Roundtable. Read in on smart folks having conversations…

Democracy is all about public discussion.

One simple form of cooperation, almost universal with social tools, is conversation; when people are in one another’s company, even virtually, they like to talk… Conversation creates more of a sense of community than sharing does…