Arguing for Our Lives A User's Guide to Constructive Dialog

"At the moment, what passes for political debate is the bickering of two vociferous and wrong-headed parties. Robert Jensen reacquaints us with the political and social skills we'll need if we're to reclaim politics for the 21st century. This is a brave book, one that packs more wisdom in its few pages than a shelf's worth of political theory, because it's also a book about political practice. Jensen patiently, honestly, and rigorously exemplifies the highest virtues of a public intellectual."--Raj Patel, author of "Stuffed and Starved: Markets, Power and the Hidden Battle for the World's Food System" "A potent attack on the rabid, irrational saber-rattling that passes for political and social discourse today, "Arguing for Our Lives" is a cogent, closely argued, sober, yet passionate call for ordinary men and women to help save our democracy by reclaiming our intellect, by honing our powers of rational argumentation."--Tirdad Derakhshani, "Philadelphia Inquirer" "A pamphlet in the classic sense of all good-hearted propaganda, "Arguing For Our Lives: A User's Guide to Constructive Dialog," addresses America's fear of intellectualism and the trepidation many people (including Dr. Jensen's journalism students) feel about claiming the very achievable title of critical thinker."-- Roberto Ontiveros, "San Antonio Current" "Do you completely trust the sensational, sound-byte driven news and polarized politicians who never seem to say anything at all, unless it is a totally frightening slip? In a time when public discourse is rife with big-money propaganda, we need to work even harder to think and communicate clearly. While Jensen has honed his critical thinking years over two decades in the classroom, this is a jargon-free book that will enable you to, in the here and now, make small, meaningful steps toward a better world."--Alexis Coe, "SF Weekly" "Robert Jensen has long been one of the most vocal iconoclasts in Austin and the country, someone