This Wednesday, January 15th, Lamoille Valley Lifelong Learning Institute is pleased to have local attorney Chandler Matson present the Age of Violence: How coverage of public opinion and the 21 st century zeitgeist threatens our ability to reason and solve problems. This session will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Commodores Inn, 823 South Main Street, Rt. 100, Stowe, Vermont. Membership is $40 for the nine-session semester, or $7 per session.

Discourse and debate in America has increasingly relied upon the verbiage of "assault," "attack," "war," and the like. Irrespective of merit, our ever-increasing reliance upon demonization of contrary positions creates an environment in which there is little to no room for reasoned discussion, because the debate is simply defined as "good versus evil". While scientific, economic, governmental, and due process structures ensure reasoned debate within their respective spheres, public discourse and debate relies solely upon the citizenry's collective proclivities. In other words, we get what we want? Since every generation of humankind has confronted important issues that demand reasoned solutions, how then, can this generation – with an ever-growing supply of echo chamber news - overcome our propensity to demonize those with contrary views?

Refreshments are provided immediately following the session. On January 22nd, William Robinson Ph.D. will present Riding the Waves: The evolution of software development, 1977-2013.

Interested in becoming a Lamoille Valley OLLI sponsor? Contact us. For further information: Ann Spearing, 888-7466; or learn.UVM.edu/osher.