Welcome to the Commune podcast. This is Jeff Krasno.

Many of you may receive my weekly Sunday commusing article, where I address a breadth of societal issues from the spiritual to the political.

And on occasion, I will also record an audio version of these articles and

release it as a bonus episode. So today's podcast is derived from my article focused on a debate

technique that addresses healthy public discourse and social polarization. I also find it to be a

potent personal development tool that is effective for cultivating empathy and human polarization. I also find it to be a potent personal development tool

that is effective for cultivating empathy and humility.

So, without further ado,

here is this week's commusing entitled,

From Straw to Steel.

Music I'm facing the daunting task of setting up three daughters for successful distance learning.

I keep reminding myself that there is no playbook for parenting during a pandemic.

This helps assuage the guilt I feel for engaging in petty acts of bribery.

We have resorted to cajoling our kids into engaging with Zoom lessons for interminable hours

by adopting a range of lovable furry animals. This inducement elicited a fierce

backseat debate between my two youngest. Lolly, what do you want? A cat or a dog? asked Micah.

Well, I think cats are cuddlier, so I'd say a cat, replied Lolly. You're such a dog hater, retorted

Micah. From the driver's seat,

I couldn't help but interject and point out to Mika that she had just used a straw man argument

against Lally. Neither saw the relevance of the Wizard of Oz in their dispute. Straw man arguments

riddle the invective of social media. Here's one I just picked off Facebook.

Poster number one.

...