Hi, everyone. John Don Van here and early happy Thanksgiving to everybody about which more in a moment.

But first, let me tell you how thankful I'm feeling about the great season we've been having.

And I know that from your incoming comments.

And also because, of course, I was there standing in the middle literally of some of the best debates we have ever put on.

So give them a listen if you haven't already, like the debate on whether America's healthcare system needs to be knocked down before it can be put back together.

Or the fascinating look at the state of Western democracy and whether it is doomed.

And our nuance take on the US-China relationship.

And that was a night where we actually worked through four different resolutions on that theme.

And then for sports fans, and also not for sports fans, actually, our latest debate asked a question that has nagged,

athletic endeavor for a long time.

And that is, should college athletes get paid?

You can find all of these as podcasts the very same way you found this one.

But this podcast is not going to be a debate per se.

It is part of our continuing series of conversations on the quality of discourse in this time and place we're living in,

where we talk about just how good or bad we are as a culture in talking with and listening to each other.

And it's coming just in time for those family gatherings that most of us are going to be part of on Thanksgiving Day.

And honestly, are you a little stressed out at that thought?

I mean, the thought of getting together with aunts and uncles and cousins who may come from parts of the country,

or just parts of the family, where the way people think and talk about Trump and the media and politics is,

let's say, at odds with your view on things.

So how do you talk about these no doubt touchy topics at Thanksgiving dinner,

without giving into the desire to throw a pumpkin pie in somebody's face?

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