2012 Discussion ideas -- add yours!

Here are a few ideas to get us started with discussion ideas for 2012.  But we need more!  Add yours in the comments section.  Feel free to look back at posts from previous years to spark ideas.

We will collect as many ideas as we can Jan. 2-5.  Then we'll vote on the top 12 from Jan. 6-8.

You do not have to lead the discussion on an idea you suggest, but you certainly may if you wish.  If you see another idea from another person that you'd be interested in leading the discussion on, please indicate that.  Also, if you have ideas for guest speakers or other visitors, the sky's the limit here.

So here are a few preliminary ideas. Add your own ideas, and feel free to flesh out any of these or take them in a new direction if you like:

1)  What is money?

Based on an episode of This American Life called "The Invention of Money." This could cover understanding some basic economic concepts as well as philosophical approaches to what money means/does to people, how it should be handled, and how we as individuals and societies relate to money. Current data show that the millennial generation may be developing habits of thrift reminiscent of those found among the Depression-era cohort -- what does this mean? 

2)  What is happening to men?

From the cover of the Atlantic to the recent Muppets movie, Americans everywhere seem to be soul-searching about "failure to launch." Women now outnumber men on college campuses, and some studies show that women in the youngest generation are out-earning the men their age. Three-quarters of the jobs lost during the recession were lost by men, in sectors like manufacturing and construction that are less likely to bounce back.  One result is an increasingly lopsided marriage market; another is a national fixation on prolonged adolescence.  Has the feminist movement had unintended consequences for men, or are there other factors causing this demographic dilemma?  

3)  Is Politics the New Religion? 

This question comes from one of the findings of the recent book American Grace:How Religion Divides and Unites Us, which says that Americans are now more likely to change their religion to fit their politics than they are to change their politics to fit their religion. I think the discussion could be done in a way that would steer clear of partisan debate of granular policy issues and focus on the social/psychological phenomenon and what it might indicate about the current and future state of religion, politics, and democracy (and perhaps epistemology too) in America. (Idea submitted by Dave Ward)

4)  Is Google making us dumber? or smarter?

A perennial question as we continue to sort through implications of the digital revolution. There is evidence that our neural pathways are changing to adapt to the sheer volume of available information. On the one hand, this can hamper our ability to recall information, and the multitasking encouraged by the internet makes it harder to focus for long periods of time.  On the other hand, experienced internet users may have more advanced decision-making skills and complex reasoning.  What are the pros and cons of the deluge of information facing us daily?  How do people handle it all, filter what is useful? What about internet/media addictions?  What are the issues at stake in the ways search engines personalize searches, including privacy and polarization in our political discourse?

5)  The Arab Spring

What is happening in the Middle East?  What cultural and political factors are at play?  This might be a great topic for a guest speaker who can give insight beyond the headlines and really pinpoint the relevant issues.

6)  The artistic process.  

What is creativity?  Is it a gift or can it be learned?  How does the creative process work?  Where do ideas come from, and how are they developed?

7)  Do we want to do anything election-oriented since there is a presidential election this year?  Or would be we be better off avoiding politics?  Any thoughts about this?

8)  What other ideas do you have?  Think science, art, ethics, religion, health, relationships, music,  policy -- maybe something in education? globalization?  The sky is the limit!  Leave your ideas in the comments below, and indicate whether you'd be interested in leading any of these discussions.