Help Test My New Game To Improve Civil Discourse

Americans don't debate the issues well. Wanna change that?

Hey there! I could use your help.

The No Kings protests across the country this weekend were pretty remarkable. Clearly there’s a strong desire to move past our current politics into something smarter. The hope is that Americans will decide to move forward as a unified nation again: to get things done, respect one another, do what’s right.

But is America even ready for that?

Democracy is difficult, and the old problems we faced haven’t gone away. We still must learn to critique ideas, debate policies, express our beliefs… yes, even be gracious losers from time to time. How can we do it in the future if we can’t even talk to each other today? How do we equip our fellow citizens for those tasks? I believe it’s unfair to expect everyday people to just know how to engage on the issues without some way to practice those skills.

That’s what my project is all about.

It’s a kind of role-playing game that helps people debate whatever issues they want, with clear guidance to make it happen. I’ve spent the weekend building a stripped-down prototype online, and I’d love for you to help me test it. The game gives people a framework for productive debates: not just about what we believe, but how we put our beliefs into action. The No Kings moment gives us a chance to see just how fed up many Americans are with politics as usual. I don’t know exactly where we should go from here, we can figure it out together.

I’m sharing this with my Substack family first because you’ve shown strong, sustained interest in democracy and connection. You care about what I care about, and I suspect you’re trying to keep up hope that a better future is possible. I certainly believe it is, but only if people have the tools to make it so.

If you’re interested, join the chat on my Substack. More details to come.
I think you’re really gonna like this, and I hope you’ll enjoy playing along.