“I love it when the interns and staff come together for a spirited debate. Each of our voices is valued equally, and I get to learn a lot about people’s stories and what shapes their worldviews.” –Aashima Gandhi, Engagement Intern
It’s a little-known fact that once a week, our office comes together to discuss the world’s problems over glasses of whiskey (or Coke, for the underaged). We call it: Whiskey Wednesdays.
Let us paint you a picture:
It’s Wednesday. The air is ripe with anticipation by the time 4:45 p.m. rolls around. We’ve been waiting all week for it, and it’s finally here. Jason rings our office gong (reserved for special occasions like this), and the sound reverberates off the walls. It’s time.
Staffers and interns rise from their desks and file into the conference room, where a table is set with ice, Coke, and a lone bottle of Jim Beam. We mix our drinks and sit in a circle, eagerly waiting for the topic of the day to be introduced. Whiskey is sipped, slowly and thoughtfully.
The discussion prompt could be anything: is happiness a choice? Where is the line between creative influence and plagiarism? What should we do about the U.S. prison system? If we had the opportunity, would we kill Joseph Kony?
This week’s topic is: “When people are being harmful or discriminatory, do they still deserve to be protected under free speech laws?”
As usual, we watch a short video clip to start things off. Then, we dive in. For the last thirty minutes of our workday, we engage in a riveting debate about one of life’s hard questions – a debate where everyone, from the interns to the CEO, is encouraged to speak their mind.
Raised voices are considered normal. We’ve been known to get a little choked up. Most days, we’re still talking long after the clock hits 5:30 p.m. But at the end of it all, we respect one another’s viewpoints and leave feeling refreshed and energized. After all, it’s important to talk about the hard stuff.
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