The Conversation Café, Essay Example

The Conversation Café concept allows one to participate in dialogue on a meaningful subject in a face-to-face environment. In our particular Conversation Café, which consisted of two people, my group partner and I, we selected the theme by referring to the Conversation Café question bank. In one respect, we wanted to remain faithful to the overall concept and since this was our first time both organizing and participating in a Conversation Café, we decided to select one of their suggested topics. The chosen topic from the question bank was “What do you do when you don’t know what to do?” This question was chosen in so far as it interested both my group partner and I. Firstly, the question is general and seems open to a diverse number of interpretations: in other words, no specific knowledge of the topic is required so as to have a meaningful conversation. Furthermore, the question can also said to appeal to everyone and is thus not an exclusive question: one can relate to the question, simply by having been in situations where clear choices about the right path to take remain ambiguous. In this regard, the choice of the topic was also instructive in nature: by exchanging views about what to do in a situation where the right choice is unclear, perhaps some strategies that seem logical and appropriate would emerge over the course of the conversation, thereby helping both I and my partner in the future when we are inevitably confronted by such a dilemma.

Since our Conversation Café group consisted of only two people, questions of marketing and organization were not especially complex. We merely had to find an appropriate location and time for the conversation which did not conflict with either of our busy schedules. This turned out to be a Sunday where we both free, while the location was a bistro at the University. The bistro choice was logical, as it is often a location where students come to meet and chat – therefore, the atmosphere would be appropriate for the concept. Furthermore, we both stressed that we wanted to take an informal approach to the conversation, as we agreed that it was best to try and mimic regular everyday conversations, so that we would be more familiar with the process and better achieve dialogue on the subject. In retrospect, however, whereas the location and date were well-chosen, I would suggest to make the event more formal in the future. This would help emphasize that this is not merely a gathering between friends, but would instead underscore the Conversation Café concept. It would turn from a more informal type of chat to a more rigorous exchange of dialogue concerning the topic in question.

The turnout was dictated by the instructions and the size of the group. This meant that only I and my group partner participated in the Conversation Café. On the one hand, this was detrimental to the extent that a larger group would have given the event the impression that it is something different than everyday informal discourse. Furthermore, since my group partner is also my friend, this also meant that a certain informal atmosphere existed, since we, of course, as friends talk often, the difference being that we had a clear topic which we had never discussed before as the theme of our conversation. In this regard, even though I participated in the concept with a friend, the results were intriguing, since we arrived at entirely different opinions regarding the question at hand.

The dialogue itself began by a clear statement of the question and then each speaker stating his initial thoughts on the topic. Both of us gave somewhat intuitive answers regarding the question, largely based on personal experience. However, the answers demonstrated the sense in which even largely intuitive and experiential answers can differ significantly. For example, I stated that in the case of the question, I would attempt to listen to the opinions of others, so as to determine a strategy of the best way to act. My group partner, on the contrary, stated that she would only consult with others on the topic in so far as she felt that they would give a similar answer to her own choice with regards to such a situation. In other words, I took the approach that I need different opinions from across the spectrum of possible answers so as to reach a satisfactory answer. My partner, instead, felt that she intuitively knew what was correct to do in such a situation and accordingly only needed support for her own initial opinion. In other words, I approached the topic from the position of an uncertainty with regard what to do, whereas she had formulated a strategy and sought out feedback regarding its validity. Both of us therefore did not share an opinion and did try and persuade each other regarding our respective choices. We even went to an online source to look for possible advice on whose course of action was superior. After this was inconclusive, we nevertheless decided that holding different opinions on the matter is not necessarily a negative, as there is no particularly right answer to this question.

Organizing and participating in a Conversation Café was a rewarding experience. On the one hand, I enjoyed the emphasis on a personal face-to-face dialogue in an enjoyable and comfortable setting. On the other hand, I also enjoyed that we were discussing a new topic that would not come up in normal conversation. We confronted an issue that we would never discuss on a daily basis and this meant that we both learned from the experience. The exchange of viewpoints can often be a jarring experience, especially in cases when one realizes that with a friend entirely different opinions on a matter are held. Instead of these differences leading to conflict, however, we both better understood the complexity of the topic which we discussed. In this regard, organizing and participating in a Conversation Café in an even larger format would be of interest to me, as this would increase the ingredients in the conversation and the diversity of the expressed viewpoints.

Dialogue in this sense is valuable and I would use it in other situations in life simply because there is a value to a diversity of opinions. One may intuitively think that he or she knows the answer to a specific problem. When confronted with a different opinion, the complexity of the problem as well as its potential solutions becomes clearer. Dialogue forces one to listen to different viewpoints, but this is not necessarily a source of antagonism, but can rather be an opportunity for learning and self-improvement. In addition, the Conversation Café concept is rooted in the commitment to the value of interpersonal conversation so as to express, in a friendly setting that stresses dialogue, opinions on issues of importance. Whereas interpersonal communication through the Internet and social media and online forums means the instant participation in debates on various topics, the Conversation Café concept stresses the importance of live, face-to-face discussion.