Marshall Rosenberg on Nonviolent Communication
7pm tonight, Town Hall, $15-$50 suggested donation

We're upset we overbooked ourselves for tonight and are going to miss Marshall Rosenberg, PhD, talking about his novel approach called "nonviolent communication." We read his book on the subject a while ago (here's our book report), and were curious to see him in person as it's much easier to sound enlightened and compassionate and wise when you're in a quiet study writing and sipping tea and less so after an airline trip of any length. Call it due diligence.

Here's his main point:

Believing that it is our nature to enjoy giving and receiving in a compassionate manner, I have been preoccupied most of my life with two questions. What happens to disconnect us from our compassionate nature, leading us to behave violently and exploitatively? And conversely, what allows some people to stay connected to their compassionate nature under even the most trying circumstances?

As director of educational services for the Center for Nonviolent Communication, an international non-profit organization, Rosenberg has visited with both Israeli communities and Palestinian ones. Not that we ever ask questions at these things, but we'd love to hear him moderate a discussion about Rachel Corrie.