While entertainment can provide us with mindless escapism, good storytelling can also help inspire us to re-engage with our world in ways we might not expect. I recently got a dose of inspiration from the streaming series Jury Duty, a hidden camera mockumentary that shows us the jury process through the eyes of the one juror who doesn't actually know the whole thing is fake.
For those of us who are tired of being shown the negative side of humanity by people who benefit from our frustration and outrage, this series is a welcome respite. This juror, Ronald Gladden, provides a consistent example of how seeking connection and looking for the best in our fellow citizens leads not just to rewarding social relationships, but also the positive experience of serving one another through civic participation.
As usual, I've tied this sentiment to the potential benefit of engaging one another within the setting of our shared organizations. And you can read about our next demo workshop below, which can help build the skills for that. But for anyone seeking the sort of inspiration that has helped keep me optimistic about the work of civic engagement, please check out this new blog post, and hopefully the show as well.
—Randy Lioz, DOC founder
