Published in Relational Responsibility: Resources for Sustainable Dialogue, edited by S. McNamee and K. Gergen with commentary by associates, Chapter 8, 93-97. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1999.

Shifts happen. The words that decorate the coffee mugs at the Public Conversations Project are more than a slogan. They are the mission statement for a nonprofit dedicated to the notion that ideological enemies can discuss polarizing issues in a constructive, respectful manner. ``Attention and time are two of the most important things we can give each other,'' said PCP's director, Laura Chasin.