June 25, 2002

THE POWER OF TALK

MINNEAPOLIS, MN —"Do you have time to chat?" While most busy Americans might answer "no" to this question, Utne Magazine’s July/August issue explores the social implications of why we should be responding with a "yes" to conversation invitations.

"Good conversation is not only satisfying, it’s the first step toward changing the world," says Jay Walljasper, editor of Utne Magazine." As the pace and decibel of society increases, engaged conversation is in danger of being crowded out from the center of our lives."

The July/August issue tells us how conversation lets us learn from others, makes us active instead of passive and gives us courage to keep connecting with people. As Margaret Wheatley explains in our cover story, all significant social change arises from people sitting down to talk about what matters to them.

This issue of Utne Magazine also features Vicki Robin’s conversation cafés, great conversationalists through the ages, tips on how to converse, and the joys of just listening. Jay Walljasper is available for interviews. To further explore the power of talk, log onto the Salons forum at Café Utne:http://cafe.utne.com

Utne Magazine (www.utne.com) is the nation's leading magazine of alternative ideas. In 2001, the magazine’s parent company launched Utne Communities (www.utne.com/communities), dedicated to helping educators, nonprofits, and businesses develop successful online communities. Utne Magazine also published two books—Salons: The Joy of Conversation and Visionaries: People and Ideas to Change Your Life, the winner of the 2002 Independent Publisher Book Award for "Most Likely to Save the Planet"—in partnership with New Society Publishers.

To subscribe to Utne Magazine, contact 1-800-736-UTNE or www.utne.com/subscribe.

To buy a single copy drop by your local bookstore or food co-op.