Blog Launches with Goal to Make Public Discourse More Civil

July 31, 2012 - PRLog -- ByTheBodhiTree.com is a new destination blog for those who've grown weary of the fevered pitch of name calling and insults that pass for public discourse. Our writers share thoughtful commentary on morality, ethics, spirituality and the thought processes that defines us as human. Topics include news & politics, arts & entertainment, religion & spirituality, food & drink, sports & games, technology, lifestyles and more.

Founder and editor-in-chief Randy Marquis, after participating in several conversations about controversial topics such as abortion, climate change, drugs, gay marriage and immigration on social media sites such as Facebook, discovered two “silver bullet” comments sure that stop any genuine dialogue in its tracks.

1. Disparage the source: liberals quickly dismiss any supporting materials originating with Fox News, Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. Conservatives likewise shrug off anything from The Huffington Post, Jon Stewart or Rachel Maddow.

2. Disparage the poster: conservatives drop phrases such as “you libs” or “socialist” while liberals hit back with “typical conservative” or “racist,” as if human beings should fit nicely into such confined boxes. There are many flavors of similar insults between sides, such as “libtard” and “conservatard” etc.

With a format structured for extreme brevity and a system that facilitates the like minded to cluster together, Randy suggests Facebook and other social media outlets, while not the sole cause, is a major factor in the disintegration of thoughtful political discourse in America. It was with these concerns in mind that sparked the genesis of ByTheBodhiTree.com.

The blog is unique in three ways:

1. The site aims to maintain editorial neutrality. Unlike blogs such as The Huffington Post or The Daily Caller, the site has no agenda on the left or right of the political spectrum.

2. The site is devoted to sharing the work of writers who write with a civil and factual style of prose, free from demagoguery. Contributing writers are not given assignments and are simply encouraged to be passionate and articulate about the ideas they share with readers.

3. Readers are prohibited from commenting directly on the blog posts, though they may share their thoughts on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/bythebodhitree). Therefore readers will have time and space for the immediate emotional reactions to subside before commenting.

Unlike the Buddha, most of us do not have the time or the patience to sit under a bodhi tree for days until we achieve enlightenment. Instead, enlightenment may need to come in small bursts over the course of our lifetimes. Randy hopes the writers, thoughts and ideas expressed on ByTheBodhiTree.com will provide just such a burst and lead us all on a path to greater knowledge and understanding of each other.

Visit us at: http://www.bythebodhitree.com

About Randy Marquis - Randy is a native of Worcester, Massachusetts who moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career as an actor, writer and director. He makes his living as a marketer and writes much of the marketing copy for his company. Driven by a desire to express his ideas in a civil and thoughtful way, as well as share the writings of other writers who share his desire, Randy founded ByTheBodhiTree.com and serves as its editor-in-chief. There are currently four contributing writers to the blog and Randy is currently in the process of adding more.