Peace Is Here with Avis Kalfsbeek

Ep 292 Peacewarts Resonant Charms 101 - Rumor Immunology (Class 9)

In class 9, we explore Rumor Immunology and the lumos charm. Using the 2017 Mosque Fire and the 2014 Ebola response as case studies, we discuss how to separate image heat from factual context. We cover the dangers of accidental amplification and provide tactical tools like the One-Step Rule, reverse image searching, and identifying language tripwires.

Homework:

1. Look up the 2017 Mosque Fire case or Finland’s Media Literacy curriculum and find one "social speed bump" they suggest.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Journal about the difference between private verification and public debunking.
   
   Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, which explores the exact anatomy of urban legends and rumors while providing the sticky psychology needed to build cultural immunity against misinformation, and The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth by Jonathan Rauch, an academic powerhouse on how modern societies build robust, shared informational networks to verify facts and defend our collective understanding against panic. Learning Topics: Rumor Immunology; The Lumos Charm; The 2017 Mosque Fire Precedent; Verification vs. Amplification; The One-Step Rule; Reverse Image Searching; Language Tripwires.

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• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 291 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Power of the Pause (Class 8)

In class 8, we analyze silence as a physical and diplomatic requirement for peace. We traverse history from Mandela’s Robben Island council to the 1986 Reykjavik Summit and the Good Friday Agreement. We introduce a tactical syllabus of silence, including the 90-second window, the two-interpreter rule used by UN Blue Helmets, and the Japanese concept of Ma.

Homework:

1. Look up the Gottman Institute’s 90-Second Rule or the Japanese concept of Ma and find how they use silence to show respect.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Journal about using the email delay or 90-second window in your own life.
   
   Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions areThe Art of Communicating by Thich Nhat Hanh, which beautifully details the spiritual and practical power of absolute silence and deep listening as essential tools for clarity in family and community life, and Silence: In the Age of Noise by Erling Kagge, a brief, impactful text exploring how strategic pauses and quietude allow us to process truth and override reactionary reflexes.

Learning Topics: The Silencio Charm; Mandela’s Robben Island Rule; The 1986 Reykjavik Reset; The 90-Second Window; The Three-Breath Rule; The Two-Interpreter Rule; Japanese Ma; The Good Friday Agreement Adjournments.

• Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 290 Peacewarts Lab  7/18/26 - Always Disallow Foolishness: A Rule for Peace

Peacewarts Labs are casual review sessions where we dig into the homework from the Peacewarts classes. In this lab, Avis Kalfsbeek walks through some of the assignments from Episodes 287, 288, and 289.

Here's what we look up:

• The "Oakland Unified Restorative Justice" model — and the three classic circle questions used to work through a conflict.
• The 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace — and one specific tactic they used to keep Christian and Muslim women united around a shared goal.
• Nelson Mandela's first meeting with President P.W. Botha — and one small detail (about the tea, or the greeting) that Mandela used to protect Botha's dignity.

Shakespeare Sherpa Club: Just to keep her nerd credentials intact, Avis gives a shout-out to her Shakespeare Sherpa Club. Grab the free downloadable character bookmarks at www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/shakespearesherpa.

Always Disallow Foolishness: Avis talks about the track 10 Laws by East Forest, which features the spoken voice of Court Johnson reading the ten explicit laws he lives by. She zeroes in on one of them — Always Disallow Foolishness — and how it connects to global peace.

Media Bias Detectors: Avis rounds up some tools for figuring out the bias in the news we take in.

Ground News (groundnews.org) — A data-driven platform that lays out the ownership, factual reliability, and political lean (left, center, right) of news stories from around the world. Runs about $60/year.

Want to get similar insights without paying? Here are the best free alternatives:

• AllSides (allsides.com) — Probably the go-to free option for bias tracking. Its "Headline Roundups" put left, center, and right coverage of the same story side by side, so you can see how each side frames it. Free, no ads.
• Ad Fontes Media (adfontesmedia.com) — The folks behind the interactive Media Bias Chart. Great for seeing where an outlet lands on a two-axis grid measuring both political bias and journalistic reliability.
• Media Bias/Fact Check (mediabiasfactcheck.com) — An independent directory where you can search a specific outlet and check its track record on factual reporting and political lean.
• NewsGuard (newsguardtech.com) — Focuses on credibility over ideology, scoring sites 0–100 for trustworthiness based on standard journalistic criteria.
• RSS Readers (feedly.com or inoreader.com) — Free tools that let you build your own diverse news feed from independent sources, breaking out of the algorithm's echo chamber by putting you back in control.

Topics this episode: Homework Review, Shakespeare Sherpa, East Forest's 10 Laws & Disallowing Foolishness, Media Bias Metrics

• Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Shakespeare Sherpa Bookmarks: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/shakespearesherpa
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez, "Dalai Lama Riding a Bike" — https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 289 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Vocabulary of Dignity (Class 7)

In class 7, we explore the "Vocabulary of Dignity" and the three core needs: to be seen, heard, and safe. We analyze Nelson Mandela’s micro-practices of respect, including his "Future Self" language and his refusal to use sarcasm or public shaming. We discuss how honorifics and formal address can lower threat chemistry and keep negotiations focused on solutions rather than egos.

Homework:

1. Look up Nelson Mandela’s first meeting with President P.W. Botha and find one detail about the etiquette Mandela used to preserve Botha's dignity.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Journal about speaking to a difficult person's "Future Self." What is one sentence that protects their dignity while maintaining your truth?

Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Dignity: Its Essential Role in Resolving Conflict by Donna Hicks, which explores the ten core elements of human dignity and focuses heavily on how preserving or violating face determines the ultimate success of high-stakes diplomacy, and Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Joseph Grenny, Kerry Patterson, and their coauthors, a widely recognized staple on creating the necessary psychological safety so people can speak honestly and directly without stripping away each other's dignity.

Learning Topics: The Three Dignity Needs; Mandela’s Grammar of Respect; Saving Face vs. Saving Power; The Language of Future Selves; The Non-Sarcasm Rule; Red lines spoken softly.

• Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 288 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - Common Ground Literacy (Class 6)

In class 6, we define Common Ground Literacy as the skill of identifying shared values hidden beneath conflicting slogans. We introduce the "Two-Question Drill" to translate tribal language into human needs. Using the 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, we discuss how shared values can override deep divides. We also cover the "False Common Ground Trap" and how to identify real shared interests.

Homework:

1. Look up the 2003 Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace and find one specific tactic they used to keep both Christian and Muslim women focused on their shared goal.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Journal about a current debate. Apply the two-question drill to both sides and find the shared value in the middle.

Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt, which explores the moral matrices that drive opposing ideological slogans and offers a literacy framework to find the core human values underneath, and Colossus: How the Corporation Changed America by Jack Beatty, which offers historical context on major institutional shifts, providing an essential grounding for looking beneath surface-level economic and social battle lines.

Learning Topics: Common Ground Literacy; The Two-Question Drill; The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace; Translating slogans into needs; The False Common Ground Trap; Shared values vs. tribal language.

• Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 287 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Mirror Question (Class 5)

In class 5, we explore the "Mirror Question" as a tool for de-compression and restorative justice. We discuss the Three Mirrors of content, feeling, and need, and the importance of the "impact before intent" sequence. We examine the Navajo Peacemaking Courts and the Oakland Unified restorative school model to see how reflection can replace retribution.

Homework:

1. Look up the "Oakland Unified Restorative Justice" model and find the three classic circle questions used to resolve a conflict.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Journal about a relationship or a specific conversation where using the "Did I get that right?" frame might change the outcome.

Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Changing Lenses: Restorative Justice for Our Timesby Howard Zehr, a foundational text written by the grandfather of modern restorative justice that details how to focus on community impact and repair rather than retribution, and A Way of Being by Carl Rogers, which deeply explores client-centered validation and the immense psychological de-compression that occurs when someone feels accurately mirrored.

Learning Topics: The Three Mirrors (Content, Feeling, Need); Restorative Justice and the Oakland Unified model; Hózhó and the Navajo tradition; Impact before Intent sequencing; De-weaponizing paraphrase techniques.

• Join the Community / Get the Books: AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 286 Peacewarts: Lab 7-11-26: Learning about Creative Commons licensing and CC BY-SA 4.0

In this episode, we look at the structural future of this project and why traditional copyright might not serve the ultimate goal of peace education. Avis shares that fictional Kitty tells Higgins that she is taking herself to lunch, and today she is taking herself out on a lunch date too!

What is covered in this episode:

• The Peace Experiments:An introduction to the new book series, starting with the first installment, 1950s Duck and Cover.
• Homework Review:Going through the practical applications and responses from Classes 2, 3, and 4.
• A Historic Grounding:A reading of the final paragraph of Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address, exploring its timeless relevance to reconciliation.
• Useful Idiot: A look at recent live broadcast topics by Aaron Mate and Katie Halpern and the definition of “useful idios.” https://rumble.com/c/usefulidiots
• The Main Focus - Open Licensing:A deep dive into why this entire series is being released under an open license and why building a shared cultural commons is essential for spreading these concepts.

Understanding Creative Commons: From Loosest to Tightest

To help navigate the differences in open licensing, here is the quick spectrum of how these licenses operate:

• CC BY— Credit only; do anything.
• CC BY-SA— Credit + keep derivatives under the same open license. (This is the license chosen for The Peace Experiments).
• CC BY-NC— Credit + no commercial use (derivatives allowed).
• CC BY-ND— Credit + no changes (commercial use allowed).
• CC BY-NC-ND— Credit + no commercial use + no changes (the most restrictive; basically "share the exact file, non-commercially").

You can read the full license terms for the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license (CC BY-SA 4.0) at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

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• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “Dalai Lama Rides a Bike”https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Ep 285 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms 101 - The Architecture of a Sentence (Class 4)

In class 4, we analyze the "Pronoun Blueprint" and the internal structure of speech to understand how sentences can either bridge divides or ignite factions. We compare the distributive responsibility found in Lincoln’s Second Inaugural and Nelson Mandela’s 1994 inaugural address. We also introduce the Metaphor Temperature Test as a tool for identifying and cooling high-conflict rhetoric.

Homework:

1. Look up the final paragraph of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural (1865) and a short passage from Mandela’s Inaugural (1994).
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write 'no question.'
3. Optional: Review your last three emails or texts during a disagreement. Apply the Metaphor Temperature Test and rewrite one sentence to change its temperature.

If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Remade America by Garry Wills, a brilliant masterclass on sentence architecture and structural balance that demonstrates how deliberate rhetoric can reshape a fractured national identity, and Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela, which provides the essential global perspective on using balanced, inclusive language to distribute social responsibility and systematically mend a divided nation.

Learning Topics: The Pronoun Blueprint (we/our vs. you/they); Distributed responsibility in leadership; Lincoln and Mandela as case studies; The Metaphor Temperature Test; Parallel structure as a de-escalation tool.

• Join the Community / Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 284 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms 101 - De-Escalation Framing (Class 3)

In class 3, Avis Kalfsbeek discusses de-escalation framing as a method for lowering the emotional weight of a conflict without compromising on the truth. We explore how anchors in our language drag conversations toward escalation and how to replace evaluative judgment with descriptive observation. We examine the 1978 Camp David Accords and the Colombian peace process as masterclasses in reframing positions into interests, allowing for solutions that preserve dignity and honor.

Homework:

1. Look up the difference between a position and an interest in conflict resolution. Find one example of how a person’s stated demand (position) hides their actual need (interest).
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write no question.
3. Optional: Think of a recurring argument in your life. Identify one anchor word you usually use and try to rewrite that truth using only descriptive, non-judgmental language.

If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Roger Fisher and William Ury, a global gold standard for negotiation that teaches how to separate structural positions and demands from actual underlying interests to reframe disputes, and Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss, which bridges the tactical mechanics of the FBI behavioral change stairway model with real-world linguistic framing to lower emotional temperatures safely.

Learning Topics: De-escalation framing and linguistic weight; The FBI behavioral change stairway; The 1978 Camp David Accords; Reframing surrender in the Colombian peace process; Descriptive vs. evaluative language; The neuroscience of linguistic anchors.

• Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW

Ep 283 Peacewarts: Resonant Charms - The Doorway Sentence (Class 2)

In class 2, Avis Kalfsbeek explores the concept of the doorway sentence as a tool for lowering defensiveness and inviting participation. We examine the difference between a harsh start-up and a soft start-up, drawing on the family therapy work of Virginia Satir and John Gottman. By looking at Māori hui protocols and the labor organizing of Dolores Huerta, we discuss how honor-preserving openings and curiosity-based language can turn a deadlock into a dialogue.

Homework:

1. Look up the term soft start-up as defined by psychologist John Gottman and find one example of how a harsh start-up affects the likelihood of a conflict being resolved.
2. Write down one question about any of this episode’s topics. If you don’t have a question, write no question.
3. Optional: Identify a difficult conversation you need to have. Write down the first sentence you were planning to say, and then rewrite it as a doorway sentence using a curiosity or choice frame. Notice how the second version feels in your own body when you say it out loud.

Books: If you'd like to read more on this subject, some book suggestions are The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman and Nan Silver, which anchors the foundational psychology of using a soft start-up instead of a harsh start-up to invite participation rather than cornering someone, and Changing the Conversation: The 17 Principles of Conflict Resolution by Dana Caspersen, a highly practical guide focused on shifting away from destructive attack-and-defend postures toward open, curiosity-driven dialogue.

Learning Topics: Doorway sentences and levitation phrasing; Soft start-up vs. harsh start-up in communication; Māori hui protocols and lineage greetings; Polyvagal theory and social safety cues; Dolores Huerta and invitation-based organizing.

• Get the Books:AvisKalfsbeek.com
• Podcast Music: Javier Peke Rodriguez “I am late, madame Curie”

Bandcamp: https://javierpekerodriguez.bandcamp.com/

Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/3QuyqfXEKzrpUl6b12I3KW