say the thing
A Rad Experiment in Storytelling and Moral Agency Development
Say the Thing bridges the gap between old and new, physical and virtual, and contemplative and playful. This project is a collaboration between the Duke Chapel and the Kenan Institute for Ethics. It strives to twist technologies in order to give students community and frameworks to wrestle with life's hard questions and to question their own answers.
the Booth
Philosopher and poet John O’Donohue once asked the question, “When was the last time you heard yourself say something you never knew you knew?” Every moment in the Booth is an opportunity to hear your own wisdom, see your own insight, and uncover exactly that thing you never knew you knew. A modern mirror equipped with timeless questions; the Booth is your place to tell a story about yourself to yourself for yourself.
the Studio
Shed, shapeshift, swap out, switch up, and shake down your story. See it, and yourself, differently in the Studio. The Studio meets weekly over six weeks and each week you’ll tackle and retackle the telling of your own story with the help of peers and great thinkers alike. A room full of Blue Devils, Ocean Vuong, Richard Feynman, Mary Oliver, and Malcolm X; you really can’t ask for better thought partners.
the Hamster
Why is this called the Hamster? Well, because the Hamster is earnest, silly, and will spin your story around and around. By the end of the Hamster you will be well acquainted with your worldview/whirled-view and have a collection of polaroid snapshots as a keepsake. the Hamster is a virtual asynchronous program designed for the busy student interested in interrogating their own story (in a fun way) and tracing the moments that transformed them into who they really are.
the Self Conscious Design Team
Say the Thing believes in bold imaginative ideas, the importance of cultivating a fearlessness of failure, and the brilliance of collective action. You’ll see throughout our work this quote by bard Toni Morrison, “Dream a little before you think.” We also believe in the power of a wild and daring dream. And so we’ve assembled a team to do just that: dream up, design, and carry out wild, gorgeous, meaningful storytelling happenings for the Duke community.
a Lark
What’s a lark? Well, it’s just a little bit of sweet storytelling malarky in the middle of your day! If you just rolled your eyes, chuckled, or groaned at that word play, well, you’ll love Larks. Keep an eye out around campus for the next Lark, join in the fun, discover something about yourself, and inject a little joy into your day.