The Not Hype educational series delves into important historical, cultural, societal, and political themes some that are controversial yet relevant to our times, framed by concepts rooted in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). It attempts to present the facts in a compelling way through storytelling by experts. The series is designed to reflect multidisciplinary frames of thought nuanced across diverse perspectives to present all sides of a story―a varied landscape. Not Hype offers broader breadth and depth understanding of lessons learned from the past, their relevance to contemporary issues, and their impact on the future. This series pays homage to our founding fathers and gives a reverent nod to the U.S. Constitution.
Famed, local educator and historian Gary Ford kicks off the educational series presenting clear, facts-based perspectives on the roots of democracy in the United States of America and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. Relevant touchpoints include the science and psychology in choosing democracy over monarchical, autocratic, or dictatorial forms of government, how democracy became the “engine” of America’s political structure, and other perspectives by the founding fathers absent of political bias or rhetoric. The history of American democracy continues to be a scientific experiment. Our founding fathers developed a hypothesis, applied logical reasoning drawing on past experiments and observations, tested their hypothesis, observed outcomes, developed narratives and explanations, and devised a solution – a process akin to the scientific-engineering method that continues to this day. Getting back to basics, this series is as relevant to our times as it was when the principles of democracy were first conceived and codified during the early days of our nation.
Episode 1: A Foundation of Truths & The Power of Words: Using the Power of Our Words to Seek Understanding
Episode 2: How Do We Turn Our Revolutionary Ideals into Practical Governance that Protects Our Rights?
Episode 3: A Meeting of Demi-Gods
Episode 4: Making Our Government Work for US
Episode 5: Dealing With Difficult Dialog
Episode 6: Summary Activity – Using Rogerian Listening to Initiate the Language of Leaders
Episode 7: Imagine That – We the People of the United States of America
View the full Not Hype Series Playlist here
A special thank you to the Rome Historical Society for hosting the debut event. Visit Museum (romehistoricalsociety.org) for more information.
