America’s Greatest Thinker Essay Due April 1, 2019

The Great American Think-Off is seeking essay submissions for its 27th annual philosophy competition. This year’s questions reads: “To vote or not to vote: does it matter?”  Essays are due April 1, 2019.

Be heard! This is your chance to voice your opinion, insight, values and beliefs on this controversial topic and we encourage you to share your thoughts.  It is free to submit your essay of 750 words or less, answering the question “To vote or not to vote: does it matter?”  Your insight, values and beliefs could win you $500 cash and an all-expense-paid-weekend in New York Mills, MN! Essays are due by April 1, 2019. The live debate will take place on June 8, 2019.

There are many ways to go about expressing your collection of opinions on this contentious question. Some may defend their values by saying something like “I believe voting gets us nowhere, and I choose not to vote at all,” or another could express that “the only way change happens is to stand up for what you believe in.”  What do you think? Is your response to this question easy to answer, or does it get a little muddy? Has your family instilled your beliefs or has your opinion shifted as you’ve grown? We want to hear from you! Submit your essay to make sure your voice is heard!

Four finalists will be announced May 1, 2019 to participate in the live debate on June 8, 2019 to ultimately answer the question, determined by audience vote. People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to submit an essay. There is no fee to enter. Submit your essay in one of three simple ways: online at www.think-off.org (preferred), email us at [email protected], or mail responses to Think-Off, c/o Cultural Center, P.O. Box 246, New York Mills, MN 56567. Essays must be submitted/sent/postmarked by April 1, 2019.

All are welcome to attend the great debate on Saturday, June 8, 2019, and cast your vote to help determine the answer this year’s question and name “America’s Greatest Thinker” for 2019. For ticket information, please visit www.think-off.org, or call the Cultural Center at (218) 385-3339 or visit our website at www.kulcher.org

About the Great American Think-Off:  
Now in its 27th year, The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas being explored by everyday people. Designed to bring philosophy down from the ivory towers of academia and accessible for all, the contest has received national acclaim including coverage by C-SPAN, the New York Times, and The Today Show.

The Cultural Center, located in the rural farm and manufacturing town of New York Mills, Minnesota, sponsors this annual philosophy contest and encourages people of all ages and backgrounds to participate. The Cultural Center is a rural hub for creativity, community vitality, and lifelong learning in the arts. Since our incorporation in 1990, we have been passionate about connecting people to artists and rich cultural experiences in rural Minnesota, celebrating the local and being a window to the world.

To get a better sense of the Think-Off, find details, historical information, and a list of the past 26 years of questions and winners on the event website: www.think-off.org.