Great American Think-Off Debate

Armchair Philosophers’ Debate in Rural Minnesota

New York Mills, MN—June 9, 2022—Which should be more important: personal choice or social responsibility? This question will be answered on Saturday, June 11, 2022, in New York Mills, Minnesota.

For 29 years, armchair philosophers have gathered in rural west central Minnesota for an exhibition of civil discourse on a variety of philosophical quandaries.

Each year, on a Saturday night in June, at the local high school auditorium, four finalists from across the United States stand at podiums surrounded by flowers on loan from a local greenhouse and flanked by US flags, engaging in civil debate in defense of their stance on the year’s question. 

The audience of several hundred cast their votes following each of the three rounds of debate–and not for what they came in believing—instead, they are instructed to vote for whoever makes the best argument.

This year, the four finalists hail from Sunnyvale, CA; Fergus Falls, MN; Darien, IL; and Coon Rapids, MN, and will argue their stance on personal choice vs. social responsibility.  The debate promises to be an interesting one: if the essays submitted are any indication, there is an even split on this issue: 49% said personal choice should be more important, 48% said social responsibility, and 2% couldn’t choose a side, indicating “both.”

This celebration of civil discourse, listening, and big thinking has been going on for nearly three decades, and there’s no plans to stop anytime soon. The question changes each year, but for the most part, the process does not, save for adjusting with the times and the inevitable technology changes that happen over nearly 3 decades: in the late 1990s, the debate was broadcast live on C-SPAN; today, it’s live-streamed on YouTube.

The 2022 Great American Think-Off weekend kicks off on Friday June 10 with a historical walking tour of New York Mills at 5:30 p.m. and a reception honoring finalists and artists from 6 – 8 p.m.  The great debate is Saturday, June 11 @ 7:00 p.m. at the NYM School Auditorium, with a reception to follow at the Cultural Center.

Tickets to attend the Think-Off debate are $12 in advance, $15 at the door, or $5 for students. All audience members get to vote in the contest to decide who makes the better argument and is ultimately named America’s Greatest Thinker for 2022.

For more information, call the Cultural Center at (218) 385-3339, visit the Center’s website at www.kulcher.org, or buy advance tickets at thinkoff2022.bpt.me. Tickets will also be available at the door the night of the event. 

About the Great American Think-Off:  

Now in its 29th 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 make it 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 28 years of questions and winners on the event website: www.think-off.org.