One more quick thought & then I need to log off again:

So much of what we're dealing w/ right now is not simply about #alternativefacts. It's about rhetoric. That's why presenting new or differing facts doesn't move convo forward.

It's about the narratives we write--or who we trust to write them for us. It's not simply about data points but how you arrange that data & which facts you choose to highlight as important & pay attention to. It's the *connection* btwn data points & the meaning we assign to them.

It's about where we see patterns & how we interpret those patterns. That's why you *must* pay attention to the underlying assumptions, stated goals, & rhetorical structures.

It's not about the fact or an event. It's about the meaning & signficance we apply to that event. It's about how we interpret that data point.

So ask Qs that get you there. Don't get into a battle of dueling memes or exchanging data points. Get to the meaning behind the data point.