Dissent Guidance

A simple guide to offering thoughtful disagreement in TheQuietMission.

Why Dissent Matters

The Quiet Mission is not about winning arguments.
It is about getting closer to truth together in a way that feels honest and human.

Good dissent sharpens ideas.
It reveals blind spots.
It protects the Commons from groupthink.
It helps us build something sturdy instead of something loud.

Here, dissent is contribution.

What Counts as Dissent

A dissent is any comment that notices something important.
It may:

point out a risk
surface a flaw or gap
question an assumption
offer a better direction
ask for clarity

You do not need to be certain.
You do not need a full solution.
You only need an honest concern or question.

How to Post Dissent

Start your comment like this:

🧩 Dissent:

Then add:

what you see
why it matters
what might make the idea stronger

Short. Clear. Grounded.
Aim at the idea, not the person.

The Dissent Quorum

To complete a vote or decision inside the Idea Commons, we need a minimum level of dissent.

A vote is considered complete when it has:

at least three thoughtful dissent comments
or
one third of all comments showing dissent

whichever is greater.

                      ┌───────────────────────┐
                      │     Comments Total    │
                      │         (N)           │
                      └─────────────┬─────────┘
                                    │
         ┌──────────────────────────┼─────(for N >9)───────────┐
         │                          │                          │
         ▼                          ▼                          ▼
  ┌──────────────┐        ┌──────────────────┐        ┌──────────────────┐
  │ Dissent < 3  │        │ Dissent ≥ 3      │        │ Dissent ≥ 1/3 N  │
  └───────┬──────┘        └──────────┬───────┘        └──────────┬───────┘
          │                          │                           │
          ▼                          ▼                           ▼
   Incomplete Vote            Dissent Quorum Met         Dissent Quorum Met
       (Re-open)                    (Valid)                    (Valid)

This ensures that every idea is tested instead of accepted by default.

What Happens With Your Dissent

When we publish each Field Note summary, we highlight:

the majority insight
the strongest dissent threads
what we learned from them
what we will watch or adjust next

Dissent becomes part of the record.
It shapes the next step of the Commons.

How to Disagree Well

A few simple guidelines:

stay curious rather than certain
be specific rather than vague
describe what you see instead of what others “should” see
offer alternatives when you can
keep the tone steady and kind

The goal is clarity, not victory.

Quiet Invitation

If something feels off, say so.
If something sparks a question, name it.
If you see a blind spot, offer it gently.

Truth often arrives through quiet disagreement.
Thank you for helping us see more clearly.