I believe respectful and empathetic interaction with people who are most different from me is the most productive and rewarding way to learn. “Preaching to the choir” is fine I suppose, but there isn’t as much to be learned or potential for positive results as there is when I make an effort to understand and find common ground with people who have differing views. My objective with Mal’s World is to inspire and nurture positive dialog among people with a broad spectrum of ideologies. As a way of injecting a bit of humor into my commentary I sometimes assume the persona of Mal, an anthropomorphic Malamute who fancies himself as a philosopher, photographer, and modern-day Luddite.