Wondering about what the Think-Off is?Basic RGB

The Great American Think-Off is an exhibition of civil disagreement between powerful ideas that connect to your life at the gut level. The Cultural Center, located in the rural farm and manufacturing town of New York Mills, sponsors this annual philosophy contest. People of all ages are encouraged to submit an essay of no more than 750 words for a chance to win one of four $500 cash prizes and participate in the live debate to ultimately answer the question, determined by audience vote.

The question is released each year on January 1st.  Essays are then accepted through April 1st (postmark or electronic date stamp), with the finalists announced May 1st.  The debate is held each year on the second Saturday in June.

Writers are encouraged to ground their essays in personal experience rather than philosophical abstraction. Each year, four writers will be selected as finalists and invited to debate the question on the second Saturday in June in New York Mills, MN. Costs for winners’ travel, food, and lodging will be covered by the Cultural Center.

The first annual debate took place in 1993 and asked the question “The Nature of Humankind: Inherently Good or Inherently Evil?“.  Since then, each year, four finalists present their ideas in front of a live audience who votes to crown America’s Greatest Thinker.  Subsequent questions have included “Does Life Have Meaning?” (1994), “Does God Exist? ” (1996), “Is the Pen Mightier than the Sword?” (2002), “Is it ever wrong to do the right thing?” (2009), and “Does Technology Free Us or Trap Us?“(2015). Click here to see a full list of past questions.

The Think-Off was begun by Cultural Center founder John Davis and has been held annually since 1993.  To participate, submit an essay on-line between January 1 – April 1, by clicking on the headline above, by email to info@think-off.org, or by mail to Think-Off, c/o Cultural Center, P.O. Box 246, New York Mills, MN 56567.  There is no fee to enter.

All are welcome to join us in New York Mills on the second Saturday in June for the live debate and to help answer each year’s question by casting your vote.  The debate is held at the New York Mills School with a reception immediately following at the Cultural Center.

Tickets can be purchased online at Brown Paper Tickets or by calling the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339.