1. How would you describe the story-editing approach? What does it try to change for those who use it?
2. What are the implications of the “don’t ask, can’t tell” principle, discussed in chapter 2, for how to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions?
3. Based on what you read in chapter 3 about personal happiness, are there any ways you want to change the way you live your life?
4. What are the most important lessons that parents can take away from reading this book?
5. Suppose that your child is going to take part in sex education and drug-abuse prevention programs at his or her school. Based on what you have read, what questions would you ask the principal about these programs?
6. Suppose you have been asked to take part in a diversity-training program at your place of work. What kinds of questions might you ask about how that program has been evaluated?
7. Based on what you read in chapter 8, what can we all do to make social and professional environments more welcoming to people of different genders, races, and ethnicities?
8. There are many well-meaning people, like Todd Walker in chapter 6 and Peter Yarrow in chapter 10, who start programs to help people in their communities. Sometimes these programs do more harm than good. What should people like Walker and Yarrow do?
9. Can you think of ways in which you could apply the “do good, be good” principle to your life?