2022 Great American Think-Off Results

America’s Greatest Thinker: Blaine Rada Audience Votes: Social Responsibility is More Important than Personal Choice On Saturday, June 11, 2022, a majority of the audience of more than 200 voted to name Blaine Rada of Darien, IL America’s Greatest Thinker...

2022 Great American Think-Off Debate June 11 & Kick-Off June 10

29th Annual Think-Off Saturday, June 11, 2022 @ 7pm Held @ NYM School Auditorium Reception to follow @ Cultural Center The 2022 Think-Off debate will be held at the New York Mills School Auditorium on Saturday, June 11th, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. Doors open to the public at...

2022 Great American Think-Off Question

Question Announced January 1 Essays Due April 1 Finalists Announced May 1 Great Debate June 11, 2022 When you make an important decision, what do you consider in your assessment of pros and cons?  Certainly you think about how that choice will affect you...

Help us pick the 2022 Think-Off Question!

Let your voice be heard! Vote by December 27, 2021 The question with the most votes WINS! The Great American Think-Off committee has met and selected three choices as possibilities for the 29th annual Great American Think-Off question.  Just to shake things up a bit...

Think-Off Documentary Virtual Watch Party June 11, 2020

Great American Think-Off Virtual Documentary Film Watch Party Thursday, June 11, 2020 Begins at 7:00 p.m. In honor of the 2020 Great American Think-Off, which was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19, we are hosting a virtual watch party on Facebook to view the Think-Off...

2020 Great American Think-Off Essay Deadline Extended

28th Annual Great American Think-Off Essay Deadline EXTENDED to April 15, 2020 As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect daily lives, the Think-Off Committee announces the extension of this year’s essay deadline to April 15, 2020. It is our hope that while...

2020 Great American Think-Off Question

28th Annual Think-Off Question Announced January 1, 2020 The Great American Think-Off, now in its 28th year, is an annual philosophy contest held in New York Mills, MN (population 1,224), and hosted by the Cultural Center in New York Mills. This year’s question once...

2019 America’s Greatest Thinker Goes to…

Jennifer Nelson is the 2019 America’s Greatest Thinker! 27th Great American Think-Off Held June 8, 2019 Debate Details Follow Jennifer is a native of Morris, MN who currently lives in the Twin Cities where she works as a research consultant for the DFL Caucus at...

2019 Think-Off Finalist Essays

27th Great American Think-Off Congratulations to all 4 finalists! Read the winning essays below The four finalists for the 2019 Great American Think-Off are (in alphabetical order): Rick Brundage of St. Paul, MN; David Lapakko of Richfield, MN; Louise Mengelkoch of...

2019 Think-Off Honorable Mentions Essays

27th Great American Think-Off Announcing Honorable Mentions Read Essays Below Read the 2019 Honorable Mention Essays Below, OR you can: 2019 Think-Off Results 2019 Think-Off Finalist Essays Michael Denny, Journalist from Staples, MN No Voting does not matter. It...

Philosophers and Artist Reception

Celebrating Philosophers & Artists We are making yet another connection by hosting both the Great American Think-Off Reception and the Distinctly Minnesota Artist Reception as one big party! Help us Kick-Off the Think-Off in style! Join us June 7th at 6:30-8:30pm...

Think-Off Debate June 8, 2019

27th Great American Think-Off Saturday, June 8, 2019 @ 7pm Held @ NYM School Auditorium Reception to follow @ Cultural Center The 2019 Think-Off debate will be held at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts (Auditorium) at the New York Mills School on Saturday,...

2019 Great American Think-Off Finalists

Final Four Announced “To Vote or Not to Vote: Does it Matter?” Essay Finalists to Debate Topic June 8, 2019 @ 7pm The Cultural Center in New York Mills announces four finalists from the essay contest portion of the 27th Annual Great American Think-Off....

2019 Great American Think-Off Essay Deadline Extended

You heard right, folks! The new deadline to enter your opinion essay for the Great American Think-Off is April 15th, 2019! To vote or not to vote: does it matter? Historically, groups of citizens have fought hard for the right to vote, only to have more than half of...

2019 Great American Think-Off Question

UPDATE! Essays are now due April 15th, 2019! The Great American Think-Off, now in its 27th year, is an annual philosophy contest held in New York Mills, MN (population 1,224), and hosted by the Cultural Center in New York Mills. This year’s question once again...

2018 Great American Think-Off Question

An entrepreneur’s new business fails.  A 7th grader receives the “most valuable player” award for basketball.  A recovering addict fails to abstain.  A singer auditions for and wins a role on Broadway.  Everyone experiences some successes and failures in life, but...

Pamela Lewis is 2017 Greatest American Thinker!

2017 Think-Off Question Answered: 2016 Election DID Change Our Perception of Truth New Yorker Named Greatest American Thinker in New York Mills Saturday, four armchair philosophers faced off in the Great Debate portion of the Great American Think-Off philosophy...

Great American Think-Off 25th Anniversary Celebration Weekend

2017 is a special year for the Great American Think-Off, as it marks the 25th annual philosophical debate. Because of this milestone, the Cultural Center is hosting several weekend events; see the schedule below. Friday, June 9 6-9pm Think-Off Kick-Off at the NYM...

2017 Think-Off Question Announced

“Has the 2016 election changed our perception of truth?” The Great American Think-Off committee announced this, the 25th annual Think-Off question, today, January 1, 2017. The Think-Off is a philosophy competition held each year in tiny New York Mills, MN....

2016 Great American Think-Off Topic Announced

Topic for the 2016 Great American Think-Off is “Income Inequality Threatens Democracy” After much discussion, and appropriately, some healthy debate, the Great American Think-Off committee has decided on this year’s topic for the annual debate: “Income Inequality...

23rd annual Great American Think-Off

Think-Off Saturday June 13th @ 7pm The Center is bustling with activity this week as we prepare for the 23rd annual Great American Think-Off.  The Great Debate will take place on Saturday, June 13th at 7:00pm at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts at the New...

2015 Think-Off Finalists Announced

The four finalists have been chosen for the 23rd annual Great American Think-Off, to answer the question “Does Technology Free Us or Trap Us?” Arguing that technology traps us will be Paul Terry and Marsh Muirhead, while David Eckel and David Lapakko will...

Jennifer Nelson wins 2014 Great American Think-Off

Enthusiastic audience chooses “America’s Greatest Thinker” Read the complete texts of the four finalists’ essays on our Think-Off site. Jennifer Nelson of Morris, Minnesota won the annual Great American Think-Off philosophy contest on Saturday, June 14...

2014 Great American Think-Off

Love or fear: which motivates us more? The 2014 Great American Think-OffTM releases its 22nd annual philosophy question:  “love or fear: which motivates us more?”  Submit a short essay making your best argument about this question and participate in this annual...