When Joe Kaiser and Paul Allick reached the Great American Think-Off Final Four in New York Mills it seemed inevitable the two long-time friends from the Twin Cities would meet head-to-head to determine "America's Greatest Thinker."
They heard about the philosophy contest last year and when this year's question -- "Which Should You Trust More: Your Head or Your Heart?" -- was released, decided to write essays. Kaiser wasn't even sure he'd submit his essay. He figured it was a good excuse to get together with Allick and debate the issue over a beer. The two have been friends for 17 years.
With Allick for the "head" and Kaiser on the "heart" side the two debated publicly. Kaiser joked at the start of the finals: "We've already decided the loser will be in the back seat on the ride home."
Allick, an Episcopal priest from Burnsville, performed the marriage ceremony for Kaiser and his wife. A fact Allick reminded Kaiser of, joking he could revoke the marriage license.
After an entertaining debate and extremely close vote the audience sided with Kaiser and the heart, determining the 38-year-old Arts Administrator as the winner of the 15th Annual Great American Think-Off.
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In both the first round and the finals, Kaiser in arguing to trust the heart said, "Our hearts are the wellspring of our visions, our dreams and our goals."
He argued that "we almost always make decisions based on what feels right, and the heart is the wellspring of our dreams and creativity."
"Martin Luther King didn't say 'I have a plan.' He said, 'I have a dream.'
In the finals, Kaiser and Allick were asked given a life-saving situation in which they depended on someone's help would they want that person to rely on their head or heart to save them.
"His heart will be able to tell him what to do," Kaiser said. "If he waits too long and tries to figure it out with his head, I'm dead."
Allick responded by saying: "You would definitely want that person to use their mind to save you."
Both finalists presented thoughtful comments and statements during this year's Think-Off. They were very well-spoken, polished speakers who injected humor and kept the audience interested throughout the debate.
"This has been a blast," Kaiser said after being named America's Greatest Thinker. "This whole thing is surreal. It felt unreal and to actually go through this is amazing."
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Allick agreed and said the entire experience in New York Mills was great.
"Lynn Kasma (Executive Director of the NYM Regional Cultural Center) was great to work with. She was gentle, wonderful and encouraging throughout this whole thing," Allick said. "I knew this was going to be fun and I was excited about coming."
Allick added, "I wish other communities would do more of these things."
This year's Think-Off received 553 essays submitted from every state except Vermont and New Hampshire. There were a total of 304 men and 199 women. A combined 173 people voted "Head"; 213 voted "Heart"; and 117 were undecided.
