Blog changes, announcements.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  (1) 04/07/13: Managed a post! All else unchanged – “Posts will be sporadic” remains an understatement!  I continue following and studying unfolding national/global events, their causes, and looking for ideas of possible value – or hoping to present ideas that come to mind from what I absorb. Zoe Weil (today’s post) offers the type of informed encouragement I look for. After winter, have resumed working on property with shovel/wheelbarrow; am now preparing for spring garden and yard work.   (2) Editing problems unchanged: Mega editing needs, re-doing neglected pages – especially ‘links’ and ‘fridge door’ – not yet even touched. My apologies. ….. This blog’s overall theme? Questions, thoughts, and challenges that encourage us to know “who we are” and “how we can more closely realize deep human promise.” — WELCOME! Comments and share options on nearly every page or post!

Zoe Weil’s Wisdom – Empathy-driven Activism

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A Tedx Talk, and an article – both by Zoe Weil – share a single underlying theme – alleviating suffering. Combining insights from the two gives opportunity to expand on the theme. Continue reading →

Capitalism, Steve Jobs, and Faust

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The Faustian tragedy is not a tragedy of the individual, Steve Jobs, (except in so far as he may have wrestled with the bargain he struck to climb to success). In a deeply irremediable way, such bargains are ‘inevitable’ under current dominant economic systems. The Faustian tragedy is a tragedy of humanity itself – we collectively have accepted a bargain promising “success” as delivered through fierce competition; “benevolent cooperation be damned” Continue reading →

We Are The Help That’s On The Way (If We Pay Attention)

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David Brooks observes: “This is symptom of a larger problem.” The larger problem is that our entire culture’s sense of ‘success’ is skewed to a measure of success that lacks social trust. It would take much writing to ‘unpack’ the relevance of what Brooks ‘runs by us’ in a mere 18 minute talk. Instead of trying to do so, I post the talk here. Enjoy and take heart! We’re on the right track! Continue reading →

“People Get Ready … The head and the heart are gonna drive this train”

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Buoyed and enthused at the richness of today’s ‘exposure’ to “the best we can be”, including direct reminding of Adler, and science that supports belief in ‘our best’, I paused to ‘soak it in’ only to find the song, “People Get Ready…,” rise up in my thoughts. (I’ve posted a YouTube selection here.) Continue reading →

Brain research the new ‘moon shot’ – CNN.com (Reflections)

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I’ve not said so before, but sparked by a popular question these days of “What shall we do next?”, (now that ‘space exploration phases 1 and 2 – moon and shuttle – have come to a close). I’ve privately thought: “Oh!, Let’s learn what we need to know about ourselves so we can create a future that includes everyone!” More publicly, my entire blog is dedicated to helping spark interest in just such an initiative — in which we dedicate ourselves to learning and doing what we need to learn and do, to create an inclusive society, a society in which we uplift one another. I both appreciate, and have a caution, about a proposal that wants to elevate “brain study” to a space-race equivalent. Continue reading →

Lars von Trier Cannes Banishment Needs 2nd Look

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We’d rather live with our own suppressed disturbed feelings about Hitler than listen to this man. We abhor the least hint that ordinary humans, including ourselves, might have a ‘shadow side’ corruptibility. …Even when we know this to be true, we’d just as soon ‘stay as far from it as possible’. We’re even willing to banish and shun – to create physical separation between ourselves and anyone who might, by action or word, ‘energize’ our ‘fear of the human monstrous’. Continue reading →

Strauss-Kahn, IMF, Justice – Lessons for Humanity

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When in university, I told a friend I hoped “to one day write all that needs to be said in a single sentence”. This single post brings me closer. For me, it’s possible to ‘see’ much of “all humanity’s 21st century challenge” captured in the ‘S-K, IMF, Justice’ drama. This post explores what the drama suggests to me. … I see no viable option for humanity but to ‘dream a big INclusive dream’ and ‘go for it’. Continue reading →

IMF Policies and Dominique Strauss-Kahn; Strauss-Kahn’s Arrest Effectively Removes His Influence?

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“Ultimately, employment and equity are building blocks of economic stability and prosperity, of political stability and peace. This goes to the heart of the IMF’s mandate. It must be placed at the heart of the policy agenda.” (Dominique Strauss-Kahn to the IMF) NOTE: By Tuesday afternoon, with more info on victim made public, I’ve added an update to my original post. This story has at least two, not necessarily easily connected, ‘threads’ worth thought. One is appropriate legal response and justice in support of the victim; one is our mindfulness of IMF policy – broad global issues of justice. Overall theme at “Thoughts From The Well” is to encourage our use of the 21st Century to transition from ‘head/power-over’ paradigms in human society to ‘head/heart’ paradigms. Continue reading →

Ecuador’s Long Struggle with Chevron and its Predecessor Standard Oil

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The Ecuador-Chevron video I’ve made available here is 3 minutes. All humanity, all life everywhere, is vulnerable to deadly exploitation by our well-entrenched economic practice of “progress by profit and profit by expansion.” Status-quo’ does not challenge itself. The challenge must come from that ‘ordinary voice’, and the ordinary voice must be informed, thoughtful, and firm. Continue reading →