In response to the following:
> So, IMHO, it is not only because of our *moral* capacity that we can
> "transcend" natural tendencies towards violence and aggression --
> although I would be the first to agree that the human capacity for moral
> reasoning and behavior is extremely important... In fact, we may not
> need to "transcend" our natural tendencies as much as we need to
> "rediscover" and reinvigorate those natural tendencies which we seem to
> have neglected -- the tendency toward cooperation, social bonding,
> community, and cooperation...
I certainly agree with this. I tend to use the word "spiritual" more
frequently than moral, however on these issues I think they might be
interchangeable. The only difficulty I have with the way many of us
talk on this group is our use of "we" when we talk about being
connected to our natural selves and how alienated we are from those
"natural tendencies." I am assuming that this generalization refers
primarily to those of us of Western European descent who have been
raised primarily in industrialized societies (that includes
Australia, just in case you folks over there think I've forgotten
you!). I am becoming much more integrated into a community of people
who never lost that connection to nature (at least at the cultural
level; at the individual level, many have gotten sucked into white
society in devastating ways), that is, the indigenous peoples of
North America, in particular, the Plains Cree of Alberta. And those
of us of European ancestry have inspiring figures from our own pasts.
Western society just has to get itself off the 300 year detour it's
taken and get back on track.
Bye for now,
Roxanne
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Nov 22 10:51:32 MST 1994
From: "LALONDE ROXANNE" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Organization: Dept. of Geography, Univ. of Alta.
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 1994 10:53:34 MDT
Subject: Re: Catching Up
In response to the following and before I begin, best wishes, Deborah
to you and your family, especially your father:
> I don't know if we will be able to find a balance between our
> aspirations and our limitations, between "nature" and "culture"; I do
> not believe that women=nature and that man=culture. I do not believe
> in any such dichotomies at all. I know that I personally *need* both
> the city (and all that the city implies i.e. technology) and the
> forest. I want every last drop of medical skill and technology to
> extend my father's life (within reasonable bounds) and make him as
> comfortable as possible. At the same time I recognize the
> inevitability of his death and return to the womb/tomb of the earth.
> It seems to me that often on this list we all sound like a bunch of
> spoiled rich kids who are unable to admit how lucky we are and how
> blessed to live at a time and in a place where we can say whatever
> we want to say without being hauled off by the secret police
I, too, have felt a desire to inject a little bit of humanity into
this group. As contributors to discussions that involve many fem
concepts, a little bit of expression that reflects feminine
attributes regardless of the gender of the person expressing them
would certainly be very welcome to me. And the men on the group
aren't the only ones responsible for the overly academic/rational
tone sometimes. We are indeed very lucky to have access to the
resources and technology that enable us to contribute to these
discussions. Although I shun much of what is considered a necessity
in modern western society (i.e., T.V., microwave, VCR, etc.), please
don't take my radio (the public broadcaster in Canada is superb), my
sewing machine, my knitting needles (I make as many of my own clothes
as possible), or my toaster oven (saves electricity when all you want
to do is make a toasted sandwich) away from me.
I guess what I'm trying to say, and I think I've said it before,
is that we need to remember that each of us on here is a human being
and as such we are necessary elements in creation. We are each
connected to each other and everything around us in profound ways. I
feel a bond with each of you who has communicated on here (which
reminds me: Happy nuptuals, Faith!) and am delighted when someone who
has been "lurking" in the background finally contributes her/his
voice. That's why I am saddened when sometimes we speak before we
think about what the impact of our language might be. I wonder if
that angry flame has silenced someone who might be ready to speak. We
need all our voices; we just need to remember how others hear them.
Bye again,
Roxanne
