Thanks again Sandra for an interesting post. I was particularly interested
in your well thought out list of influences. And I really like your four
ethical principles.
Sandra wrote:
> > Would you put books in the category of "I do talk about what I am doing
and
> > what I believe when asked to"?
>
> In what way?
Simply in the way that books give someone's ideas only when another person
decides to "ask" by picking up the book and reading it, and as much of it
as they care to.
> I read a lot and am influenced by what I read, but as most of
> what I believe is already printed somewhere I wouldn't waste teh paper
> trying to write a book of my own. Books can be influential but only
> directly on a small scale. The influence of very good books tend to ripple
> out from the people who read them to the people who don't.
The "ripple effect" is a good point. I'm not recommending that everyone
write a book, but perhaps sharing lists of good books would be nice.
> Things already are ugly, and all the attempts to make change on a grand
> scale have had at best only minimal effect. Change will happen one small
> step at a time or not at all in any lasting way. It may happen in time to
> save the human species, or it may not.
It seems that you are less optimistic (more practical?) than I. I haven't
reached the conclusion that faster change is not possible. I also believe
that fast change is necessary if we wish to avoid a situation drastically
uglier than we have now. I agree that most (all?) attempts at big change
as does very little; this is why I am exploring the best ways to bring
about change. It may not be possible, but I'd like to find that out rather
than just give up. Perhaps the reason big changes have not happened is
because the methods were not effective enough. If small steps is the best
(fastest) way to change, then that's what we should do. I still think
there may be other ways, hence the exploration.
Thanks for sharing your ideas; you help me think clearer.
Eric:
Sandra wrote:
> The four ethical principles I live by are:
> to live as I please as long as I do not knowingly do harm.
> to learn what ever I need to learn to minimize the unknowing harm I do.
> to acknowledge any harm I do either knowingly or unknowingly and make
the changes needed not to do it again.
> to live every moment as joyously as possible.
