'debate' often leaves little than some form of protest like self-immolation.
debate, yes. But dialogue raises consciousness. On Mar 23, 2:38 am, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > Less of the old you young whipper-snapper Jenkins! There is a lot to > be said on getting hold of something better than victimisation and > such stuff as the existential hero, but we have to note that these > 'games' are played everywhere and that 'debate' often leaves little > than some form of protest like self-immolation. There is a very > strong mechanism in such decent things as patience and politeness > (manners in Elias) that seeks to prevent truth and engage secrecy for > the wrong reasons. At some point we become intolerant of intolerance. > impatient with patience - and may not be wrong. Tolerance itself can > be highly intolerant, just another prejudice in those who learn > rhetoric rather than develop - rather like the 'new man' out to get > into knickers with his new strategy of sexual equality. > > On 23 Mar, 05:13, Vamadevananda <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Thank you, Justin ! Inspiring, reminding ... the best of what > > international virtual community members can give to each other. > > > On Mar 23, 9:46 am, Justintruth <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > Kierkegaard on despair: > > > > Just as the physician might say that there lives perhaps not one > > > single man who is in perfect health, so one might say perhaps that > > > there lives not one single man who after all is not to some extent in > > > despair, in whose inmost parts there does not dwell a disquietude, a > > > perturbation, a discord, an anxious dread of an unknown something, or > > > of a something he does not even dare to make acquaintance with, dread > > > of a possibility of life, or dread of himself, so that, after all, as > > > physicians speak of a man going about with a disease in him, this man > > > is going about and carrying a sickness of the spirit, which only > > > rarely and in glimpses, by and with a dread which to him is > > > inexplicable, gives evidence of its presence within. > > > > Su Kyi on fear: > > > > It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts > > > those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who > > > are subject to it. ... > > > > The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an > > > intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental > > > attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation's development. > > > A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and > > > institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has > > > little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, > > > the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would > > > continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of > > > reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, > > > democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to > > > persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring > > > truths, to resist the corrupting influences ofdesire, ill will, > > > ignorance and fear... > > > > Within a system which denies the existence of basic human rights, fear > > > tends to be the order of the day. Fear of imprisonment, fear of > > > torture, fear ofdeath, fear of losing friends, family, property or > > > means of livelihood, fear of poverty, fear of isolation, fear of > > > failure. A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as > > > common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, > > > insignificant or futile the small, daily acts of courage which help to > > > preserve man's self-respect and inherent human dignity. It is not easy > > > for a people conditioned by fear under the iron rule of the principle > > > that might is right to free themselves from the enervating miasma of > > > fear. Yet even under the most crushing state machinery courage rises > > > up again and again, for fear is not the natural state of civilized > > > man. > > > > The wellspring of courage and endurance in the face of unbridled power > > > is generally a firm belief in the sanctity of ethical principles > > > combined with a historical sense that despite all setbacks the > > > condition of man is set on an ultimate course for both spiritual and > > > material advancement. It is his capacity for self-improvement and self- > > > redemption which most distinguishes man from the mere brute. At the > > > root of human responsibility is the concept of peffection, the urge to > > > achieve it, the intelligence to find a path towards it, and the will > > > to follow that path if not to the end at least the distance needed to > > > rise above individual limitations and environmental impediments. It is > > > man's vision of a world fit for rational, civilized humanity which > > > leads him to dare and to suffer to build societies free from want and > > > fear. Concepts such as truth, justice and compassion cannot be > > > dismissed as trite when these are often the only bulwarks which stand > > > against ruthless power. > > > > Jane Goodal on understanding (Oh yes she knows a little something of > > > chimps...! ;) ) > > > > Thinking back over my life, it seems to me that there are different > > > ways of looking out and trying to understand the world around us. > > > There's a very clear scientific window. And it does enable us to > > > understand an awful lot about what's out there. There's another > > > window, it's the window through which the wise men, the holy men, the > > > masters, of the different and great religions look as they try to > > > understand the meaning in the world. My own preference is the window > > > of the mystic. > > > > Jane Godal on Hope > > > > There is the terrible pollution around the world, the balance of > > > nature is disturbed, and we are destroying our beautiful planet. There > > > are fears of new epidemics for which there will be no drugs, and, > > > rather than fight the cause, we torture millions of animals in the > > > name of medical progress. But in spite of all this I do have hope. And > > > my hope is based on three factors. > > > > The Human Brain > > > > Firstly, we have at last begun to understand and face up to the > > > problems that threaten us and the survival of life on Earth as we know > > > it. Surely, then, we can use our problem-solving abilities, our > > > brains, and, joining hands around the world, find ways to live that > > > are in harmony with nature. Indeed, many companies have begun > > > "greening" their operations, and millions of people worldwide are > > > beginning to realize that each one of us has a responsibility to the > > > environment and our descendants, and that the way each one of us lives > > > our life does matter, does make a difference. > > > > The Determination of Young People > > > > My second reason for hope lies in the tremendous energy, enthusiasm > > > and commitment of a growing number of young people around the world. > > > As they find out about the environmental and social problems that are > > > now part of their heritage, they want to fight to right the wrongs. Of > > > course they do - they have a vested interest in this, for it will be > > > their world tomorrow. They will be moving into leadership positions, > > > into the work force, becoming parents themselves. Young people, when > > > informed and empowered, when they realize that what they do truly > > > makes a difference, can indeed change the world. > > > > The Indomitable Human Spirit > > > > My third reason for hope lies in the indomitable nature of the human > > > spirit. There are so many people who have dreamed seemingly > > > unattainable dreams and, because they never gave up, achieved their > > > goals against all the odds, or blazed a path along which others could > > > follow. As I travel around the world I meet so many incredible and > > > amazing human beings. They inspire me. They inspire those around them. > > > > The Resilience of Nature > > > > My fourth reason for hope is the incredible resilience of nature. I > > > have visited Nagasaki, site of the second atomic bomb that ended World > > > War II. Scientists had predicted that nothing could grow there for at > > > least 30 years. But, amazingly, greenery grew very quickly. One > > > sapling actually managed to survive the bombing, and today it is a > > > large tree, with great cracks and fissures, all black inside; but that > > > tree still produces leaves. I carry one of those leaves with me as a > > > powerful symbol of hope. I have seen such renewals time and again, > > > including animal species brought back from the brink of extinction. > > > > So let us move into the next millennium with hope, for without it all > > > we can do is eat and drink the last of our resources as we watch our > > > planet slowly die. Instead, let us have faith in ourselves, in our > > > intellect, in our staunch spirit. Let us develop respect for all > > > living things. Let us try to replace impatience and intolerance with > > > understanding and compassion. And love. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. 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