I "get" Gabby. Am reading a bio of Mao- "The Messiah and the Mandarins" by Dennis Bloodworth (!).
Where is the UN effective these days? I think it's a sorry flop- but once, a nice/calculating try. Not sure about that spark, either, as some must oppose by various means from political dissent to unique life styles very different from their parents or society in that it is possible and children, hopefully, have the courage to define themselves feely, as well. On Feb 4, 10:34 am, Molly <[email protected]> wrote: > I rarely understand Gabby's comments and this thread is not > exception. Ash, I agree with your idea, it begins with a spark in us, > and moves out to our family, community, society, world... > > On Feb 3, 11:47 pm, Ash <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > I congratulate your dedication Molly, after reading a few pages of the > > Universal Declaration of Human Rights I got too caught up in pedantic > > philosophical matters to finish some time ago! > > > "Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of > > the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement > > and its benefits." > > > To me this indicates the thinking, or at least the thinking they want us > > thinking of the thoughts of the governing boards at UN. ;-) What type > > of people do we want society to produce? What type of society do we want > > people composing? Obviously a more united population who can interact > > and cooperate is more productive in terms of creative and intelligent > > output, building things, or just doing work. The arts seem good but it > > is a hard one, mainly that creative works shouldn't be stifled as > > parody, criticism, passion, mind benders, comedy, drama etc exercise the > > mind and make it robust and diverse in judging the social/political > > environments. It seems that to 'share in scientific advancement' means > > the process of gaining and collaborating scientific knowledge because > > 'benefits' would be the products- in that case we want educated and > > intelligent populations in order to drive society toward greater > > achievements. This makes sense to me and I agree with the unstated ends > > it implies. I saved the 'freely' for last, at first it sounds like 'free > > of coercion into or disenfranchisement' but it further implies (to me) > > the responsibility of society to promote these capacities in their > > constituents. > > > On freedom, emancipation, liberation I think we should consider what > > things promote or hinder the healthy mind+body+spirit. Ask many older > > people and they will tell you if you have health you've got it all, so > > lets take a clue that physical health frees the mind from physical > > torment that is a type of freedom or greater mobility. If the mind isn't > > stuck or tormented but creatively inspired and charged with knowledge > > that is a type of liberation. If we have something to ignite our > > spirits, a primal impetus, great hope/work or 'vision' the spirit can be > > emancipated. Okay, enough from me I'll just say: A unifying vision for > > any human is seeing this paragraph in action. Or one could argue we > > haven't had enough horrors to demand it of ourselves (or have we?)... > > > On 2/2/2011 6:43 AM, Molly wrote: > > > > The United Nations has a declaration of human rights that states in > > > the preamble: "This Universal Declaration Of Human Rights as a common > > > standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end > > > that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this > > > Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education > > > to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive > > > measures, national and international, to secure their universal and > > > effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member > > > States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their > > > jurisdiction." > > > > It has 30 sections, and the 27th states: "Everyone has the right > > > freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy > > > the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits." > > > > This got me thinking about what it means to participate in life. > > > Certainly, it means different things in different spots around the > > > globe. And, I can appreciate the United Nations boldly stating the > > > ideal for humankind that includes freedom and choice. But I wonder > > > what it really means to participate in life, especially since in my > > > current life stages, I have given up the ideas of goals and long term > > > plans and surrendered, for the most part, to the calling of the > > > moment. > > > > I say this with the understanding that what calls me in the moment is > > > a direct result of my life's work, my faith and my internal > > > environment (thoughts, feelings, relationships, attitudes.) This is > > > to say that we never come completely fresh to each moment, we come as > > > we are. Yet, it seems to me, how we present ourselves to each moment > > > allows possibility for change, growth, freedom, love... > > > > What do YOU think?- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
