June162009
civil society communicates -- in spite of the state »
“First Facebook and then a number of other sites were being blocked by Iran. It isn’t exactly an atypical action by a regime who has done so before on a number of instances. This time something was different though. Twitter became the unlikely hero of a large group of individuals who were calling for a vote recount and regardless of the outcome were furthering a movement. What’s becoming increasingly clear is the widespread impact that social technology is having on the world.
For the first time it feels as though we are part of something greater and that the people finally do have control. It’s an empowering feeling and as social technologists continue to iterate on their platforms, democracy is becoming a fact of life for regimes which previously ruled with an iron fist. Even within this country we are witnessing a transparency movement and we can thank the internet with the help of social technology for making this possible.” [click on link for the rest of the article.]
Fascinating, wouldn’t you say? It is amazing to think about how communication technologies are making it more possible than ever before for people to report what they are really experiencing around the world, especially for those who live within states that tend to tightly control information. Who would have thought that platforms like Facebook and Twitter (aha! so there is some utility in you after all, twitter!) would facilitate the ability for one to exercise a universal human right — that of freedom of expression for those who are reporting, and freedom to know for those who are receiving the information. In spite of a state with a flair for the unjust use of force and authority, the Iranian people are expressing themselves and making their voices heard.
More exciting still are the possibilities these mechanisms provide for people with diverging cultures, beliefs and convictions to engage in a global dialogue and learn about each other. We are on the brink of something BIG here! We’re not living in just any ordinary time in history — I believe this cross cultural interaction among civil society is only going to continue to rise and intensify and that it will change the landscape of our world. What do you think? Do you think these platforms could be regarded as instruments to facilitate a global dialogue on world events and issues among members of civil society? Could it give rise to new levels of global solidarity?
Tags: /Facebook /twitter /global dialogue /communication
May132009
"If there is to be peace in the world,
There must be peace in the nations.If there is to be peace in the nations,
There must be peace in the cities.If there is to be peace in the cities,
There must be peace between neighbors.If there is to be peace between neighbors,
There must be peace in the home.If there is to be peace in the home,
"
There must be peace in the heart.
— Lao-Tse, Chinese Philosopher
Tags: /Lao-Tse /Peace Prayer
May122009
hi, i'm still here.
i promise. my thoughts have come back to this blog every now and then. i start to feel a little guilty even— as if somehow this thing has started suffering from feelings of remote loneliness, and i am ultimately the one to blame. i guess i can take some refuge in my intention to keep it alive. yes, i still care. and to prove it, here’s a list of things i should have written about between a week to three months ago, and hope that by putting it all down i’ll finally get to expand on some of it. at some point. soon. mostly because i’ve learned some pretty neat things along the way, some thoughts continuously evolve over time, and i think it’s worth getting it down on some kind of permanent platform.
And here it is:
1. the day i found myself picketing in washington dc with a mob of highly spirited, highly upset protesters. this post will be a stream of reflections on the flaws and limitations inherent in our democracy, the culture of protest it promotes and will question the value of the protest method for making this land a better place for all. in other words, thank you Micheal Karlberg, for helping me make some sense out of my unforeseen/unplanned experience as a political dissident by association.
2. on what is beauty really? (far from being hereditary, i think it is earned.)
3. peace prayers. i’m going to start collecting/sharing them here. because i think we can all agree that there needs to be a little more peace in the world and in our hearts.
4. on love. and how i’ve experienced or seen its power at work in the world.
5. on community. what is it, and how we can nurture and contribute to the one we are currently part of.
6. on art — featuring the work of more local artists/friends.
7. on the art of being a good neighbor.
8. on education and knowledge.
9. on the dangers of patriotism.
10. on self-knowledge.
11. on gratitude.
12. on why tolerance is simply not good enough.
13. on children and junior youth and the learnings of our junior youth group.
14. on preserving the stories of older generations.
alright, i’ll stop there for now. wish me luck!
Tags: /list
April222009
Baha'is commemorate Baha'u'llah's public declaration of His mission
Yesterday marked the first day of a twelve day festival commemorated by Baha’is throughout the world. It is known as the period of Ridvan, named after the garden where Baha’u’llah publicly declared Himself as the Messenger of God for this Day in age. The article below sums it up well and is taken from the US Baha’i website:
In a garden of Paradise, the Baha’i Faith takes root
April 20, 2009 - 12:00am
What makes the Festival of Ridvan, celebrated April 21 to May 2, the holiest of days for Baha’is? It commemorates the anniversary of Baha’u’llah’s declaration in 1863 that He was the Promised One of all earlier religions.
Up to this point, Baha’u’llah, who was born into a noble Persian family in 1817, had dedicated His life to improving the world and helping others. He became one of the foremost followers of the Bab, for which He was imprisoned, tortured and banished from His native land.
After spending 10 years in exile in Baghdad, Baha’u’llah was ordered to Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) for another period of exile. Before leaving Baghdad, He spent 12 days in a garden on the banks of the Tigris River. The garden later was named Ridvan, meaning “Paradise” or “good pleasure” in Arabic.
As His followers gathered around Him, Baha’u’llah announced that He was the Promised One of all earlier religions — “Him Whom God shall make manifest.” His declaration marks the beginning of the Baha’i Faith.
Tags: /Ridvan
"The present time is not an economic revolution but a spiritual revolution. We, the people of today, are passing through the most momentous and far-reaching changes that have taken place since the beginning of recorded history. Science has made us the undisputed masters of all the forces of Nature. There is enough grain to feed everybody. There is enough wool to clothe everybody. There is enough stone and mortar to house everybody. And yet the picture all around us is one of vast hopelessness and despair.
Something therefore must be wrong with the picture! That is what we say. Would it not perhaps be a little fairer to confess: ‘Something is wrong with ourselves?’
‘To have or to be!’ I shall submit that terrific sentence to all who have eyes to see and ears to hear and that true spiritual courage that is the basis of all permanent progress."
— Hendrick Van Loon. “To Have or to Be.”
Tags: /Hendrick Van Loon /To Have or to Be /social transformation
March172009
The snow is melting and I smell spring…
Transitions are mysteriously beautiful. When the leaves on a tree are set ablaze before blanketing the forest floor, or when that flake of snow gently kisses the ground for another first time. The moment when the bud unfolds its petals and releases its fragrance. Where night meets dawn and dusk meets night. There is something potent in those briefly passing moments.
Tags: /transitions /winter /spring
March112009
I love it. Go random acts of kindness! I especially love the teamwork— brought to you by Improv Everywhere. According to their web site, this group has executed over 80 missions, sometimes involving thousands of undercover agents, all around New York City to cause scenes of chaos and joy in public places.
Reminds me of this excerpt from the Baha’i Writings:
O ye friends of God! Today is the day of union and this age is the age of harmony in the world of existence. “Verily, God loveth those who are working in His path in groups, for they are a solid foundation.” Consider ye that he says “in groups,” united and bound together, supporting one another. “To work,” mentioned in this holy verse, does not mean, in this greatest age, to perform it with swords, spears, shafts and arrows, but rather with sincere intentions, good designs, useful advices, divine moralities, beautiful actions, spiritual qualities, educating the public, guiding the souls of mankind, diffusing spiritual fragrances… When the holy souls, through the angelic power, will arise to show forth these celestial characteristics, establishing a band of harmony, each of these souls shall be regarded as one thousand persons and the waves of this greatest ocean shall be considered as the army of the hosts of the Supreme Concourse.
Tags: /High Fives /teamwork /joy /kindness /improv everywhere
March92009
Don't Forget to Eat Your Breakfast: SoulPancake
Ah breakfast. They say it’s the “most important meal of the day”. Well, here’s a new site that heats up the “skillet for the spirit” (I must give credit to Anjali for that clever little phrase). And the mastermind behind this fantastic philosophical pancake stand is actor Rainn Wilson.
Check it out. Here’s an introductory excerpt from the site, SoulPancake:
What is SoulPancake? Well, it’s more of a mission than a Web site…
We want to make discussions about Spirituality, Creativity, and Philosophy cool again. Were they ever cool? I have no idea. But it seems like a good idea. We want to engage the user to “Chew on Life’s Big Questions”™. (I was kidding about the ™ symbol; you can use that phrase however you want. Even to sell frozen taquitos.) Where do you go on the Interwebs if you want an irreverent, fun, and profound take on God and Art and the Soul and Faith and Beauty? Fox.com? Maybe. But maybe also here at SoulPancake.com.
We provide some rockin’ content (interviews, blogs, challenges, contests, features, and more), but it’s really all about having YOU—the SoulPancake community—bring this site to life. Say what’s on your mind. Be real. Talk about WHY WE’RE HERE. And if I say something that offends you, let me have it.
Just remember: Life is a rich, weird, difficult experience. So join us as we go on the spiritual and artistic journey that is SoulPancake.
Rainn
Tags: /Soulpancake /Rainn Wilson
March82009
