Thank you for this thoughtful offering. The people that I struggle to love, to like, and oftentimes even to consider human are those with the greatest wealth. I don't understand how it's possible to accumulate a billion pounds and remain human. There are so many crises the 1% could ameliorate. So much global suffering they could ease. Yet they hoard, and build cryogenic chambers and rockets. They actively cause more harm to all creatures. What are your thoughts on this? What does loving these people look like? Do you have any advice?!
Just that whoever you find hardest to love is probably the person you most need to pray for/seek to bless/seek to understand. I’ve seen some v wealthy individuals up close and can confirm they are as fragile and confused as the rest of us, perhaps more so because great wealth is so isolating. They are as much a product of a system which lies about what will satisfy us. Lots are trying to do what they can, and of course they could do more, but so could I.
Your question made me think. I'm not super-wealthy, but living in South Africa and having a nice house puts me in the upper echelon of our society. One thing I do know is that many of my friends and associates who are equally or more well-off than me make a big difference in very private ways. For example, they sponsor children through school and university, help their domestic workers to build houses, and cover the cost of school uniforms, cell phones and medicines. These things are not done as a way to get tax deductions but because they know and care for the people concerned. My response to your question about billionaires, then, is to give them the benefit of the doubt and consider that they might be supporting people that no-one else knows about for two reasons: 1. They don't want to draw attention to their charitable activities, and 2. They want to protect the dignity of those they are helping.
"Conscientious Objector to the Culture Wars". Love that. I am in.
Thank you again for working with me in helping Richard Spoor tell his story.
I am looking forward to what else you have to share on the psychedelics issue. My right brain dominant friends have a list of people they want to send on a magic mushrooms trip, because of their obstinacy and small mindedness. But seems the challenge is rather to keep embracing them in love.
Your podcast conversations have helped me to understand those who I 'instinctively' feel are other. I can now feel where they are coming from at a deeper level than a political or intellectual disagreement. Thank you.
I also learned after my mum died that some of my strongest reactions were to people like the people that had upset her and "made" us outsiders as a single mum with an "illegitimate son". Realising that I no longer had to be angry with "them" in response to her tears fifty years ago has been healing.
Yes to all this. Thank you. I think about it lots -- how we walk with, rather than do to / judge / write off / etc. How to really BEHOLD the other, and grow into possibility more than restrict with past action or identity 🙏
Such a beautiful reflection Elizabeth. I’ve alway worked in education, which was premised on the expectation that people, children and adults, could change.
But since the 1990 market reforms, the world of education has become much more focused on winner and loosers, with tests identifying who is in which category, with funding to follow - investing in success.
I sense surprise in your comments about Russia sowing lack of faith in others to breed culture wars. But what scares me is these processes of delineating us and them begin in our own school systems, fully endorsed by governments.
Where can conscientious objection to culture wars begin?
Alfie Kohn has written several books on the pernicious nature of competitive "education" and culture altogether http://www.alfiekohn.org/books
But the culture wars and the relatively harmless phenomenon of "cancel culture" has muchly more to do than the left vs right battle of ideas. The real and very deadly culture war is now being dramatized all over the planet in the enormously huge surge/growth in the manufacture
and indiscriminate use of "beautiful bombs".
The negative exploitation and killing of human beings by human beings violates the heart of one and all,
The negative exploitation and killing of non-human beings by human beings violates the heart of one and all.
Such an understanding has even been scientifically proven by the work of the HeartMath Institute. Indeed they have already proven that the feeling heart even pre-cognizes about to happen negative events. And even having a fear of doing exams to one degree or another cripples the intelligence of the young person having to sit for the exam.
Also check out the work of Candice Pert and her work introduced in her book The Molecules of Emotion
hmm ... thinks ... I know it is a rare success but I know a young family man who made it out of alcohol addiction, which is v. serious, and stays that way by helping similar others. A lot of us at a much easier level stopped smoking. It was very educational.
but ... beware the propaganda of the self; more likely best as in the old story remember who I am, where I came from and why I am here: 'The Quest for the Pearl'.
... and if its geopolitics ... I keep off the videos but daily my heart is in Gaza with the MSF healers et al. Just imagine.
Thank you for this thoughtful offering. The people that I struggle to love, to like, and oftentimes even to consider human are those with the greatest wealth. I don't understand how it's possible to accumulate a billion pounds and remain human. There are so many crises the 1% could ameliorate. So much global suffering they could ease. Yet they hoard, and build cryogenic chambers and rockets. They actively cause more harm to all creatures. What are your thoughts on this? What does loving these people look like? Do you have any advice?!
Just that whoever you find hardest to love is probably the person you most need to pray for/seek to bless/seek to understand. I’ve seen some v wealthy individuals up close and can confirm they are as fragile and confused as the rest of us, perhaps more so because great wealth is so isolating. They are as much a product of a system which lies about what will satisfy us. Lots are trying to do what they can, and of course they could do more, but so could I.
Your question made me think. I'm not super-wealthy, but living in South Africa and having a nice house puts me in the upper echelon of our society. One thing I do know is that many of my friends and associates who are equally or more well-off than me make a big difference in very private ways. For example, they sponsor children through school and university, help their domestic workers to build houses, and cover the cost of school uniforms, cell phones and medicines. These things are not done as a way to get tax deductions but because they know and care for the people concerned. My response to your question about billionaires, then, is to give them the benefit of the doubt and consider that they might be supporting people that no-one else knows about for two reasons: 1. They don't want to draw attention to their charitable activities, and 2. They want to protect the dignity of those they are helping.
"Conscientious Objector to the Culture Wars". Love that. I am in.
Thank you again for working with me in helping Richard Spoor tell his story.
I am looking forward to what else you have to share on the psychedelics issue. My right brain dominant friends have a list of people they want to send on a magic mushrooms trip, because of their obstinacy and small mindedness. But seems the challenge is rather to keep embracing them in love.
Your podcast conversations have helped me to understand those who I 'instinctively' feel are other. I can now feel where they are coming from at a deeper level than a political or intellectual disagreement. Thank you.
I also learned after my mum died that some of my strongest reactions were to people like the people that had upset her and "made" us outsiders as a single mum with an "illegitimate son". Realising that I no longer had to be angry with "them" in response to her tears fifty years ago has been healing.
Gosh Jonathan. Thank you for sharing that. What a hard road for you both, and I’m so happy to hear you’ve been able to release some of that burden.
Yes to all this. Thank you. I think about it lots -- how we walk with, rather than do to / judge / write off / etc. How to really BEHOLD the other, and grow into possibility more than restrict with past action or identity 🙏
Such a beautiful reflection Elizabeth. I’ve alway worked in education, which was premised on the expectation that people, children and adults, could change.
But since the 1990 market reforms, the world of education has become much more focused on winner and loosers, with tests identifying who is in which category, with funding to follow - investing in success.
I sense surprise in your comments about Russia sowing lack of faith in others to breed culture wars. But what scares me is these processes of delineating us and them begin in our own school systems, fully endorsed by governments.
Where can conscientious objection to culture wars begin?
Alfie Kohn has written several books on the pernicious nature of competitive "education" and culture altogether http://www.alfiekohn.org/books
But the culture wars and the relatively harmless phenomenon of "cancel culture" has muchly more to do than the left vs right battle of ideas. The real and very deadly culture war is now being dramatized all over the planet in the enormously huge surge/growth in the manufacture
and indiscriminate use of "beautiful bombs".
The negative exploitation and killing of human beings by human beings violates the heart of one and all,
The negative exploitation and killing of non-human beings by human beings violates the heart of one and all.
Such an understanding has even been scientifically proven by the work of the HeartMath Institute. Indeed they have already proven that the feeling heart even pre-cognizes about to happen negative events. And even having a fear of doing exams to one degree or another cripples the intelligence of the young person having to sit for the exam.
Also check out the work of Candice Pert and her work introduced in her book The Molecules of Emotion
For a real life example of real change, Tom Tarrants' book " Consumed by Hate, Redeemed by Love"
I really needed to hear this - thanks so much for sharing.
Was also great (as also a subscriber to the Ink) to see Anand referenced - he and his writing is also great
in my view, today: the church's God specializes in forgiving; AA's in empowering change.
Dear souls
hmm ... thinks ... I know it is a rare success but I know a young family man who made it out of alcohol addiction, which is v. serious, and stays that way by helping similar others. A lot of us at a much easier level stopped smoking. It was very educational.
but ... beware the propaganda of the self; more likely best as in the old story remember who I am, where I came from and why I am here: 'The Quest for the Pearl'.
... and if its geopolitics ... I keep off the videos but daily my heart is in Gaza with the MSF healers et al. Just imagine.
This series on Forgiveness on Radio 4 has amazing stories of how people can change https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m0018npb