The Symposium
This blog was created today, August 19, 2006, in order to provide online bloggers with a symposium in which they can collectively share their thoughts and opinions on a number of different topics.
We live in a world where we often don't listen to each other. By closing doors and shutting others out, we inhibit ourselves from ever improving our behavior or learning about different points of view. We also live in a world strewn with terror, poverty, and disease. If we could all just stop a minute, take a break from the hustle and bustle of the demanding 21st century office and the pressuring atmosphere of high school or college, and sit together to discuss our struggling world, our opinions about it, and how we can take action to fix it, there would be a definite hope.
Well, you say, what about all those politicians and activists that are already making noise? Can't we just leave it to them?
No. We can't. You see, these activists are few and far between relative to the population of the earth. While they have some power, quite frankly, they will never have enough. Unless...You and I, average persons, decide to take initiative ourselves. The more people who stand up and decide to get involved in this rapidly changing world, the more we can accomplish. We can discontinue the "Age of Apathy" as I have dubbed it.
So, I invite you to join my symposium. What's your philosophy?
I only ask that you follow a few rules of conduct,
otherwise I will be forced to exclude your comments from discussions.
I leave you with two quotes that helped inspire me to set this up:
"Problems are not going to get solved until we sit down with somebody else and really listen to their stories, so we can get to understand each other rather than blowing each other up. The more we put labels on people, the more we're destined not to know them. When you really know somebody else's story, you can't hate them anymore. It's a wonderful tool for peace."
Nancy Duncan
"Science tells us how to heal and how to kill; it reduces the death rate in retail and then kills us wholesale in war; but only wisdom- desire coordinated in the light of all experience- can tell us when to heal and when to kill. To observe processes and to construct means is science; to criticize and coordinate ends is philosophy: and because in these days our means and instruments have multiplied beyound our interpretation and synthesis of ideals and ends, our life is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. For a fact is nothing except in relation to desire; it is not complete except in relation to a purpose and a whole. Science without philosophy, facts without perspective and valuation, cannot save us from havoc and despair. Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom."
Will Durant, The Story of Philosophy
We live in a world where we often don't listen to each other. By closing doors and shutting others out, we inhibit ourselves from ever improving our behavior or learning about different points of view. We also live in a world strewn with terror, poverty, and disease. If we could all just stop a minute, take a break from the hustle and bustle of the demanding 21st century office and the pressuring atmosphere of high school or college, and sit together to discuss our struggling world, our opinions about it, and how we can take action to fix it, there would be a definite hope.
Well, you say, what about all those politicians and activists that are already making noise? Can't we just leave it to them?
No. We can't. You see, these activists are few and far between relative to the population of the earth. While they have some power, quite frankly, they will never have enough. Unless...You and I, average persons, decide to take initiative ourselves. The more people who stand up and decide to get involved in this rapidly changing world, the more we can accomplish. We can discontinue the "Age of Apathy" as I have dubbed it.
So, I invite you to join my symposium. What's your philosophy?
I only ask that you follow a few rules of conduct,
otherwise I will be forced to exclude your comments from discussions.
- Respect. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I ask that however disgusting and wrong you find someone's point of view to be that you nonetheless treat them with respect and allow them their space on this blog.
- No language. Please refrain from using slander. No curse words, racial slurs, etc. It is only acceptable to type a curse word when you are discussing that curse word, not using it.
- No harassment of any kind. If someone on this blog discriminates against other bloggers due to sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, gender, economic situation, age, etc. and chooses to dehumanize others and destroy diversity, he or she will not be tolerated and will be banned from the forum.
I leave you with two quotes that helped inspire me to set this up:
"Problems are not going to get solved until we sit down with somebody else and really listen to their stories, so we can get to understand each other rather than blowing each other up. The more we put labels on people, the more we're destined not to know them. When you really know somebody else's story, you can't hate them anymore. It's a wonderful tool for peace."
Nancy Duncan
"Science tells us how to heal and how to kill; it reduces the death rate in retail and then kills us wholesale in war; but only wisdom- desire coordinated in the light of all experience- can tell us when to heal and when to kill. To observe processes and to construct means is science; to criticize and coordinate ends is philosophy: and because in these days our means and instruments have multiplied beyound our interpretation and synthesis of ideals and ends, our life is full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. For a fact is nothing except in relation to desire; it is not complete except in relation to a purpose and a whole. Science without philosophy, facts without perspective and valuation, cannot save us from havoc and despair. Science gives us knowledge, but only philosophy can give us wisdom."
Will Durant, The Story of Philosophy
posted by Wannabe-Socrates | 12:01 PM
5 Comments:
I agree . the end
I agree with the second quote. Sience harms as much as it hurts. Which is why it grows. Since we harm ourselves, we adapt. Therefore, we are not "apathetic" since we are always trying to improve what we have. While yes, most of the world couldnt care less about advances, there are a few that do, and that is all a society needs to advance.
I don't agree with the first quote due to the fact that when you can get to know someone, you can actually hate them more than you started. Also, how can you really get to know someone without liking them to begin with. Humans bond with what they like to bond with, otherwise it seems like a waste of time. Therefore, one could say that almost everyone is "shallow."
On a different note, there are no means of learning about everyone's backround. Many countries are very poor and cannot afford proper schooling. The people in that country are then at a disadvantage because they have no means of reaching out.
Religion is another hampering factor. People practice different religions because they WANT TO BE DIFFERENT. It's what makes them special. They don't want to hear about the advantages of something they dont follow, because that is just putting their own "cause" down.
What may be a problem for one person is a glorious thing for another.
I have to say, Neal, that I disagree with the majority of what you've just said.
My point is that while there are those few that do care about society, it is not enough. If it was, all the vices that are destroying the modern world wouldn't exist. Yes, we can't have a perfect world but we could really be doing a whole lot better. And define "improve what we have" -- Honestly, all I see improving these days is technology. Like, how to make a smaller mp3 player as if the other one didn't already fit in your pocket. Education and Health Care are suffering drastically -- there's no improvement there.
Also, you don't need to like someone to get to know them. Knowing and liking are two different things. In addition, if you hate them more than you started, you're missing the point of getting to know that person's story and you probably haven't opened yourself up enough. When you really put your own opinions aside and listen, you begin to understand why some people do the awful things they do. It doesn't justify them necessarily, but you leave with a newfound understanding. Listening to someone's story doesn't mean you have to be their best friend.
And for those who seek it out, you can always learn someone's story. Sometimes you can't just sit back and expect people to find you; you have to find them. If more people knew the story of those poor countries, perhaps there could be help.
Religion, I think, may hold some back from being open minded but I completely disagree that people who practice different religions do that because they want to be different. I think people practice religions because they do what their heart tells them (maybe for some it's their head or their society -- but I think for those who are truly religious it's because of their heart and soul feeling fulfilled). While some might preach about the "chosen people", when you get down to it religion isn't really all about that. But that's a topic for a later date. And take into account that perhaps the person who takes something to be "an advantage" doesn't realize maybe that to that other person it's a disadvantage. It's all give and take and a 2 way street. Let people believe in what makes their lives less of a living hell.
ok, i see your point, and maybe i was reading it/going off on my own path.
It is clear that, in what you said about technology advancements, we are selfish. We develop things to get ahead and make ourselves rich, while leaving others behind.
I agree with Chris (ie. Neal is wrong) on religion. You don't practice different religions because you want to be different. You practice a religion because it feels much better to have some purpose to life.
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