From: Lawrence DeBivort (debivort@umd5.umd.edu)
Date: Sun 08 Dec 2002 - 21:21:30 GMT
I take your point about the 'enemy' being us -- but don't see this truly as
a matter of their being enemies. Out of tribal origins the notion of the
species as a whole emerges, and I would like to advance this, so that, among
many benefits, the US does end up isolated and obsolescent. I do believe
that the US has a unique and essential gift to offer the world, and would
like to see this gift manifest itself effectively.
The proposed dialogue is one in which all participants will be motivated by
their own take on the world's problems and the role(s) of the entities over
which they have the greatest influence in the tackling of those problems so
the nominal agendas of the participants will be all over the place: the
dialogue has as much to do with the alignment and reconciliation of these
agenda as with the insights that the dialogue itself may generate.
A meta-goal, I suppose, is that all participants become mutually
influential.
And yes, there are strong trends also favoring this, which is, of course,
what brings us to the point of considering such an initiative. I am thinking
now of how the Net might be used to support the initiative: the Net itself
reflects and drives such an initiative.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle is simple cynicism. How much easier it is to be
cynical than hopeful! How much easier to be critical than take action! The
world is full of serious cynics and critics; but it is also full of people
who will actually strive for better, for themselves, their communities and
their children.
Cheers,
Lawry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
> Of Wade T.Smith
> Sent: Sunday, December 08, 2002 2:01 PM
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: Toward a new US-World dialogue
>
>
>
> On Sunday, December 8, 2002, at 01:55 PM, Lawrence DeBivort wrote:
>
> > Trends in the world today are working against it, but I am
> > optimistic that it can be reversed.
>
> Well, there are also trends working for it- atheism, humanism,
> globalism, not to mention science and logic.
>
> Having optimism that a significant (meaning necessary and sufficient)
> number of people and peoples will see this place, this planet, as their
> shared home and not a monopoly game of limited colors, is not without
> some promise.
>
> The very first Outer Limits usanian TV program had this as its theme-
> and it is a long-standing motif in many fictions. This motif being- a
> common enemy will unite otherwise embattled foes. If an extraterrestial
> entity ever announces itself, and it proves to be hostile, then maybe,
> maybe, all of us here will stand united against it.
>
> And, indeed, in many ways, IMHO it must be shown that we have a common
> enemy, and not just common goals or natures or planet.
>
> Problem is, we have met the enemy, and they is us.
>
> Problem is, getting all of us to know it.
>
> Big problem.
>
> - Wade
>
>
>
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
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For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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