RE: Toward a new US-World dialogue

From: Steve Drew (sd014a6399@blueyonder.co.uk)
Date: Wed 11 Dec 2002 - 00:07:23 GMT

  • Next message: Steve Drew: "RE: Toward a new US-World dialogue"

    > Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 12:28:20 -0500
    > From: "Lawrence DeBivort" <debivort@umd5.umd.edu>
    > Subject: RE: Toward a new US-World dialogue
    >
    > Jeremy, greetings,
    >
    > I would not characterize the discussion here on this list as anything close
    > to the dialogue that is needed, for several reasons:
    > 1. There is no participation from third-world folks
    >
    > 2. There is little true listening and questioning. This may be a weakness of
    > email, and it has a lot to do with the interactional dynamics. Sometimes we
    > are better at it than at other times!
    >
    > 3. The subject of this list is memetics; the subject of the proposed
    > dialogue would be the issues that divide the species, and the exploration of
    > a view of the species that allows sub-components to avoid destructive
    > relations with other parts.
    >
    > The levels of pessimism that those who responded to the proposal expressed
    > saddens me. There is so much potential for participation and contribution.
    > I hope that this pessimism is transient. There is a big and wonderful world
    > out there (despite the negatives that so easily capture our concern and
    > energy), full of resources and potential capability, of learning and of
    > joining with others to build better things than we can alone. It is to this
    > world that we should be engaging ourselves.

    There is indeed a big and wonderful world out there, and the (to my mind) problem is that the number of divisions between peoples seems (?) almost insurmountable, hence some of the negativity you have encountered. Most of mine stems from my encounters with the world and people, and the repressed desire to bang some peoples heads together :-)

    I might add a no. 4 What are the commonalities between people irrespective of culture, religion etc? Find what unites and the thing that divides can sometimes look damn silly. Presume you are familiar with Needs Theory etc?

    BTW have you read the Mote in God's Eye By Niven and Pournelle? SF that dwells on pessimism big time.

    Regards

    Steve
    >
    > Best regards,
    > Lawry

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