After much contemplation I've decided to take an indefinite sabbatical from blogging...
Cycling for 7 weeks, owning nothing but a few books and whatever can fit into my panniers, has given me a new look at life... actually reading the works of libertarian socialist authors, the biography of MLK among others, and digging deeper into History - a realization quietly emerged --- I... in fact...know nothing. (or at least very little of what I'd like to know).
This realization is quite beautiful, and makes for a very exciting future...just when graduating college seemed to be the end - of - all - fun. Thank god! A new lease! How wonderful!
Anyway, so I'm taking the next few months to listen and learn about the world I live in. A less-talking approach to understanding and loving my fellow human, allowing the world as it is to present itself to me, rather than influencing what I see with my myopic weighty opinion.
Not to say the fight is over, not at all ... I aim to understand the fight better, with more grace and accuracy.
Hope you know what I mean. I'm available by email at the usual place if you want to chat.
Much love and thank you for reading,
Lauren
"Though it is natural for doctrinal systems to seek to induce pessimism, hopelessness, and despair, reality is different. There has been substantial progress in the unending quest for justice and freedom in recent years, leaving a legacy that can be carried forward from a higher plane than before. Opportunities for education and organizing abound. As in the past, rights are not likely to be granted by benevolent authorities, or won by intermittent actions -- attending a few demonstrations or pushing a lever in the personalized quadrennial extravaganzas that are depicted as "democratic politics." As always in the past, the tasks require dedicated day - by -day engagement to create - in part re-create - the basis for a functioning democratic culture in which the public plays some role in determining policies, not only in the political arena, from which it is largely excluded, but also in the crucial economic arena, from which it is excluded in principle. There are many ways to promote democracy at home, carrying it to new dimensions. Opportunities are ample, and failure to grasp them is likely to have ominous repercussions: for the country, for the world, and for future generations."
-- Failed States by Noam Chomsky
5 comments:
I detest the thought of you not writing any more. Your love and passion for what really counts in this life is so transparent, inspirational and beautiful. This world needs young people like you who can propell it confidentially towards a better tomorrow. You possess those qualities that are rarely seen in today's youth. You are natural,compasionate and so caring. I will definetely miss your words. It truly enlightens every second of one's existence and brings hope to a word of disolution, dispair, sadness and fear of the uncertain. Have a great day and keep smiling for the rest of your life because the world and future is all yours. PEACE!!!!
When will you decide what you are going to do - it seems dis-jointed right now - one day here, one day there.
Try to find a common thread that gives you purpose, direction, substance, and above all - a quality of contentment.
You have talent, focus on that.
I disagree with the comments posted on august 8th.
You are better silent - reflective - and focusing on a direction as well as your studies.
Hello,
I'd like to remind all commenters to leave a name, any name, with their posts. To make things simple Aug 8th you are Rupert, Aug 24th you are Ned. Any nameless comments will be ***deleted*** from here on out :)
Ned,
When you train for a bicycle race, you don't ride a fast 40 miles everyday to get fitter. You first figure out what type of race it is, your current fitness level, and then work in varying peaking levels of intensity until the final week beforehand, when you taper off your riding to let your body recover for the big day. My life is this process. Everything I've done thus far comes from the same purpose of making the world a bit better from my being on it. This drive led me to Journalism in Ohio, where I planned to cover events, and then on to Photojournalism in NY where I studied to take photos of wars etc. I found difficulties in my pursuit of this, a. photojournalism no longer pays, which means you must supplement it with fashion or product photography. The world is not better because of more fashion and products, I was not about to do that (even before the environmental factors became consciously clear to me). So then I moved on to documentary film making, where themes in my films have always challenged norms and societal assumptions.
As I began to learn about environmentalism, the way we communicate within our society (my specialty), and injustice it became clear to me as being inextricably linked, this realization allowed a new world of possibilities to flourish before me. So as you can see, right now I am in training mode for the great race, everything from my environmental biking internship to taking photos at my job prepares me to see the world as working system, rather than the push and pull opposing forces politics would like us to see it as.
I've often felt the need to defend what I am doing, but the truth is, it makes perfect sense to me! As long as I follow my purpose genuinely I will always be consistent to the efforts to move closer to my better self, and a better world.
Rupert,
Thank you so much for the kind words, a teacher once told me "what we can see in others exists in ourselves" be sure to use your enthusiasm for my words for your own stores of motivation. I'll return to blogging sometime in the future... until then stay green :)
Hello Lauren,
Long time dont hear from you. When are you going start the blog again.. I hope all is well with you and go green all the way. Bless you!
Rupert
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