"The only true exploration, the only real Fountain of Youth, will not be in visiting foreign lands, but in having other eyes, in looking at the universe through the eyes of others." (Marcel Proust)
-----Original Message----- From: Cordell, Arthur: ECOM Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 11:09 AM To: 'Darryl and Natalia'; Brad McCormick, Ed.D.; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: [Futurework] Our Mysterious Relationships Well said. arthur -----Original Message----- From: Darryl and Natalia [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 1:20 AM To: Brad McCormick, Ed.D.; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Futurework] Our Mysterious Relationships So well put, Brad, thank you. Our relationships with others, and our relationships with the rest of life is what is most fascinating and compelling about this existence, and though I find the topic of various and sundry universes fascinating, the speculation around the origin of physical universes on the part of cosmologists is going to continue to be mere speculation for years to come. The theories all make sense for a while until the lack of evidence compels these great thinkers to imagine/design something else that cannot be proven or disputed. Grants fly in to keep these great thinkers distracted from the real mystery of learning how to get along peacefully with people and other life, and be happy and fulfilled. I'm sure you have all heard that the Russian space station cosmonauts who would be assigned to excruciatingly long missions alone would crave more than anything personal interaction with their fellow humans. On that note, I would like to register my strong disagreement with Keith's explanation of genetics being the primary factor in determining human behavior, and the acquisition of status goods to attract the choicest of sexual partners to ensure continuation and enhancement of the gene pool. Keith presents an argument supportable by HIStorcal evidence, and the facts all line up well enough from that perspective--particularly for men who believe that they are little more than vessels for sperm. Trade has certainly shaped the world we have today, yet I doubt that the acquisition of status goods was the primary motivator for what is known as civilization. We really know very little of the past. What we can account for is perhaps the last several centuries, and but scraps of the previous millennia. We cannot even prove with certainty that the founder of Christianity did or did not die on a cross, and Christianity certainly influenced HIStory in a major way. HERstory presents even less because of patriarchy having eradicated most records of matriarchal societies, but it is known to have been a time when people were far more connected to all of life. Not to say status goods were not influential, nor that the best male seed was not sought, but respect for and integration with nature were more the way of life, rather than the consumer driven, anything goes as long as you don't get caught kind of mindset. HIStory can show acquisition of status goods to be what created civilization, but I would suggest that it was people's curiosity about other people and other cultures that connected the different tribes more than anything else. Do you think "cultural genes" are aroused by the sound of a songbird, by the haunting call of a whale, the flowing music of Mozart or the sound of your lover's voice? To look at a majestic sunset, or be swept up with laughter by a good joke, to listen to a good tale or to read a great story, to enjoy a delicious meal or hear children play--this is what we crave--not the frame around it. We want to feel connected and loved and we want to be loving and creative. We need to know we contribute to well being. Men more so than women strive for the beautiful sexual partner, and fail to realize that it's compatibility that creates a bond. A sense of humour, kindness, shared morals and intellectual curiosity will do far more for your offspring than a pretty face. I'm sure Keith is aware of this, unlike most men of history. In our day to day lives we are most driven by love. It is being disconnected from love that motivates people to seek out status as a replacement. Before we are ready to take on the cosmos, we'd do best to try to work out a few basics on home base. Should we ever connect with another world of inhabitants with whom we'd like a rapport, it would be pretty embarrassing to have to describe the chronic war state of the consumer driven Earth people, run chiefly by a few psycho/sociopaths. Cheers, Natalia . ----- Original Message ----- From: Brad McCormick, Ed.D. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Keith Hudson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2003 2:30 PM Subject: Re: [Futurework] Our mysterious universe > Keith Hudson wrote: > > For those who like to ponder on the mysteriousness of the universe and > > the significance (or not) of our place within it, the following article > > from the /New York Times /of a recent conference on cosmology is > > fascinating indeed. > [snip] > > And it was time for lunch. > [snip] > > Who is studying the mysteriousness of themselves having lunch > with their peers? (Husserl et Cie.) > > The more intently one looks for one's glasses, the less > chance of seeing then are on one's nose. (Apres Heidegger) > > And, you know what? The reflective study of our > lived daily life (AKA phenomenology, > hermeneutics, etc.) doesn't require anywhere near the > level of funding that discovering forms of matter > that we could never encounter in our daily life world > requires. (Don't get me wrong, I have no objection to > spending zillions on zilliotrons, but I would > like to see a little attention paid to human existence > as lived -- a subject many high-level scientists probably > have little interest in because they're so > fascinated by their zilliotrons and speculations). > > Far more interesting to me than any exotic subatomic particle > is the perverse (which is *a* form of > exoticism...) relation between professor and grad student, > professor and secretary, professor and janitor, etc. > > "Yours in discourse...." > > \brad mccormck, z.e.k. > > -- > Let your light so shine before men, > that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16) > > Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21) > > <![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/ > > _______________________________________________ > Futurework mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
