Thanks Harrison, I enjoyed reading your piece on "Now What." Thanks.
i am sharing with you my son Benjamin's piece on the election. http://brooklynrail.org/2016/12/theater/letter-from-queens-reflections-on-a-homegrown-disruption Best to you, Scott On Tue, Jan 24, 2017 at 5:09 PM, Harrison Owen via OSList < oslist@lists.openspacetech.org> wrote: > Now What .... > > > > > > In the space/time after the Inauguration when all the marchers have left > town, The Question remains. Now what? > > > > Presumably, The Donald and friends will get on with the business of doing > what they promised. And it seems that in spite of an embarrassing first > several days, they are hard at work. Doubtless others are working equally > hard in opposite directions. Some day we will find out the final result > which could range from Planetary Disaster to American Triumph (as in *Great > Again!*). Either is possible, neither is probable – and assuming that we > are still here to pose the question: What Next? > > > > It might seem that I am treating the Trump Years as a trivial interlude. > Truthfully, when considered in the context of the evolution of the species, > that’s exactly what it is. Trivial. But somehow significant. Trump is but a > blip in the flow of human history – however his significance lies in the > fact that he represents one more symptom of the ending of our familiar > world order. > > > > We in the USA, to which I might add Western Europe, much of Asia > (including Australia and New Zealand), Southern Africa, and most of South > America – have lived in a blessed time. Not without the occasional natural > disaster, shootings, civil disturbances, or whatever. But it has been good. > Folks in the Middle East and Central Africa will have a different view, but > they are a painful, but distinct minority. > > > > My children, and their children as well, have never fired a gun in anger, > missed a meal, or wondered if they had a place to sleep... Always there. > Maybe not what they wanted – but there. Called: The Parents. > > > > Charlie Kenny, writing in *The Atlantic* (12/18/2015) said, “The world is > better-educated, better fed, healthier, and more tolerant – and it looks > set to get richer, too.” Yet The Donald Says: “The American Carnage ends > here.” – With his inauguration. The implication is simple. Disaster is > immanent and He is the Savior! But from what? If Kenny is right, it looks > like we are in pretty good shape. Lots of problems for sure, but definitely > headed in the right direction. > > > > It might surprise you to learn that I am more in agreement with The Donald > than you might suspect. But my reasons would not be his, and any solution I > can see would not include The Donald as Savior. I believe we as a species > are truly at a Transformational Moment in which the world order as we have > known it for the past 75 years or so is dissolving. The institutions, > processes, world views, ideologies that we have lived by, with, and in -- > are no longer sufficient for our needs. And. Useful alternatives are not > visible – and that would include, The Donald. > > > > Such a view may appear extreme but it is not mine alone. David Ignatius, > writing in the *Washington Post* (Jan 20, 2017), titles his effort , *The > world order is cracking up. *He says: “Donald Trump’s inauguration marks > a global inflection point: He takes office at a moment when many analysts > see a transition to a new economic and political order — one where the > risks for the United States and its allies are likely to increase.” > > > > Personally, I doubt that the sky will fall tomorrow. However, I am > certain that whatever we may have taken to be “normal” will never be seen > again. > > > > This Transformative Moment may be unique in its qualities, but such > moments are by no means unique in human history. The people of Israel found > their world torn apart in 400 BCE (The so called, *Babylonian Captivity*). > It was a time of fear and terror. It was also a time of massive creativity > and renewal as chronicled, and perhaps led by, such brilliant folks as the > Prophet Isaiah (2nd Isaiah). The Renaissance, The Industrial Revolution > – created havoc and innovation in the West, and similar Transformative > Moments have marked the lives of all peoples on The Planet. I do believe we > are at such a moment, one more time. > > > > Once again, The Question – Now What? > > > > In all honesty, I don’t know. However, I think Albert Einstein may assist > our wayfinding with the thought, “Problems cannot be solved with the same > mindset that created them.” We cannot simply do more and better of what > we’ve always done and expect to arrive at a different outcome. > > > > This really is Open Space – in the best and deepest sense of the words. > Nothing here and everything possible. At once terrifying and verging on > ecstasy. But where to start? > > > > I rather feel that our common experience of opening space together may > give us some clues. Hardly the Answer, but maybe the beginning. I wish you > well on the journey, which you will take whether you wish to or not. > Frankly, I can’t think of anything more exciting! > > > > Harrison > > > > > > > > > > Winter Address > > 7808 River Falls Dr. > > Potomac, MD 20854 > > 301-365-2093 > > > > Summer Address > > 189 Beaucauire Ave > > Camden, ME 04843 > > 207 763-3261 > > > > Websites > > www.openspaceworld.com > > www.ho-image.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > OSList mailing list > To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org > To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > Past archives can be viewed here: http://www.mail-archive.com/ > oslist@lists.openspacetech.org > -- Scott Gassman IdeaJuice (917) 951 - 0258 scott.gass...@gmail.com
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