| The Trendsletter, Issue 2 |
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The TrendsletterIssue 2 - 2003-03-22
ANNIMAC's TRENDSLETTER ...because it's mine.
Annimac's Trendsletter looks at positive changes that are shaping our world into the healthy sustainable place it must become. A quick look at positive shifts occurring in the political, economic, social, and cultural arena, globally, which will greatly impact our creation of that better world. The values expressed are unashamedly mine. Your dialogue is most welcome. Please add your good news observations, stories, events, people, etc. Contact me at .
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The history of human growth and development is at the same time the history of the terrible struggle of every new idea heralding the approach of a brighter dawn. Emma Goldman 1869-1940
Whenever we want to understand any big issue of change, we might remind ourselves that:
Dealing with threats of war or aggression means dealing with old paradigm values. The world of 20th Century economic rationalism is based on negatives. The world is believed to be hostile, threatening, manipulative, distrusting, and survival only of the fittest in dog eat dog competition. Aggression is an accepted strategy to protect territory and to maintain or strengthen economic power. There are more than 30 wars raging on our planet; we are being led to believe another one, against Iraq, is necessary and inevitable. How we choose to deal with this threat, and the war should it eventuate, is up to each of us to decide from the options as we see them. Our choices at the most simplistic level are to either participate in the aggression or do something else. By doing nothing we support the status quo, in this case, the aggressors and the retaliators. Moving into the new paradigm values, we can choose to focus on positive, trusting, honouring, enriching, and cooperative activities. Focussing on positives ensures that our energy nurtures the things we want to have more of in our world, such as peace, cooperation, synergy, diversity, tolerance, adaptability. If, however, we focus on stopping something we do not like, we are sadly adding our energy to its existence, regardless of the nature of the activity or our intent. We end up feeding the growth of the negative the very opposite of what we want. If we always add to the positive, we then reduce the impact of any negatives. Re the Bush-Iraqi situation, actively campaigning against a war means you are adding your energy to its happening. As Mother Theresa said: I will not march in a protest against war; call me when you are marching for peace. In our daily lives, we choose to be positive or negative. We can make positive comments, think positive thoughts, create positive actions, and by our example, we encourage others to do the same. The more we get on with focusing on positive outcomes, the sooner aggression will cease to be a useful strategy to anyone. The bigger the issue, the larger the number of short, medium, and long term outcomes at stake. To understand who are the chief drivers of any conflict, look to see who gains the most in both the short and the long term : follow the money. The Bush-Iraqi conflict in the short term appears to be about oil. It is a wrestling match between those controlling the global economy the economic rationalist transnationals with Bush as their front man - and those who wish to control it Iraqi fundamentalists with Hussein as their front man. The long term objective of both sides is ultimate economic and cultural power over others. They both have negative world views. Neither position is sustainable in the long term. Providing we continue to focus on being positive rather than negative regardless of the short term issue - to have a war or not - the long term view is that neither stance will survive. Our economic system based on greed and aggression is no longer offering us assurances for quality of life, particularly for our children. As we gain more knowledge through the Internet, we realise that our economic value system is creating a world without soul. Material wealth is not enough. As Mother Theresa also demonstrated, and so many other strong achievers have proven, we do not have to do big things to make a difference. Very bit of positive energy, positive thought, and positive interaction we create in our everyday lives helps turn the world into being a more positive place. The greatest influence toward good change is to be an example of how you want others to be. As Gandhi said, Be the change you wish to see in the world. Live it others will follow. Your positive energy will be like a magnet that attracts others of similar beliefs. You will have the immense pleasure of meeting so many fascinating, fun, happy, and helpful others. How can anyone doubt the power of being positive when we see so many around the world changing their lives and their bit of the world? The little bits are adding up to long term big change. No wonder the economic rationalist world feels threatened. Its years are numbered.
GOOD NEWS SITES re A Better World - a small selection from the thousands out there - pls share yours.
www.earthfromtheair.com/ Stunning Earth from the Air Exhibition at Natural History Museum, London, until Oct 2003. www.simpol.org International Simultaneous Policy Organisation campaigning for international cooperation on big policy issues. www.csiro.au/page.asp?type=mediaRelease&id=Pralliance CSIRO and eight other sci-tech institutions signed Global Research Alliance to apply combined knowledge to major problems facing developed and developing nations. www.ethicalbusiness.com.au/news.html Archive of ethical business news, plus current items: - new book from Routledge: Organisational Change for Corporate Sustainability: a guide for leaders and change agents of the future. - Building Green Towers, designing office buildings for performance, not aesthetics. www.uneptie.org/pc/sustain/sc-net/sc-net.htm UNEP's latest Sustainable Consumption newsletter www.emissaryoflight.com James Twyman's amazing writings and doings for Peace Prevails on Earth Now.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,12809,894460,00.html http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0307/ferguson.php Feb 12th - 200 NewYorkCity groups, United for Peace and Justice, organise rally.
http://rense.com/general34/monsan.htm Best financial newsletter I know : financial markets info, trend spotting, personal professional raves, and IMHO the best big picture view of what the global economy is really doing and likely to do, with an appropriate West Aussie bias.
Next issue, target: April 24, 2003. Focus: Living Spirituality. Annimac's Trendsletter looks at positive changes that are shaping our world into the healthy sustainable placefont size="2" color="Black" face="Verdana"> it must become. A quick look at positive shifts occurring in the political, economic, social, and cultural arena, globally, which will greatly impact our creation of that better world. The values expressed are unashamedly mine. Your dialogue is most welcome. Please add your good news observations, stories, events, people, etc. Contact me at . |
