On November 19, seven of us met for an engaging discussion about the recent elections. All were generally pleased with the gains made both locally and nationally by the Democratic Party - even the one registered Independent and the two registered Republicans who were with us. Many felt that the outcome was the result of widespread frustration with the performance of the Bush administration and the Republican Party. Iraq, Katrina, the Abramoff scandal, and the Foley scandal were all cited as significant factors. One member felt that the election results represented a move toward moderation in politics, while another expressed satisfaction that (at least some) Democrats won on "liberal issues" ( i.e., raising the minimum wage, providing greater access to health care, getting out of Iraq...).
As for the implications the elections hold for the immediate and not-so-immediate future, there were competing strains of optimism and pessimism. On one hand, nobody seemed to feel very optimistic that the situation in Iraq will improve much in the near future, and some even expressed fears that the confrontation could broaden into a regional - or even global - conflict. While all generally agreed that the Republicans in Congress had done a poor job of investigating possible abuses of power, there was disagreement about to what extent the Democrats should engage in widespread, high-profile investigations; some felt this would be necessary to get the nation back on the right track, while others feared it would only prevent real work from getting done.
On the other hand, some optimistically felt that our nation had "turned a corner" and was now moving away from a destructive political environment based on fear. One member found reason to hope that Democrats and Republicans would now learn to work together, and that this spirit of cooperation might even filter down to the rest of society.
It was at this point that our conversation turned toward the influence of religion and science on the political environment. Could these two realms of human endeavor - often seen as competing - actually compliment each other, thereby leading to common ground on certain political issues? Join us this Sunday as we explore this topic further. From stem cells to evolution to environmental conservation, what are the political imperatives of religion and science? Must they always be in conflict, or might they - at least in some cases - lead us in the same direction?
November 19, 2006
November 5, 2006
Individuality
At our last meeting eight of us gathered together to discuss individuality. In our culture we admire those who resist the influence of others, take risks and overcome the fear of rejection. We like to think ourselves to be individualistic but it was asserted that people are 98% alike and our personal choices can only be made within a social confine. No one is wholly autonomous.
For most of us, no other institution has a greater affect than school, the most direct link between citizen and state. Critiquing our education system some felt that we now focus too much on basic, marketable skills to the neglect of the arts. Poorly trained teachers squeeze the individuality out of the "worker bees" to be. Our failure to prioritize multi-lingualism is a telling example of the American mindset.
As we surveyed the spectrum of societies and their schools we took note of the trade off between high education rates and conformity. Looking out over regions from Asia, Europe and comparing cities such as Philadelphia to Appalachian Kentucky it seemed that education must have a dampening affect on individuality. Some in our group emerged perhaps envious of the uncouth rustic, supremely free to be himself.
Many reminisced about the '70s and expressed the modern lament that individuality is on the wane. Some fear that the academic/military/corporate complex has successfully conspired to ensure a compliant and interchangeable human pool.
Next time we plan to change the topic. As we are a political discussion group it is impossible for us to ignore the recent election and its implications. A small and pivotal shift is redirecting history's course and we'll want to examine the possibilities. So join, Sunday, November 19th, 3 PM at the City Café as review the election of 2006.
For most of us, no other institution has a greater affect than school, the most direct link between citizen and state. Critiquing our education system some felt that we now focus too much on basic, marketable skills to the neglect of the arts. Poorly trained teachers squeeze the individuality out of the "worker bees" to be. Our failure to prioritize multi-lingualism is a telling example of the American mindset.
As we surveyed the spectrum of societies and their schools we took note of the trade off between high education rates and conformity. Looking out over regions from Asia, Europe and comparing cities such as Philadelphia to Appalachian Kentucky it seemed that education must have a dampening affect on individuality. Some in our group emerged perhaps envious of the uncouth rustic, supremely free to be himself.
Many reminisced about the '70s and expressed the modern lament that individuality is on the wane. Some fear that the academic/military/corporate complex has successfully conspired to ensure a compliant and interchangeable human pool.
Next time we plan to change the topic. As we are a political discussion group it is impossible for us to ignore the recent election and its implications. A small and pivotal shift is redirecting history's course and we'll want to examine the possibilities. So join, Sunday, November 19th, 3 PM at the City Café as review the election of 2006.
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