Comments for musings of an itinerant lover http://www.toddero.com Sat, 31 Jul 2010 16:52:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 Comment on Desilofication by JG http://www.toddero.com/2009/11/desilofication/comment-page-1/#comment-656 JG Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:54:54 +0000 http://www.toddero.com/?p=97#comment-656 Todd, if you haven't already, you have got to read Capra's "The Turning Point." Also, if you can stomach a 2 hour heady pseudo-documentary on systems-theory, check out the film "Mind Walk". These sources really challenge the Newtonian/Cartesian method of examining the universe. We are trained that the natural world is like the inside of a clock with moving gears that can be replaced if necessary. (as a medical doctor you are no doubt familiar with Descartes' idea of the body as a machine). This completely ignores the complexity of the relationships found in nature. If you ask anyone to describe a tree, they'll tell you it consists of a trunk, branches and leaves. They'll completely ignore both what's unseen (the roots) and the relationships that are essential for a tree to exist (soil fungi, pollinators, the water cycle, etc.). Without these relationships you don't have a tree, you have a dead stick. When you consider this it becomes really difficult to draw a boundary around a tree and say "this is a tree." Our educational/economic/governmental systems function this way. They draw boundaries around things and ignore the relationships that are essential for their continued existence. Here's some other awesome readings on this subject if you're interested. - Jones, A. 1987. “From Fragmentation to Wholeness: A Green Approach to Science and Society.” (Part 1) The Ecologist 17:6:236-240. - Taylor, D. 1992. “Disagreeing on the Basics: Environmental Debates Reflect Competing World Views.” Alternatives 18:3:26-33. - Skolimowski, H. 1978. “Ecophilosophy vs. the Scientific World View.” The Ecologist Quarterly 227-248. - Regal, P. 1990. “The Illusion Organ,” Chapter 3, in The Anatomy of Judgment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Todd, if you haven’t already, you have got to read Capra’s “The Turning Point.” Also, if you can stomach a 2 hour heady pseudo-documentary on systems-theory, check out the film “Mind Walk”. These sources really challenge the Newtonian/Cartesian method of examining the universe. We are trained that the natural world is like the inside of a clock with moving gears that can be replaced if necessary. (as a medical doctor you are no doubt familiar with Descartes’ idea of the body as a machine). This completely ignores the complexity of the relationships found in nature. If you ask anyone to describe a tree, they’ll tell you it consists of a trunk, branches and leaves. They’ll completely ignore both what’s unseen (the roots) and the relationships that are essential for a tree to exist (soil fungi, pollinators, the water cycle, etc.). Without these relationships you don’t have a tree, you have a dead stick. When you consider this it becomes really difficult to draw a boundary around a tree and say “this is a tree.” Our educational/economic/governmental systems function this way. They draw boundaries around things and ignore the relationships that are essential for their continued existence.

Here’s some other awesome readings on this subject if you’re interested.
- Jones, A. 1987. “From Fragmentation to Wholeness: A Green Approach to Science and Society.” (Part 1) The Ecologist 17:6:236-240.

- Taylor, D. 1992. “Disagreeing on the Basics: Environmental Debates Reflect Competing World Views.” Alternatives 18:3:26-33.

- Skolimowski, H. 1978. “Ecophilosophy vs. the Scientific World View.” The Ecologist Quarterly 227-248.

- Regal, P. 1990. “The Illusion Organ,” Chapter 3, in The Anatomy of Judgment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.

]]> Comment on Random Hacks of Kindness by Grace http://www.toddero.com/2009/11/random-hacks-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-644 Grace Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:08:24 +0000 http://www.toddero.com/?p=93#comment-644 It's so inspiring and encouraging to know that opportunities, to solve the challenges faced by humanity, are being created with every passing moment. "There is no time to lose. There is no room left for vacillation..." takes on a whole new meaning... It’s so inspiring and encouraging to know that opportunities, to solve the challenges faced by humanity, are being created with every passing moment. “There is no time to lose. There is no room left for vacillation…” takes on a whole new meaning…

]]> Comment on Random Hacks of Kindness by muse http://www.toddero.com/2009/11/random-hacks-of-kindness/comment-page-1/#comment-642 muse Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:53:35 +0000 http://www.toddero.com/?p=93#comment-642 proud of you proud of you

]]> Comment on Bloodpact Blogging and the Consultative Paradigm by Mara http://www.toddero.com/2009/11/bloodpact-blogging/comment-page-1/#comment-638 Mara Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:23:06 +0000 http://www.toddero.com/?p=89#comment-638 Love this, Todd. I've sort of blamed my Baha'í upbringing for leaving me hopelessly wishy-washy in any debate because I find something to agree with in every position, but it's interesting to think of this not as a lack of commitment to the truth so much as a refusal to get entrenched. I hadn't thought of a paradigm as an entrenched position until I read this, but I think it is. And what often makes it so hard sometimes to get to real consultation is that among all the different sorts of detachment we need to practice is a detachment from the paradigms we've slipped into unconsciously. Thanks for this, I am excited to think I might see regular blog posts from you and get regular glimpses into what you're thinking. Love this, Todd. I’ve sort of blamed my Baha’í upbringing for leaving me hopelessly wishy-washy in any debate because I find something to agree with in every position, but it’s interesting to think of this not as a lack of commitment to the truth so much as a refusal to get entrenched. I hadn’t thought of a paradigm as an entrenched position until I read this, but I think it is. And what often makes it so hard sometimes to get to real consultation is that among all the different sorts of detachment we need to practice is a detachment from the paradigms we’ve slipped into unconsciously.

Thanks for this, I am excited to think I might see regular blog posts from you and get regular glimpses into what you’re thinking.

]]> Comment on The Entrepreneur’s Plague by Mutitu http://www.toddero.com/2009/05/the-entrepreneurs-plague/comment-page-1/#comment-444 Mutitu Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:12:15 +0000 http://www.toddero.com/?p=81#comment-444 As I read this I could visualize you thinking about your thinking as it relates to this entry. let me assure you that this (thinking your way) is as innate a talent as rolling your tongue inwards or outwards, only a chosen few can do it :). Wonder no more about the streams of consciousness gushing forth from thine head..It hath been willed to be!! Your reflection on your entrepreneurial practices resembles, in my opinion, that of a teaching/mentor/facilitator etc. than a hardcore business man (with all the generalizations that come with that title). By that I mean that your satisfaction in your craft, as I understand you say, stems from the actualization of your vision, by whomever is most capable and expedient at that time. Not that you couldn't do it yourself, perhaps even with greater success, but to see another succeed in a venture is authentically more fulfilling. So while you and the hardcore business man are in the same field and the ultimate end results of your ventures may be similar, your underlying drives and motivations to do well and stay in it may vary. Once you have thought out your ideas or at least planted a seed somewhere, you are ready to hand it over as you move on to the next thought. This seems to be more true of the little I know of your dealings... Mmmmm...okay, let me revise what I had said earlier, your reflections seem similar to those of a teacher/facilitator/etc. of an independent study project with some self motivated, self-starter, critical thinking adherents to work with :) As I read this I could visualize you thinking about your thinking as it relates to this entry. let me assure you that this (thinking your way) is as innate a talent as rolling your tongue inwards or outwards, only a chosen few can do it :). Wonder no more about the streams of consciousness gushing forth from thine head..It hath been willed to be!!

Your reflection on your entrepreneurial practices resembles, in my opinion, that of a teaching/mentor/facilitator etc. than a hardcore business man (with all the generalizations that come with that title). By that I mean that your satisfaction in your craft, as I understand you say, stems from the actualization of your vision, by whomever is most capable and expedient at that time. Not that you couldn’t do it yourself, perhaps even with greater success, but to see another succeed in a venture is authentically more fulfilling. So while you and the hardcore business man are in the same field and the ultimate end results of your ventures may be similar, your underlying drives and motivations to do well and stay in it may vary. Once you have thought out your ideas or at least planted a seed somewhere, you are ready to hand it over as you move on to the next thought. This seems to be more true of the little I know of your dealings…

Mmmmm…okay, let me revise what I had said earlier, your reflections seem similar to those of a teacher/facilitator/etc. of an independent study project with some self motivated, self-starter, critical thinking adherents to work with :)

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