Submitted by carl on Sat, 2006-07-29 14:19.
Daily Dialogue Blog Entries
A new and important theme has emerged: education. Joshua launched it by quoting Bucky:
“It is implicit that the fact of imminent feasibility of high standard sustainability of all human life now recognized by less than 1% of humanity must gain a 99 fold amplification which involves a 99-fold educational reorientation to synchronize human capabilities with the inexorable and irreversible frontiering of evolution. This Educational regeneration is now the highest priority function of intellect in Universe.” (It Came to Pass Not to Stay, 1976)
So if RBF is on target with the above statement and I think it's safer to assume that he is, then it seems that in one or more of the domains, the policy and operational implications should address priority educational objectives.
As the complete text stands, it seems that the imperative with regard to "a 99 fold educational reorientation" is missing.
Dick Fischbeck offered the following:
From what I know about Bucky, the most important action-guiding principles hurting humanity are the ones found by Malthus and Darwin.
People think there is not enough life support to go around. People think might is right.
If Bucky were to be part of a global education initiative in 2006 with the goal of humanity surviving as a healthy species, he might very well try to show to the average person in ideas they understand that Malthus and Darwin were wrong about their two principles.
LaBlanc DArtagnan added this:
Education is an interesting subject for this forum. The what, how, and who of it is the problem ... The how to reach more people is a problem unless there is a desire to learn. Making people aware that problems exist is the beginning. So identifying the problems is the essential prerequisite.
Buckyfan said:
Joshua's quote is right on the money; education is the key.
In the US, we are now in a society that actually disdains intelligence. When I grew up in the era of the best and the brightest, thoughtful, intelligent, open-minded people were lauded.
Today, as is apparent in a variety of media sources and political representations, folks are tagged with derisive epithets if they demonstrate such qualities.
The task is enormous and can only be accomplished with the utmost cooperation among a unified group. To me, this means not arguing over semantics and not having a pinpoint agenda, which creates divisions among like-minded folk.
We have to put our egos aside and work relentlessly in every part of our lives and interactions to move in the direction of peace, unity, and the universal nature of humans.
Joshua responded:
BuckyFan stated the attitudinal approach magnificently. If the principles document is wanting in the area of education, let's propose some language for Michael to chew on.
At this point Michael chimed in:
Very much welcome all comments concerning education and the lack of reference to it. On first thought, it appears that a suitable place could be in the policy and operational implications of the social domain, with a language that will call for an effort to increase general literacy on the conditions of mankind and the planet.
This is where the bulk of the conversational action has been the last few days, focused on the important theme of education.