Dennis Nelson (NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil)
Tue, 18 May 1999 18:03:05 -0400
Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 18:03:05 -0400 From: Dennis Nelson <NELSOND@ny-smtp.army.mil> Subject: Response to various comments about the discussion -Reply
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PD, in part, writes:
>" ... how do we merge personal and public interests, ....The same issue
applies on a grander scale in Buddhism and Taoism. Finding balance is
the key, but what that is is big question."<
The comments allow the inference that a difference exists between
personal and public and between Buddhism and Taoism. Three points:
-- most of what gets labeled as differences more appropriately would be
labeled fear or misunderstanding. If I fear you or your words, or hope to
gain at your or others expense, I will position myself to oppose you or
your philosophy whether I have an established philosphy or not. My goal
is to secure my own position. Out of the fear of losing that security, I
oppose you.
-- misunderstanding: too few cultures mandate or encourage sharing
enough of another's life experiences to truly understand the other
person(s)' life and the meanings of terms and phrases within the context
of that life. Couple that with the first person's limited ability to
communicate, the static between that person and the second person,
and the second person's ability to listen, to understand and then interpret
and apply the information to the mutual situation of both people: it's just
easier to say we disagree than to agree we have yet to understand and
to continue to work for that understanding.
-- most important: what we come to understand is that public interests
comprise personal interests. There is no conflicting or separate items to
merge. What is in your interest is in my interest, what is in my interest is
in your interest. What is in our individual interest is in our collective
interest and the individual and collective interests of all others. The same
applies whatever our individual philosophies. When one person or group
wants to gain (to include survive) at the expense of another or others,
then there are differences and conflict. But when each of us seeks
truth and acknowledges our universal and eternal symbiotic
dependencies, we can see the lack of seeming differences to which the
initial comments quoted above seem to infer. Until we find and agree on
the truths, we survive at least by believing whatever the perceived
differences we've yet to reconcile, we have enough significant
similarities to work with each other until we discover more of our
similarities and dependencies.
Short-term, materialistic desires and fears are what we need to work to
overcome. In doing that, we will naturally design our information,
information artifacts and instructional design as do parent's and nature:
without worrying about having to plan and control, to have our
expectations met within artificial timeframes, to ensure appropriateness
of development and a proper fit into materialistic or prejudicial entities.
If we die of ourselves to learn from and instinctively react to each
intercourse, the good results for all involved will take care of themselves.
Our effort is to learn the self discipline, behaviors and habits required to
maintain our death of self, give up our desires for control, reap the good
that results rather than sorrow for the unmet expectation, and truly love
life: and thus each other. The artifacts are there for us. The design was
in place an eternity ago. We keep thinking we can improve on it. Why?
Who has taught us? How can we copy what we have yet to see, much
less to pass it on to someone else in a controlled or noncontrolled way?
If this is false, don't disregard it: prove it wrong. What a beautiful world
if it's right.
Dennis
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