Today, an article in CNN touted the fury of liberal democrats at President-Elect Obama's choice of an inaugural speaker: namely, Rick Warren, conservative pastor of the Saddleback Church (and author of "A Purpose-Driven Life").
Yesterday I commented on a post by Jason at The Wild Hunt. It was in reference to teaching spirituality in schools, and how mainstream religions are always happy to be taught in schools but get all persnickety when it comes to giving fair treatment to other spiritual paths - such as, oh, say, Paganism.
I bring this up because I think people sometimes forget that equal representation and free speech mean that everyone gets a voice. Just because you don't agree with someone, or because you find their beliefs offensive, doesn't mean they can't speak their minds. When we are oppressed (meaning we as general people), we are quick to express our outrage - but when someone we don't agree with is silence, well, it's just not quite as awful, now is it?
Wrong. Democracy means that we are all on equal footing - we all get to hold the mike, no matter how repugnant or distasteful our ideas may be to others. Without this freedom, and without respecting it for everyone, we wouldn't be a truly free society (which some would argue we already aren't).
Rick Warran is opposed to gay marriage. He opposes abortion rights. But he's entitled to those views. And just because he holds them doesn't mean he, as a gifted speaker, should be refused an invitation to an important event. He is a spiritual leader to a large portion of American Christians - and he's also a good guy (as near as I can tell), and just because I disagree with him on several important issues doesn't mean I think he should be excluded from the national stage. And I certainly don't think he's going to take the opportunity to stir up contraversy - he's probaly just as excited to have Obama as a president as we all are.
Part of being an equal society means giving everyone equal voice. Without this fundamental right, how can we ever hope to achieve equality for anyone else?
UPDATE:
An excellent rebuttal from the president elect...
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Deep Down, Everyone Is Pagan (or wants to be...)
I attended an absolutely amazing event last Saturday - the Phoenixville Firebird Festival. It is my goal to attend this event year year from here on in, as it was ridiculously fun, absolutely entrancing, and a wonderful expression of community in an otherwise "P.C." (politically correct) world.
I would like to thank Schamis for taking this wonderful picture, which I borrowed from his blog. (I did not think to bring my camera this year, but will definitely do so next year).
This video really captures the "Burninating" (we love you Trogdor!!!) beautifully - and the marshmallow toasting (which was great, right up until the wings almost fell on said roasters). The point of this post was really more to analyze the reaction of the crowd to this event. There was singing, drumming, and an enormous crowd of onlookers.
At one point, I turned to my good friend Molly (who follows a similar spiritual path to my own) and remarked that it was one of the most pagan events I had ever attended - and the crowd, by-and-large, probably would not consider themselves to be such.
I believe that paganism strikes a chord and resonates with the most basic parts of our human spirituality. I'm glad that there are still venues in which our increasingly politically correct and otherwise expressionly-stunted culture can come together and celebrate such a primal instinct and joyous refrain.
In short, huzzah for giant burning effigies - it's great that they still bring us together. :-)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Pagan PR Manual
I read a very interesting post over at The Wild Hunt today, regarding high-profile pagans who have recently been featured in news articles. Jason (as always) very succinctly points out how these two profiles affect the pagan community as a whole, one (sadly) with bad information and the other (unfortunately) with one person's views representing our religion as a whole.
The first case involves someone who (rather ridiculously) compares the losses pagans have suffered through the years to those suffered by those of Jewish faith and descent during the Holocaust. First of all, it is absolutely irrational to compare the sufferings of different groups of people, however large or small (or whatever their origins). If a small tribe in northern Kenya gets wiped out during a small-scale feud, is it any less tragic than what happens in the Sudan? The question doesn't even make sense - both are tragedies. Both are terrible. People suffered, and any suffering is terrible. But to say that one or the other is 'more or less' awful is completely irrational. It's enough that people have died - don't cheapen anyone's loss by comparing it to somebody else.
Anyway, the second case was much less egregious - it was simply someone expressing their organization's personal beliefs, but it was presented in such a way that it would seem all pagans share the tenet (not the fault of the person being interviewed, but poor reporting).
My solution is this. A Pagan PR manual. I love branding, I love PR, and one of the most intricate and careful balances that must be struck in any sort of public awareness campaign is an overall representation of an idea that is truly nuanced at its core. Not all pagans are Gardnerians - not all pagans are solitaries, not all pagans follow Asatru, etc. etc. etc. We're all different, but we DO have common threads. Respect the earth. Love for our fellows. So on and so forth.
While it was recently pointed out to me by the very astute leader of the Fellowship I attend, Gwaeron, that we don't all follow "as it harm none", we are the same in that we embrace an earth-centered, positive lifestyle that is built on ancient traditions.
Anyway, enough rambling - I just like the idea of a Pagan PR manual, so that we can all speak about our religion and our community without lumping everybody together into one individuals beliefs, or simply to avoid sounding like an insensitive idiot (see Jason's post).
The first case involves someone who (rather ridiculously) compares the losses pagans have suffered through the years to those suffered by those of Jewish faith and descent during the Holocaust. First of all, it is absolutely irrational to compare the sufferings of different groups of people, however large or small (or whatever their origins). If a small tribe in northern Kenya gets wiped out during a small-scale feud, is it any less tragic than what happens in the Sudan? The question doesn't even make sense - both are tragedies. Both are terrible. People suffered, and any suffering is terrible. But to say that one or the other is 'more or less' awful is completely irrational. It's enough that people have died - don't cheapen anyone's loss by comparing it to somebody else.
Anyway, the second case was much less egregious - it was simply someone expressing their organization's personal beliefs, but it was presented in such a way that it would seem all pagans share the tenet (not the fault of the person being interviewed, but poor reporting).
My solution is this. A Pagan PR manual. I love branding, I love PR, and one of the most intricate and careful balances that must be struck in any sort of public awareness campaign is an overall representation of an idea that is truly nuanced at its core. Not all pagans are Gardnerians - not all pagans are solitaries, not all pagans follow Asatru, etc. etc. etc. We're all different, but we DO have common threads. Respect the earth. Love for our fellows. So on and so forth.
While it was recently pointed out to me by the very astute leader of the Fellowship I attend, Gwaeron, that we don't all follow "as it harm none", we are the same in that we embrace an earth-centered, positive lifestyle that is built on ancient traditions.
Anyway, enough rambling - I just like the idea of a Pagan PR manual, so that we can all speak about our religion and our community without lumping everybody together into one individuals beliefs, or simply to avoid sounding like an insensitive idiot (see Jason's post).
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Week in Review
Since I'm taking a break from my homework (nothing like studying the 'innovation' behind three aspects of the current Web 2.0 networking scene to really stimulate the ol' brain cells), I'm quickly reviewing a meeting I attended this week.
The Northern New Jersey Pagan Fellowship is a great bunch of folks out here in NJ. They have meet and greets once a month, haven't missed a Sabbat in like 5 years, run Esbats that are geared towards learning and collaborative fellowship, and have a real dedication towards creating a group that is built on a foundation of dedicated, core members and is also open to the general public. A hard balance to strike, but they definitely do a great job.
They're having a Yule celebration on the 21st, and I am definately aiming to go. I've been to two meetups so far (one before my engagement, this past week after life finally simmered down enough for me to attend again), and they've been great. I'm interested to report back on how things go.
Also, some GREAT news:
After watching my beloved tripod Norn hobble around in the colder weather, I have been very worried about the state of her hip. I still plan to get her some fresh X-Rays after the holidays (unfortunately they're expensive, and without sign of an infection I won't rush it), but after observing her all weekend I feel greatly reassured. Norn's a recovering feral cat (who is very sweet and gentle, but still wild), and she doesn't like me hovering over her. She scuttles around from comfy spot to comfy spot, but I can see now that she is happy and comfy and even playing with her sisters. I feel greatly reassured.
I should point out that this good state of health is, in no small part, due to the gift of a heated pet bed by my sister Amanda. I wanted to buy one for her but couldn't afford it (they are enormously expensive). Her gift meant a lot to me, and it is something all the cats enjoy every day.
The Northern New Jersey Pagan Fellowship is a great bunch of folks out here in NJ. They have meet and greets once a month, haven't missed a Sabbat in like 5 years, run Esbats that are geared towards learning and collaborative fellowship, and have a real dedication towards creating a group that is built on a foundation of dedicated, core members and is also open to the general public. A hard balance to strike, but they definitely do a great job.
They're having a Yule celebration on the 21st, and I am definately aiming to go. I've been to two meetups so far (one before my engagement, this past week after life finally simmered down enough for me to attend again), and they've been great. I'm interested to report back on how things go.
Also, some GREAT news:
After watching my beloved tripod Norn hobble around in the colder weather, I have been very worried about the state of her hip. I still plan to get her some fresh X-Rays after the holidays (unfortunately they're expensive, and without sign of an infection I won't rush it), but after observing her all weekend I feel greatly reassured. Norn's a recovering feral cat (who is very sweet and gentle, but still wild), and she doesn't like me hovering over her. She scuttles around from comfy spot to comfy spot, but I can see now that she is happy and comfy and even playing with her sisters. I feel greatly reassured.
I should point out that this good state of health is, in no small part, due to the gift of a heated pet bed by my sister Amanda. I wanted to buy one for her but couldn't afford it (they are enormously expensive). Her gift meant a lot to me, and it is something all the cats enjoy every day.
PLAGUE!
The next time my friends' kids have 'a little tummy bug', I am putting Quarantine stickers up on their house. For cholera.
Instead of spending the weekend with my fiance at Frog Hollow Evergreen Farm (the best place in the world to get a Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree if you can get to the Lancaster, PA area), with my family for my grandmother's birthday party, or anything else amusing, I have been doing this:
The only difference is, in this picture, I look happy.
Anyway, enough whining. I always have fun babysitting them, and will just be wary of the germ-swapping for the future.
The great news is that I got a lot of work done on Sonny's (my fiance) scarf. I should have no problems getting it done for this weekend. HUZZAH! (Will post pictures when it is done)
Instead of spending the weekend with my fiance at Frog Hollow Evergreen Farm (the best place in the world to get a Yule/Christmas/Holiday tree if you can get to the Lancaster, PA area), with my family for my grandmother's birthday party, or anything else amusing, I have been doing this:
The only difference is, in this picture, I look happy.
Anyway, enough whining. I always have fun babysitting them, and will just be wary of the germ-swapping for the future.
The great news is that I got a lot of work done on Sonny's (my fiance) scarf. I should have no problems getting it done for this weekend. HUZZAH! (Will post pictures when it is done)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Food For Thought
Here's another assignment from my MBA program.
Prompt:
Creativity and innovation often come from "thinking outside the box," but too much divergent thinking can result in chaos. A well-run business requires order and routine to function effectively. Therefore, managers must learn to balance the need for stability with the need to create an environment that encourages new ideas.
What corporate competencies and environmental strategies can managers and organizations cultivate and employ in order to foster creativity, innovation, and success? How would you as a manager go about implementing and measuring these strategies?
Response:
One thing that quickly comes to a researcher’s attention is the plethora of conference synopses that contain the words “manage people innovation”. Business updates, briefings, and a variety of other corporately-sourced documents all include these buzzwords with the same frequency a nouveu riche drops names at a dinner party. When I starting poking around for information to build this discussion post on, there were pages of them in the Business Source database.
Helen Walters, a writer for BusinessWeek, agrees that the term ‘innovation’ is grossly overused in today’s business world. Quoted from her article “Voices of Innovation 2008”, Walters states:
“As executives have bandied the word about to describe everything from new product introductions to layoffs, it has become increasingly difficult to discern genuine innovation from wishful thinking or marketing spin.” (1)
Her article goes on to briefly describe the “Voices of Innovation” article that will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, her statement that “genuine innovation balances quick hits with long plays” resonated with me enough to continue to explore this idea of balance in innovation. (1)
After reflection on what would be the underpinnings of a successful manager who creates a fertile environment for forward thinking, and balancing responsibilities with the risks that are inherent with any change. Further searching on the web brought me to another concept that I believe has an enormous amount of influence on a manager’s ability to foster and incorporate innovation into their business world. That concept is Emotional Intelligence.
In an article written by Rachel Tonn of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Nick Tasler (director of research and development for TalentSmart) is quoted as saying, “If we don’t teach them how to manage themselves, is it reasonable to expect them to lead us toward a prosperous future?”. Tasler’s approach towards teaching ‘them’ (in this case Generation X and Yers who will soon be taking up the management mantle in the workplace) to manage themselves is training them in the four Emotional Competencies: (2)
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management (3)
The Emotional Competencies model was presented by Daniel Goleman, and encompasses EI as an ‘array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance’. (3) I believe that these four qualities have enormous potential for aiding the up-and-coming management generations in acting as a midwife to the birth of enormous innovation and change. The first reason is because this emotional intelligence fosters communication and adaptability. These two traits are what I believe to be the most important parts of an innovation friendly personality or environment (work or otherwise). Second, these four traits are not necessarily inherent. They can be, but more importantly, they can be LEARNED.
These four steps towards a well-rounded, healthy emotional outlook are both essential to developing a positive work environment and can also be learned by any person willing. With this sort of double threat, emotional intelligence (as well as awareness and pursuit of it) can be the true key to unlocking hidden potential within companies across industry barriers.
Resources:
1. Walters, H. “Voices of Innovation 2008”. BusinessWeek. 10.20.2008. Accessed 12.3.08. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081020_393399.htm
2. Tonn, R. “Improving Emotional Intelligence of a Younger Work Force”. Colorado Springs Business Journal. November 28, 2008. Retrieved from Business Source 12.3.08. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54436495CSBJ&site=bsi-live
3. Wikipedia. “Emotional intelligence”. Accessed 12.3.08. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence
Prompt:
Creativity and innovation often come from "thinking outside the box," but too much divergent thinking can result in chaos. A well-run business requires order and routine to function effectively. Therefore, managers must learn to balance the need for stability with the need to create an environment that encourages new ideas.
What corporate competencies and environmental strategies can managers and organizations cultivate and employ in order to foster creativity, innovation, and success? How would you as a manager go about implementing and measuring these strategies?
Response:
One thing that quickly comes to a researcher’s attention is the plethora of conference synopses that contain the words “manage people innovation”. Business updates, briefings, and a variety of other corporately-sourced documents all include these buzzwords with the same frequency a nouveu riche drops names at a dinner party. When I starting poking around for information to build this discussion post on, there were pages of them in the Business Source database.
Helen Walters, a writer for BusinessWeek, agrees that the term ‘innovation’ is grossly overused in today’s business world. Quoted from her article “Voices of Innovation 2008”, Walters states:
“As executives have bandied the word about to describe everything from new product introductions to layoffs, it has become increasingly difficult to discern genuine innovation from wishful thinking or marketing spin.” (1)
Her article goes on to briefly describe the “Voices of Innovation” article that will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, her statement that “genuine innovation balances quick hits with long plays” resonated with me enough to continue to explore this idea of balance in innovation. (1)
After reflection on what would be the underpinnings of a successful manager who creates a fertile environment for forward thinking, and balancing responsibilities with the risks that are inherent with any change. Further searching on the web brought me to another concept that I believe has an enormous amount of influence on a manager’s ability to foster and incorporate innovation into their business world. That concept is Emotional Intelligence.
In an article written by Rachel Tonn of the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Nick Tasler (director of research and development for TalentSmart) is quoted as saying, “If we don’t teach them how to manage themselves, is it reasonable to expect them to lead us toward a prosperous future?”. Tasler’s approach towards teaching ‘them’ (in this case Generation X and Yers who will soon be taking up the management mantle in the workplace) to manage themselves is training them in the four Emotional Competencies: (2)
- Self-Awareness
- Self-Management
- Social Awareness
- Relationship Management (3)
The Emotional Competencies model was presented by Daniel Goleman, and encompasses EI as an ‘array of competencies and skills that drive leadership performance’. (3) I believe that these four qualities have enormous potential for aiding the up-and-coming management generations in acting as a midwife to the birth of enormous innovation and change. The first reason is because this emotional intelligence fosters communication and adaptability. These two traits are what I believe to be the most important parts of an innovation friendly personality or environment (work or otherwise). Second, these four traits are not necessarily inherent. They can be, but more importantly, they can be LEARNED.
These four steps towards a well-rounded, healthy emotional outlook are both essential to developing a positive work environment and can also be learned by any person willing. With this sort of double threat, emotional intelligence (as well as awareness and pursuit of it) can be the true key to unlocking hidden potential within companies across industry barriers.
Resources:
1. Walters, H. “Voices of Innovation 2008”. BusinessWeek. 10.20.2008. Accessed 12.3.08. http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/oct2008/id20081020_393399.htm
2. Tonn, R. “Improving Emotional Intelligence of a Younger Work Force”. Colorado Springs Business Journal. November 28, 2008. Retrieved from Business Source 12.3.08. http://search.ebscohost.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=L54436495CSBJ&site=bsi-live
3. Wikipedia. “Emotional intelligence”. Accessed 12.3.08. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence
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