Watched the two remaining French Socialist candidates « debate » tonight before their final election on Sunday. A lot of this, that and the other. The most convincing one talked about her experience, from right here, about what she really believes. The other seemed to be talking ahead, around, about what he thought « people » wanted to hear. A real electoral discourse. I can’t vote (yet), but if I could I know which would be my choice…
Earlier, I came across this quote:
« The ever-expanding scope and scale of the global economy obscures the consequences of our actions: in effect, our arms have been so lengthened that we no longer see what our hands are doing. » (It’s from someone called Helena Norberg-Hodge, identified as director of the International Society for Ecology and Culture.)
Interesting formulation. When we lose sight of who we are, where we are, what we are, we also lose sight of who the others are, where they are, what they are.
It turns out that if I focus only on me, I miss the shared aspect of our being. So I don’t truly see me or you.
We can’t see one without seeing the other.
A Zen teacher once told a student not to cheat, adding, « Because if you cheat, I lose. »
And I might add, « So does the student. »
Long arms, reaching nowhere
About the Author: zenscribe
Enseignante Zen et poète, Sensei Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell est née et a grandi à Minneapolis, aux Etats-Unis. Arrivée en France en 1981 pour étudier la littérature et l’histoire, elle y est restée, s’installant à Paris, où elle élève ses deux enfants et gagne sa vie en tant que journaliste.
The Zen teacher and poet Amy “Tu es cela” Hollowell Sensei was born and raised in Minneapolis, but came to France in 1981 to study literature and history and has lived in Paris ever since, raising her two children and making a living as a journalist.
I agree – we loose sight in an virtual economy –
But some mechanisms are quit clear though – and some consequenses too…
sometimes there is guilt in taking no action…
"wir haben das nicht gewust"…
Following on your thoughts, what are we doing with our children, now that generation "Z" social connections are done through technology instead of Human face-to-face contact 🙁