"I think there should be an open system, period...I think education should be free. And there are a lot of ways of organizing it, but it should be geared to the ideal of helping each person, each student, achieve their goals in the best way." - Noam Chomsky “The brain is a far more open system than we ever imagined, and nature has gone very far to help us perceive and take in the world around us. It has given us a brain that survives in a … [Read more...]
Archives for January 2013
Towards an Open Future
“There is a concept which corrupts and upsets all others. I refer not to Evil, whose limited realm is that of ethics, I refer to the infinite.” – Jorge Luis Borges, in Avatars of the Tortoise Let's start with a basic supposition: open systems succeed, while closed systems fail. What do I mean by a system? A system is anything comprised of complexity: it can be one single individual or a group, forming a collective or organization. An … [Read more...]
Quote of the Day: 1/24/13 – Carlos Santana
"The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart. The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace." - Carlos Santana … [Read more...]
We Don’t Need No Education
To have a Quantum Revolution occur - essentially a revolution in consciousness, in thinking capabilities - what is required is more enlightened thinking by as many people as many. Yet, our education system, which is where the great majority of all of us develop our thinking and learning capabilities, is not creating or cultivating enlightened thinking. Instead the education system is developing a nation of people with the skills to work at … [Read more...]
2012 and the Effects of Climate Change
The news is in, and it is telling: 2012 was the warmest year on record in the lower 48 states of the U.S. This is big news, and a clear sign that our world is continuing to experience the effects of climate change/global warming. Back in Oct., we featured an article about the work of Bill McKibben, one of the country's leading advocates for doing something about climate change, and we showed a video clip with Bill McKibben talking with Bill … [Read more...]
Quote of the Day: 1/7/13 – Gurdjieff
The evolution of man is the evolution of consciousness and "consciousness" cannot evolve unconsciously. The evolution of man is the evolution of his will, and "will" cannot evolve involuntarily. The evolution of man is the evolution of his power of doing, and "doing" cannot be the result of things which "happen." - Gurdjieff … [Read more...]
Quote of the Day: 1/3/13 – Thomas Berry
"We find ourselves ethically destitute just when, for the first time, we are faced with ultimacy, the irreversible closing down of the earth's functioning in its major life systems. Our ethical traditions know how to deal with suicide, homicide, and even genocide; but these traditions collapse entirely when confronted with biocide, the extinction of the vulnerable life systems of the Earth, and geocide, the devastation of the Earth itself...The … [Read more...]
20 Years Ago Nirvana Burst Out and Galvanized the Country!
A little over 20 years ago, the rock band Nirvana burst on the scene and created a revolution in culture. Their introduction to the cultural zeitgeist was by way of their music video “Smells like Teen Spirit." Above, you can see a look at the first live performance of “Teen Spirit." The video’s a little grainy and low-res, which suits the song just fine. The official music video for the song debuted on the MTV alternative rock show “120 … [Read more...]