“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” John Donne
Alone within the neighborhood
Nothing feels quite right,
But nothing’s wrong with wind or Sun.
The flowers bloom and Spring’s begun.
Life moves past shades of night.
We’re not quite individuals here.
We’re more or less the same.
That “less” adds interest little more,
Ephemeral, a challenge for
New dreams we could attain.
I heard about the social psychologist Jonathan Haidt this past week and started reading the “The Righteous Mind” about “social intuitionism”. He has a Ted Talk praising cooperation for its evolutionary advantages. My quote of John Donne comes at the end this talk. Being about cooperation, it seems to fit our present community prompt.
Linked to dVerse Poetics hosted by Paul with the prompt “community”.
Linked to NaPoWriMo2017 Day Twenty-Six.
Love your take on the prompt Frank and am enjoying the Ted talk as I type. I think the idea of collective experience discussed here as a function of uniting people toward the sacred is powerful. I may have further comment once it is completed but just wanted to acknowledge your post and contribution to what has been a fascinating response to the
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Thanks, Paul! I just heard about him this past week from reading another blog although he has been popular for over a decade. I’m usually late at finding things out. What I find interesting is that we may have an “individualist” blinder in our culture when it comes to moral choices. However, this does not mean that individualism is bad.
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promt
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oops…last post missed a word..it is a really interesting talk…nothing wrong with individualism at all in my mind, it being the basic unit of the group…what is interesting is what can happen when we do pull together. What is difficult to understand is why it seems to take tragedy or war to make that possible at times.
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As I see it tragedy and war are just some of the ways cooperation manifests itself. They aren’t the only ways. He also mentioned that cooperation can be very destructive as well as constructive. So one still needs to be careful with what one is supporting.
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Totally agree Frank.
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Certain sorts of cooperation make me wonder how anything can get done at all…
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Some cooperation is destructive. Some is inefficient because it is only superficially cooperation. Some cooperation will be unsuccessful. Overall, I can see how cooperation should make those who cooperate stronger and more successful overall.
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Frank, a wonderful piece, love the reference to sun and moon too…
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Thanks, Björn!
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I will listen to the TED Talk later Frank ~ I like the value of the individual within the community ~ Whether we follow our own thoughts or that of the community, its our own choice but I don’t think it is very far apart ~
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Thanks, Grace! I just started looking into Haidt’s social intuitionism.
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Interesting poem and TED talk…I believe we’re each created as unique individuals, all of us are religious/spiritual beings, and we desire to connect with God and each other!
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I agree with you, Lynn. I don’t think this research contradicts any religious belief.
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Evocative words … and my curiosity piqued. I’m on my way to explore the TED talk!
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My curiosity is piqued also. Thanks, Bev!
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Very interesting Ted talk. I like the idea that those who cooperate can make a community stronger while still maintaining individualism.
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Yes, as I understand it, they can do both. I’m still reading Haidt’s book. Thanks!
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beautiful thoughts to ponder, Frank. Even when we are the lone human in our community, we got the moon, the stars, the sun, the clouds, the trees! 🙂
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I think you’re right. The community doesn’t have to be with other human beings. Thanks, Rosema!
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yes! yes! 🙂
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Alone within the neighborhood
Nothing feels quite right
Yes, nothing feels right but there’s nothing wrong otherwise. The neighborhood revolves on its own steam. But somehow the community seems to be separately aligned unlike the days gone by.
Hank
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I was trying to focus on that individual who feels isolated even though every individual is in neighborhood of others as well as a neighborhood of everything else in world. The community of the past did seem more real as you mention. Thanks, Hank!
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I can’t help but think of the present conditions at the White House in that so many leaders have not been appointed to vacancies who are desperate for some guidance, are threatened with so many issues as a result.
I enjoyed the video also. Great little poem.
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Thanks, Kathy. I’m still reading and trying to make sense out of Haidt’s book. He studies people to understand moral psychology which would have something to do with how we participate in politics as well as religion.
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you often have a play with words for the reader to digest: this is no exception
“We’re more or less the same.
That “less” adds interest little more,”
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Thanks, Laura. I liked that line the best in the poem although after reading more of Haidt’s book I don’t think I clarified well what modern individualism is. I may have made it look like we are not individuals when it might be better to say we are or can be more than individuals.
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We mistake adulthood for independence but interdependence is where it’s at –
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I like the feeling of cohesion in this…very nicely expressed
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Thanks, Janice! I am trying to make more sense of social intuitionism from reading Haidt’s book.
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HoLy
ALL
NoW
SaCreD
wHOle MoRe
MeaNinG noW
PurpoSe aLL aS
dArK cOMEs LiGht
DancE CoMeS SoNG
MuSicK SouND Now
ForEveR iNSpiRinG
NoW toGeThEr
mY FriEnd
Frank..
oTHeR
thaN thaT Thanks
For shArinG anoTheR
Wonderful inSpirinG
toGeThERNess Science
Aided Project by Jonathan Ted Talk Haidt..
WiLL most DefiniTely shARe too.. mY FriEnd..:)
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Thank you, Fred! I didn’t know that other Haidt video existed that you put on your blog.
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Welcome..
My FriEnd
And thanks
For the continuing
Inspiration of your poetry..:)
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Your poem strikes me as being as beautiful as it is powerful, Frank. The first stanza, I think, adds depth and mystery to the second.
I’m more familiar with Haidt from his Moral Foundations Theory than I am with him from his ideas about religion and spirituality. Quite an interesting speech!
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I think when Haidt is talking about spirituality he is referencing his fifth foundation, the sacred or divinity. I am still reading his book, “The Righteous Mind”. His ideas are new to me, but they make sense. It is nice to have five foundations rather than one or two. This ground allows choices to become more interesting. However, I hear some mechanistic metaphors that make me suspicious of his position. As a Western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic person (WEIRD, as he describes himself) I don’t think he is seeing clearly out of his own moral “matrix” (another mechanistic metaphor) although he sees better than most of us do. His attempts to persuade conservatives will fail because he will not likely submit (authority foundation) to a theistic (sacred foundation) reality. I don’t think he will be able to substitute the nation or flag for a more transcendent deity to please all of them. But I have half of the book yet to read. My mind is still too unsure to know what I think about him.
I am glad you liked the poem, Paul!
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An usure mind is an open mind. Good for you.
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I try to have a mind open to better see what is true, but as Haidt mentions, our rationality is primarily there to justify positions we have already taken, not to find the truth unless finding the truth helps us to better rationalize our positions. Being unsure may be a way to trick the rationalizing part of our mind, keeping it open. Thanks, Nan!
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