cotf

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From - Fri Dec  8 07:27:47 2000
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Date: Fri, 08 Dec 2000 07:27:45 -0500
From: Tony Lawrence <tony@aplawrence.com>
Organization: A.P. Lawrence
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Subject: Re: Sohodojo update - inquiring about collaboration and your services...
I wrote:

> I can say that I'm not enamored of some of the language of COTF:
> I absolutely do NOT agree that we need "a climate which focuses
> on the needs of community, not only individual needs."  I am NOT
> one who "recognizes the need to help others succeed" or any of
> the other similar sentiments.

I don't want to leave it on such a harsh note.  I'm not as
mean-spirited as that paragraph might indicate.  I do recognize
that community is important, and has "needs", but my position is
that the needs of the individual are MORE important than the
needs of community, and that in all cases where there is
conflict, the community should have a strong burden of proof
before its will should hold sway.  

My objection to "helping others succeeed" is not of the "let them
eat cake" variety, but more of the "who will help me bake the
cake" sort: I'll help people who are helpful, but the leeches can
starve and rot.

There's a lot about COTF I just can't swallow.

     Facilitate dialogue, not debate. 

Don't question what the majority decides is best ?

    Focus on the best solution for the community and not the
individual. 

Not a chance.  The individual comes FIRST.  Community is second.  

     Have a willingness to become involved with and take 
    responsibility for one's  community. 

"Community", like any government, is necessary but inherently
dangerous.  The less of it, the better.  We should only be
"involved" when circumstances absolutely require it and only for
as long as required.

     Focus on integrity and ethical behavior, but with
compassion. 

Whose ethics?  Hammurabi?  Mohammed? Jesus? Karl Marx?   I'll
make my own decisions about my ethics. 

     Recognizing that there is no one "right" solution, the
council will be flexible in our approach to the solution. 

Oh yeah: every body is "right".  Crapola.  92% percent of the
poulation is too stupid to have an opinion worth wasting ANY time
on.  I am not going to spend MY time listening to the unimportant
mutterings of morons, thank you.

     The Council will recognize the importance of diversity as it
relates to decision making. 

Same comment.


     Emphasize building shared vision. 

Why?  To make everybody all comfy that we all think alike?  Yep,
everybody put on their suits and ties so we know you aren't one
of those gawd-awful non-conformists..


     Focus on the concept of servant hood. 

Excuse me???  Not in this lifetime.

     Acknowledge interdependence. 

Only to the smallest possible degree.  My efforts are to be as
INDEPENDENT as possible- that is a goal that can never be
reached, but it still should be the GOAL.


     Acknowledge the spiritual depth of humanness. 

What?  So atheists like me aren't welcome in this community of
the future, because we don't recognize any sort of spirituality? 
Further, some of us don't think there is anything "special" about
being human, that humans are just an unusually clever animal, but
many higher animals have hopes, aspirations, feel pain, love,
etc.  I don't like human-centric philosophies, and I don't
acknowledge anything spiritual.  I do recognize that other people
have such beliefs, and I defend their right to do so right up
until their beliefs start interfering with my life.


     Leadership: find it, redefine it and transform it in order
to lead to a higher meaning for all local communities. 

I don't need "leaders".  I find my own way. Again, "leaders" are
sometimes necessary, but ALWAYS dangerous, and should be
discarded as soon as practical.  

COTF is something I not only don't want to be involved in, it's
something I would actively oppose.



-- 
Tony Lawrence (tony@aplawrence.com)
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