Love everything you stated here. I have always been an advocate for kindness for as long as I could remember my life. Every conversation and every interaction I try to be deliberate in my kindness (although admittedly I sometimes find myself not operating from cool heads some days) but regardless, as content creators putting things out into the internet and the universe I want to only amplify the truth and what I hope are resounding messages of responsible love and a dedication to a better world for all of us.
Thanks, Najwan. I really appreciate your encouragement, and glad to hear that kindness is a core value for you too. I try to be kind in my interactions, although I don't always succeed.
A great post. I'm a fan of kindness and think that if we give in to the hateful rhetoric, then what sets us apart from the "other guys"? Also, what does hateful rhetoric get us? What does it accomplish? How does it help us to personally cope? Does it keep us in an unhealthy state of agitation? What does that do to our nervous system?
Thanks for the great BDS list! Very helpful. Let's focus on things that are helpful.
I agree,..there is this accumulated rage and anguish that nothing is changing and these brain dead Congress people just repeat the same story every time about how they beefed up the police and got some wind energy projects of the ground...not one drop of concern for brown bodies crushed under caterpillar tractor tracks...or all the rest of the necrophilic acts that are perpetrated with such apparent enthusiasm...it is almost an alternate reality if we don't understand it as severe depravity
..and back to that disgustingness...
...
I do think it is better to limit the time
...engaged in rage...it's hard on your liver ...detoxing from those emotions...but sometimes there are some things so awful that every part of you screams...why Congress people and newspaper editors don't experience this dissonance is one question you can never answer?...they just don't...they go down into their bunker and wait for the all clear...
I agree that kindness, inflection and intention in communication are strong guard rails to bring attention to an issue...but at this point... ten months in to this hideousness...it's over...if you do not understand by now how little your sham elected leaders, pundits and loud speakers are...I cannot say more...the occupation of Palestine is exactly as it appears is a satanic atrocity...that an elite few enjoy and profit by...they don't care what you or I think ...the sooner this elite can be isolated starved and surgically removed ...the better..there are more important things to do in this world.
I agree, Mikhail. It should have everyone re-evaluating their loyalties. What to do about it is the big question, and that's where we need civility to figure this out, imo.
Great words of wisdom to share. It's that last one that really catches me out--Is it necessary? I can share truths with people and I do so kindly, but is it necessary? I usually think everyone wants to know everything I know, but maybe they don't? They want to remain in the dark? I wouldn't want to remain in the dark and prefer to know the whole ugly truth of things, but some wish to remain clueless and unconcerned. It's tough for me to comprehend this denial of the truth.
Yeah, empty words do nothing but fill up the void and deflect from what's really going on perhaps, but are they kind and truthful words? I feel if you get the first two points across, then the truth told in a respectful way IS necessary, IMO.
Truthfully, Diana: sometimes I'm so disgusted by the behavior of our so-called leaders that kindness is off the table. I fully support your intent, tho. And in the end, each of us is all too human. So rage is in order. And right now: so MUCH is wrong, I'm in full-on righteous indignation. Sometimes, not always, but often, I'm gonna rage against the machine. But not tonight. Peace, blessings, and all good things. And thank you for your writing and your moment of grounding.
Something I increasingly struggle with is kindness. Not that I struggle to be kind. More - yes I am stopping myself mid thought - what it means to be kind, and to who. If I support X marginalised group and Y group is talking about making it more difficult for X people to exist in public, how to combat that. I recognise that everyone's a bit afraid, everyone feels insecure, and that heaping hatred onto things doesn't help. What does a robust response look like that won't be interpreted as hatred (and how do I stop myself from feeling hatred towards people who want me, my friends, or people I care about dead or suffering)? (Related issue - weaponised victimhood. There's an old cartoon out there that sums this up. Frame one, a man beating another man with a cross while saying a bunch of horrible things about atheists. Frame two, man two has the cross in his hands and is about to snap it, and man one pleads for him to be respectful. It gets played out over and over again - particularly notable in the American political discourse at the moment. "I'm going to wear my Pelosi Halloween outfit" with underwear and a hammer while simultaneously decrying any opposition to anything Trump has ever done.)
I only know that you Diana are true, kind and necessary. In a world that is becoming dark, the only light is you. Each of us can bring light or darkness. It depends on us, not on others. I wonder what would think the dead mother of a child in Congo about the geopolitical situation in the USA or about Putin. She can't. She is dead. And when she was alive none of that was in her thoughts. She had no phone and no TV. Thoughts define our reality, only if we allow them to be our reality. Thank you for your light in this world, Diana 🙏
Thanks so much Forrest. So much tragedy in Congo, Gaza and other parts of the world. How does killing solve anything? It doesn't, and it shouldn't be the way things are done. We need to keep encouraging each other in our resistance to this insanity.
This is so beautiful, Diana. I would add to the list that the True All Way (For People & Planet) soulutions that all GOOD people would agree on if they weren't hypnotized are all things that BOTH sides of the political spectrum, including many "alternative" sites that what is commonly called controlled opposition try to keep OFF the table. So look for the stuff that they aren't offering and find ways to put it on the table, whether you do it unofficially or lobby to get it out there and on the table through official pathsways. Look beyond "This or that." Look beyond which is the lesser of two evils. Remember Hitler was a socialist democrat. Deuce was a fascist. We needn't argue over who was worse, we can decide we are WORTHY of leaders who truly love humanity and Mama earth and who support a world were dissent is a human right, where kindness is a value, empathy isn't enabling and True Empowerment is also accompanied by compassion.
Thanks Diana. When I formulate my articles I often struggle with all three of these precepts.
True? That's where the research comes in and often there is a lot of nuance. I consider that part to be an educational service. I sometimes see others, who I once admired, who may have large platforms, but end up peddling half truths in which their blind spots become obvious. They're just playing to their base and using clickbait because they know who butters their bread. I try not to do that and just follow the facts and say what I think needs to be said.
Kind? That has a lot to do with the style and approach you take. It's easy to alienate readers by being obnoxious, treating critics harshly etc. Again I see good writers do this and it annoys me-- I also think it's self sabotaging.
Necessary? Yes to fight against all the misinformation and disinformation and to expose all the cruelty, crimes and injustice!
A truth we all should be exposed to. The only geopolitical issue currently relevant?
The rape of finite resources, the environment (to an unlivable degree) our Federal Treasury, by transglobal fiduciary duty only corporate entities is the number one issue killing life on the planet and blocking our path to restoring the Republic.
Love everything you stated here. I have always been an advocate for kindness for as long as I could remember my life. Every conversation and every interaction I try to be deliberate in my kindness (although admittedly I sometimes find myself not operating from cool heads some days) but regardless, as content creators putting things out into the internet and the universe I want to only amplify the truth and what I hope are resounding messages of responsible love and a dedication to a better world for all of us.
#PalestineWillBeFree
Thanks, Najwan. I really appreciate your encouragement, and glad to hear that kindness is a core value for you too. I try to be kind in my interactions, although I don't always succeed.
A great post. I'm a fan of kindness and think that if we give in to the hateful rhetoric, then what sets us apart from the "other guys"? Also, what does hateful rhetoric get us? What does it accomplish? How does it help us to personally cope? Does it keep us in an unhealthy state of agitation? What does that do to our nervous system?
Thanks for the great BDS list! Very helpful. Let's focus on things that are helpful.
I agree,..there is this accumulated rage and anguish that nothing is changing and these brain dead Congress people just repeat the same story every time about how they beefed up the police and got some wind energy projects of the ground...not one drop of concern for brown bodies crushed under caterpillar tractor tracks...or all the rest of the necrophilic acts that are perpetrated with such apparent enthusiasm...it is almost an alternate reality if we don't understand it as severe depravity
..and back to that disgustingness...
...
I do think it is better to limit the time
...engaged in rage...it's hard on your liver ...detoxing from those emotions...but sometimes there are some things so awful that every part of you screams...why Congress people and newspaper editors don't experience this dissonance is one question you can never answer?...they just don't...they go down into their bunker and wait for the all clear...
It seems to be built into a culture that I find very difficult to understand, Mikhail. It's so heartless.
I agree that kindness, inflection and intention in communication are strong guard rails to bring attention to an issue...but at this point... ten months in to this hideousness...it's over...if you do not understand by now how little your sham elected leaders, pundits and loud speakers are...I cannot say more...the occupation of Palestine is exactly as it appears is a satanic atrocity...that an elite few enjoy and profit by...they don't care what you or I think ...the sooner this elite can be isolated starved and surgically removed ...the better..there are more important things to do in this world.
I agree, Mikhail. It should have everyone re-evaluating their loyalties. What to do about it is the big question, and that's where we need civility to figure this out, imo.
Great words of wisdom to share. It's that last one that really catches me out--Is it necessary? I can share truths with people and I do so kindly, but is it necessary? I usually think everyone wants to know everything I know, but maybe they don't? They want to remain in the dark? I wouldn't want to remain in the dark and prefer to know the whole ugly truth of things, but some wish to remain clueless and unconcerned. It's tough for me to comprehend this denial of the truth.
It's hard to understand for sure.
I took it to mean something different -- talking for the sake of talking, empty words, some of the stuff that the worse politicians do.
Yeah, empty words do nothing but fill up the void and deflect from what's really going on perhaps, but are they kind and truthful words? I feel if you get the first two points across, then the truth told in a respectful way IS necessary, IMO.
Truth is the first casualty in any war.
Truthfully, Diana: sometimes I'm so disgusted by the behavior of our so-called leaders that kindness is off the table. I fully support your intent, tho. And in the end, each of us is all too human. So rage is in order. And right now: so MUCH is wrong, I'm in full-on righteous indignation. Sometimes, not always, but often, I'm gonna rage against the machine. But not tonight. Peace, blessings, and all good things. And thank you for your writing and your moment of grounding.
Thanks, and I get it. And we need a few close people we can rant with. These times are fully rant worthy.
Something I increasingly struggle with is kindness. Not that I struggle to be kind. More - yes I am stopping myself mid thought - what it means to be kind, and to who. If I support X marginalised group and Y group is talking about making it more difficult for X people to exist in public, how to combat that. I recognise that everyone's a bit afraid, everyone feels insecure, and that heaping hatred onto things doesn't help. What does a robust response look like that won't be interpreted as hatred (and how do I stop myself from feeling hatred towards people who want me, my friends, or people I care about dead or suffering)? (Related issue - weaponised victimhood. There's an old cartoon out there that sums this up. Frame one, a man beating another man with a cross while saying a bunch of horrible things about atheists. Frame two, man two has the cross in his hands and is about to snap it, and man one pleads for him to be respectful. It gets played out over and over again - particularly notable in the American political discourse at the moment. "I'm going to wear my Pelosi Halloween outfit" with underwear and a hammer while simultaneously decrying any opposition to anything Trump has ever done.)
That's a tricky one, Amy. If it's about defending Palestine, what about focusing on the crime and not the perpetrators of the crime?
I'm not in your situation, so I don't know if this is helpful or not.
Best of luck. It sounds really challenging.
Agreed! Perfect art for the topic!
Thanks, Mark. I'm glad you feel that the art fits the topic.
I only know that you Diana are true, kind and necessary. In a world that is becoming dark, the only light is you. Each of us can bring light or darkness. It depends on us, not on others. I wonder what would think the dead mother of a child in Congo about the geopolitical situation in the USA or about Putin. She can't. She is dead. And when she was alive none of that was in her thoughts. She had no phone and no TV. Thoughts define our reality, only if we allow them to be our reality. Thank you for your light in this world, Diana 🙏
Thanks so much Forrest. So much tragedy in Congo, Gaza and other parts of the world. How does killing solve anything? It doesn't, and it shouldn't be the way things are done. We need to keep encouraging each other in our resistance to this insanity.
This is so beautiful, Diana. I would add to the list that the True All Way (For People & Planet) soulutions that all GOOD people would agree on if they weren't hypnotized are all things that BOTH sides of the political spectrum, including many "alternative" sites that what is commonly called controlled opposition try to keep OFF the table. So look for the stuff that they aren't offering and find ways to put it on the table, whether you do it unofficially or lobby to get it out there and on the table through official pathsways. Look beyond "This or that." Look beyond which is the lesser of two evils. Remember Hitler was a socialist democrat. Deuce was a fascist. We needn't argue over who was worse, we can decide we are WORTHY of leaders who truly love humanity and Mama earth and who support a world were dissent is a human right, where kindness is a value, empathy isn't enabling and True Empowerment is also accompanied by compassion.
Too many absurd binaries, Alicia. I agree.
When its a binary
It might be
A canary
In the coal mine
Of corruption
Thanks Diana. When I formulate my articles I often struggle with all three of these precepts.
True? That's where the research comes in and often there is a lot of nuance. I consider that part to be an educational service. I sometimes see others, who I once admired, who may have large platforms, but end up peddling half truths in which their blind spots become obvious. They're just playing to their base and using clickbait because they know who butters their bread. I try not to do that and just follow the facts and say what I think needs to be said.
Kind? That has a lot to do with the style and approach you take. It's easy to alienate readers by being obnoxious, treating critics harshly etc. Again I see good writers do this and it annoys me-- I also think it's self sabotaging.
Necessary? Yes to fight against all the misinformation and disinformation and to expose all the cruelty, crimes and injustice!
A truth we all should be exposed to. The only geopolitical issue currently relevant?
The rape of finite resources, the environment (to an unlivable degree) our Federal Treasury, by transglobal fiduciary duty only corporate entities is the number one issue killing life on the planet and blocking our path to restoring the Republic.
Focus
Responding directly to your article, I know it to be true that believing anything Vladimir Putin says is a bad idea.
I think the state of Geo political affairs supports the argument of diplomacy. More of it, better at it. Diplomacy.
Where's the proof that what he says isn't worth believing? Tell me when he's been dishonest.
In times of war, the mo is to demonize leaders to justify waging war on them.
Where is the proof?
Um….. that’s not serious question , right?
He lied to the Europeans about natural gas.
He lied to the world about who sabotage the pipeline. He lied in front of the whole world about election interference.
https://www.politico.eu/article/lies-truth-vladimir-putin-interview-tucker-carlson/
This is just one interview.
I can easily find 1000 examples. Hardly worth my time and effort
To somehow insinuate that Vladimir Putin is somehow correlated with honesty is just well, proudly ignorant.
We need everyone's voice, Thomas. I hope you're able to express yourself maybe using these filters.