June 21. General Assembly

I got to attend the following two sessions during GA today. Both were quite informative.

Dr. Riane Eisler, "The Caring Revolution: Turning Economics Right Side Up!"

Dr. Eisler talked about changing our society from a domination society to a caring one. Apparently she has written a book called "The Chalice and the Blade" which outlines the differences between the two ideals. She pointed out that in a caring society, education and care taking of children (by their parents, or child care professionals) would be something that was justly compensated. For instance, plumbers make $70.00 an hour while many child care professionals make minimum wage. "That's not logical, it's pathological." she said, to great applause.

The other things I enjoyed about Dr. Eisler was one of her answers during the Q&A session. "Don't you think it's so-and-so's fault..." a woman began her question which rambled only a bit before getting to the end.

"Well," said Dr. Eisler, addressing the first part of the question, "I don't really do blame." We all laughed.

Thomas Hartman. "Choices That Matter--'We the People' Choosing Democracy"
Thomas Hartman gave a very inspiring speech. I was impressed that he just talked off the cuff for 90 minutes, though he is a radio talk-show host and probably gives a lot of speeches.

The first point of his that I connected with was about the middle class being "made" Not in an Italian gangster type of way. More like the set up of the tax structure and government regulation ensure that our society doesn't just have rich people and poor people. He talked about four times in American History when we had great disparity and how the majority of the people in the country did not benefit from this.

The point I really loved was his mantra that we do not elect leaders, we elect representatives. He discussed Theodore & Franklin Roosevelt and also Lyndon Johnson. All were the "establishment" candidates, all were expected to make modest changes and keep the status quo. All of them got into office, looked at the country's situation and, in Hartmann's words "got it." They then made sweeping changes that made an incredible difference in America and left America a better place.

Hartmann believes that if you have a cause that you believe in, and you find enough other people who also believe in that cause and you are public in your support of that cause, eventually some politician will look around, see your parade marching by, and have an epiphany. He will run to the front of that parade and proudly proclaim, "I feel very deeply about this cause. This is my cause. I will do whatever I have to, to champion this cause." And that is how change happens.

Thomas Hartman ended with the words, "Tag, you're it."