Ponderings

An Easter weekend rather like no other. A minor knee injury made staying in less of a punishment than the current pandemic. And other experiences gave it some positive flavour that probably would not have happened otherwise.

I finished Elizabeth Wilkerson’s admirable book Caste. As a PBS Newshour watcher I feel in good company when I see it on the bookshelves of both Jonathan Capehart and David Brooks. Its strengths relate to its impeccable research and portrayals of three examples of caste systems - India, Nazi Germany, and the United States - with their long term effects on their cultures and how they handle them. Her personal experience in India and America also brings the experience of caste to light. This is a must read for anyone who wants to see a different outcome to our heritage of race and caste and gives a reality to any settler culture like our Canadian one.

The next was a presentation that happens once a month, led by a Roman Catholic leader called an eco-sabbath. In past times it would not be possible for me to attend these because of a time conflict, but in Zoom time, that changes. Dennis O’Hara noted that he had tried this presentation ten years ago and met considerable pushback - but decided to try it again on Easter Day. His main point was that resurrection applies not only to the Christian story but the story of the universe itself. These views come from his understanding presented in the writings of American “geologian” Thomas Berry and Australian theologian Denis Edwards. In both writers, the universe itself moves toward fullness and fulfillment. The resurrection for today happens through our meeting all the creatures and creations of the world with the opportunity to ease their suffering and help them realize their full reality and beauty.

His audience was far more accepting of this view this time - formed by the writings of Berry whose influence on the book and film presentation “Journey of the Universe” is also celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

The last was a good column yesterday celebrating the views of indigenous leaders in The Globe and Mail. Known as Jaqueline Ottman where she is Vice Provost of Indigenous Engagement and Professor at the University of Saskatchwan. But she is also known as Misiwaykommigk Paypomwayotung in her Anishinabe first nations community. She is an advocate for indigenous ways of knowing and being.

Spending a lot of time with a grandmother who understood medicinal plants and astronomy, and who had escaped being sent to residential schools and retained her original language, was a rare advantage. Ottman learned both the language and her culture first hand. She had the rare privilege of seeing western culture through those eyes as she was able to continue her secondary school and further education. And this combination as well as encountering racism framed her search for social justice.

She notes that the closest ideas of western leadership to those of her own community would be servant or adaptive leadership, adding to this both respect for the views of the ancestors and a recognition that decisions look ahead to the next seven generations. Our North American culture contrasts strongly as we neglect our history and express concern for our grandchildren - only two generations ahead. It also has huge implications for how we treat the land - not as part of all our relations, but as something to exploit.

A good Easter - transformative and thought provoking. What actions can evolve?

Minimalism

Technology simplifies our lives but it also affects us in ways we don’t realize until we are without it. I recently fell and wrecked a knee; that meant I prevailed upon a son to drive me to a routine eye appointment. I could take a few steps with a cane or hiking poles but going any distance was still pretty panful.

He called ten minutes before arriving to ensure I was at the door. In fact we were early and drove around so as not to arrive too early - showing how we use the automobile without thinking as to how we are affecting the planet by doing so - but that’s another story. I got to the office, went through the inevitable Covid screening and as usual sat for a wait. A woman sitting across from me - properly distanced - was gazing at her phone and I automatically reached for mine. It wasn’t in my purse.

My first reaction was to panic - and then to beat myself up. It was already in the purse when my son called. How could I have stupidly laid it aside? To make things worse I was to text him back when I was ready for a ride home. What was his cell number? I could remember the land line, but had they cancelled it when all four members of that household had Iphones? I couldn’t recall his cell - or that of any other family member.

I had lots of time to think through a way to connect. I was pretty sure I remembered another son’s cell - but now my stupidity would be revealed even more widely. But son number one has a business website. Wait a minute, I thought - he probably has a phone number on that site. When I finally saw the optometrist and sheepishly told her my problem, I asked whether she could check his site. She did and asked the receptionist to call my son letting him know I would be ready for a pick up in five minutes. Problem solved. The receptionist handed me a little slip with his number on it - as well as giving me a card with my next appointment. It’s still in the purse and reminds me to jot it down in my Bullet Journal. I just did. I’ll also try to memorize his cell number.

I’ve been recently reading Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism - actually listening to it as an audiobook on the Libby app on my tablet. Is this Minimialist? I’m not addicted to social media but my aging brain has conveniently downloaded some important information to a small portable computer. I didn’t need my own - but it was interesting how reliant I was on those of others.

As it happened, my own phone had dropped out of the small purse and my son noticed it on his car seat. He did have confidence that I would figure something out - so that’s at least something. And instead of going home we went to his house where a bunch of Celtic musicians were playing in the back yard - and I got to join in by playing on a 77 key battery powered Roland keyboard. I still agree with Newport that we are overly reliant on our technologies. The important thing is good choice of where and when.

Influence

I find I am interested in Facebook much less than in the past. I tune in occasionally to find out what’s up with friends and family. But I wondered recently who is trying to influence me through postings. I went on to look at my timeline of recent posts.

It’s revealing. Facebook itself starts by asking if I want to buy a print book of my photos. I then hear from the World Health organization twice - with some facts about Covid-19. I also have a message from the Canadian Mental Health organization. These can be justified in the same way as notices in my building’s elevators and other bulletin boards. There is also a post that I can’t read – in Spanish. That could be accounted for by one bilingual “friend” on my list. I have no clue re the contents.

I decided to look at the next 24 items. These consisted of twelve posts from people on my list of over 200 “friends” every one of which I can recognize if I met them face to face and would be happy to do so. What they had to say varied in importance or relevance for me. Of these eight posted messages about their thoughts, opinions and events in their lives. Five acted as curators and posted links to articles of personal interest.

These had a wide range. One was an article from the Guardian. One was an article about birds. I have a friend who frequently posts pictures of birds, so the assumption there is that I am also interested. One was about Messiness Chic – which I guess applies to me in some way. One was an article from the Pontifical Academy - a bit of a connection but not a great one. One was from a show that somebody liked on Netflix, which I no longer have. One was from a software program; I act as an administrator using it and have sometimes responded to a query, so I regarded that as legitimate.

All the rest were advertisements with no attribution. One represented Celtic sweaters. Two were from the Toronto Star. I had a brief subscription but cancelled it. One thought I should be interested in an article on NPR – I might have been, but not about Britney Spears. One was for The Economist. One was from Facebook with pictures of people I might know. I didn’t. One was about cat food. I don’t have a cat. One was from the bee protectors. I don’t have any bees either.

My guess is that some of the 200 friends “liked” these things. Sometimes the ads tell me so. We can do one another a favour. Get off Facebook and pick up the phone or send a note to a friend. If you care about causes, tell them so and send them some money. At very least, stop “liking” things. We’re allowing our personal information to be hijacked every time we do so - and foisting it on others. Facebook is laughing all the way to the bank.

May I Have Your Attention

These words sometimes come across the public address system in my apartment – usually in response to a fire inspection to warn us that the alarms are not signaling a real fire. But I noticed a connection in a recent article by Charles Warzel, who interviewed Michael Goldhaber and called him a Cassandra for our current age.

Goldhaber was a physicist but also something of a prophet. In the eighties he predicted that society would become totally a world of online technology – with its political rudeness, social media over-sharing, information hijacking, reality TV, influencers and bloggers. Distraction affects our action – or the lack of it.

Goldhaber later termed this “the attention economy”. Everyone from presidents to parents want to have global influence. It used to be that modesty and humility were the pre-eminent virtues but not any more. Everyone is busy seeking attention – or getting it. Attention has become the currency of advertising, journalism and social media where the numbers of likes or subscribers are the only thing that counts.

There is a certain amount of pushback lately with requests for content moderation and censorship. But there is also an appeal to first amendment rights - where what a president Tweets is just a personal expression of his point of view – or even after pushback explained away as sarcasm.

What really matters is that attention is power gained through tweets and rallies carried by cable news. Complaining about it or opposing it as some channels do doesn’t take away the attention. It enhances it.

What Goldhaber wonders about – and we should too – is the effect of this attnetion on democracy. What used to be nuanced discussion now come in the form of slogans. They are easy to say and obvious and become rallying cries. Difference of opinion now gives way to tribalism where every opponent becomes the enemy to be both feared and hated. It’s easy to voice and publish what used to be unmentionable and become a spokesman. These often are views that others have been afraid to say, but are willing to give power to anyone who can say it. That’s precisely the power of the former president.

What is to be done? We need to start to pay attention to personal our habits and hobbies. They simply relate to how we spend our time, a limited and precious commodity. A pandemic could be an unanticipated moment of grace to do that. We also need to see how we relate to the social issues of our era. We also need to re-evaluate our relationship with those closest to us and how to connect during a lockdown. Loneliness and discouragement are common emotions for all of us along with hope for better times. It is not insignificant that a reporter who followed the life of conspiracy enthusiasts found that much of their conversation is social – wishing one another happy birthday in the midst of spreading hateful or ridiculous information. What was desired and met was companionship.

I’ve been a fan of Howard Rheingold since I first encountered him in the eighties. I even wrote him once and was pleased when he took the time to write back. He says:

“Attention is a limited commodity – so pay attention where you pay attention”.

Self Portrait

What will life look like when later in this century researchers look back on 2021? 

 I was interested in contrasting my current life as a single elderly woman living alone in the past few days with that of one of my oldest friends.  I was able to renew contact via email with her daughter and hoped that we could connect via technology during the current lockdown.  This is not easy, she said, because her mother’s hearing is challenged, even with hearing aids, and her sight because of macular degeneration. Personal visits are best and her children are frequent visitors – but since she lives in another city, that is not an option for me right now.

 There are similarities, but key differences for which I have every reason to be grateful. I also wear hearing aids but they allow me to hear well.  My optometrist can see tiny beginnings of macular degeneration, but taking a supplemental vitamin is currently preventing an increase showing in the sophisticated optimal scan.  I am also reasonably mobile so long as I do gentle exercise regularly.  My friend is confined to a wheelchair.

 But I can also see how changes in technology make my current life not only tolerable but extremely rich during lockdown.

 Books – As a child I could walk to the local public library and sometimes read a picture book on its steps and then returned it right away. I still enjoy hard cover books and am currently reading Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste, a provocative and deeply troubling portrayal of a humanly constructed system of superiority with profound implications.

 Much – even most of my reading, of course is now online – via a laptop, a tablet and a phone. I first turned on a desktop in 1984 to use office software, but computing is now just part of living.  Reading books happens through Kindle or Libby, the public library app, and that can include both print and audio books.   My morning starts with online newspapers, New York Times, Washington Post , the Ontario edition of Canada’s Globe and Mail – and sometimes the aggregated Apple News.  I still have a paper subscription to the New Yorker but I can read a library version of The Economist.  These give me some balance between progressive and conservative views about current issues.

 Then there are online newsletters.  I first picked up the initial edition of the magazine Fast Company in an airport when I was still working, and I liked its approach to innovation.  I still do.  There are eclectic ones like Brain Pickings, Maria Popova’s weekly aggregations of famous writings and wonderful illustrations from children’s books that she finds in public libraries - and Aeon, an Australian newsletter with wide reaching topics. I also scan most many of the environmental newsletters referenced under the resource section of this site.

 As a former resident, I’m somewhat of an American news junkie and dive in an out of CNN and PBS – as well as the Canadian channels, CBC and CTV.  These can all be accessed both live and after the fact through recordings.  I might turn later to Prime or Brit Box for a series of two.

 There is still the telephone.  I pick up less and less to avoid the robocalls – but I can see whether it’s a son calling from Hong Kong or another one who wants to borrow my car which is an easier one for his teen age son to practice driving between online lessons - or a friend wishing me a happy birthday. Less welcome is a call from a colleague who has clearly traveled down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. All I can do is remind him of the caring person I have known in the past – but I doubt if I have changed his view.

And I realize that in the week that the only live face to face conversations I have had is a brief one with the son and grandson picking up the car keys – and the concierge when I picked up a food box.  A couple of Zoom meetings lasted much longer and provided views of welcome faces.  And I’m back taking art lessons on Zoom where the gifted instructor can receive our works in progress and make suggestions for improvement, The six learners share their work and we admire one another’s creations and learn.  My twice monthly piano lesson on Zoom also provide good instruction and learning.

This is a pretty rich environment where I am lucky to be alive and experience.  One of the things that has struck me in writing this.  While I have social media accounts, I feel almost no need to access them at this point. What that means is that I’m not part of the world totally immersed in lack of truth.  And the challenge for others and for me is – how to I change that from where I sit now?