wrythings

Joshua Breitbart has been developing and promoting a vision of Digital Expansion. I have had some trepidation with regard to this phrasing since he first shared it with me. I engaged a little on the matter in some of his blog entries on the topic, and I planned to do a longer piece in reaction to the concept. Most of my criticism comes down to whether the name suits what is being described and whether the name advances the cause or what will best serve the cause. But all that is perhaps minor and unnecessary, especially in light of the recent statement by Josh under the title: These are difficult conversations.

This recent presentation of the concept and the vision resonates deeply for me. The Digital Expansion Initiative speaks most strongly when the social justice aspects of Digital Access are made explicit.

The recognition that these issues we regularly broach in public fora lead us quickly to difficult (sensitive) conversations is important. I affirm the timeliness of that recognition. Now is indeed the time for such conversation. Be undaunted.

A friend shared Philippians 4:4-9 with me today:

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Think about such things, put them into practice.

Via the Open Space listserv, courtesy Doug Germann:

Perhaps the earliest open space poet was Emily Dickinson. In 1858, she wrote:

In the name of the Bee–
And of the Butterfly–
And of the Breeze–Amen!

Would I have been happier with a fiddle than a violin?

Lars found this excellent statement by Marvin Minsky (The Society of Mind).

Common sense is not a simple thing. Instead, it is an immense society of hard-earned practical ideas - of multitudes of life-learned rules and exceptions, dispositions and tendencies, balances and checks.

that which arrests the motion of thought is false

This is an ethical and an intellectual principle for me,  dare I say a semeiotic principle?