Educational Responsibility

For the first time in the history of the British Commonwealth, a government has been found in contempt of parliament and forced to call an election due to subsequently losing the confidence of parliament. It says a lot about the historical state of Canadian politics and the total lack of confidence we have in the integrity of our politicians that our current scandal fueled government could actually use this humiliation to gain a majority victory in this election. Shows what a fear mongering, character bashing, negative campaign can accomplish. It’s too bad that none of these guys are considering the long term affects of their strategy on the unity and morale of the country.

Something I have learned but am having difficulty accepting - people are willing to accept less freedom and liberty in the name of security. We also seem to be willing to accept less democracy in our government as long as our unsustainable lifestyle can be supported for just a while longer. We have forgotten that despite the ease in which we can give up these rights it is far more difficult to win them back. Not to mention that we currently have people dying in Afghanistan fighting for the very rights and freedoms we are giving up.

I have set a lot of personal goals for myself that are focused on accepting responsibility for the state of the world and the quality of not only my life, but the lives of those with whom I come in contact. I have always had a disdain for politics but I have come to recognize the importance of educating myself about what each political party actually stands for (not always what they imply they stand for) when it comes to actively making a difference. My vote does count and where I cast that vote carries huge responsibility.

I doubt if one political party is less self serving and corrupt than another. However, the statement I make with my vote does affect the direction my government will chose to take my country. Lack of involvement in the political process has a huge affect on government policy. In fact, a government can come to rely upon public apathy to allow them to further their own agendas over the needs of the country.

“The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter.” - Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

Nurture or Nature

A recent British study has found that there is definitive differences in the anatomical structure of the brain that accurately predict a person’s political orientation by how they manage fear. Liberals tend to have larger anterior cingulate cortexes - a region of the brain that monitors uncertainty and conflict and conservatives have larger amydalae which processes emotions related to fear. Researchers believe the physical differences reflect the nature of voters: that liberals tend to be more comfortable with uncertainty while conservatives are more sensitive to fear. By measuring the size of these centres of the brain, they are able to predict political orientation to a 70% accurately.

It is fascinating to learn that many of us are hardwired to base our decisions on fear as it does explain a lot of the inertia that resists any changes that may shift current paradigms. There is much less fear associated with maintaining the status quo as opposed to accepting new ideas or approaches that may facilitate change at a risk.

As long as maintaining our current lifestyle remains the highest priority of our society, we will continue to justify sacrificing the environment for the economy, we will be less tolerant of different cultures, we will advocate reaction over reflection and revenge over reconciliation.

Something that the British study could not ascertain - whether or not our decision making hardwiring was a result of nurture or nature. As a leader I choose nurture because no matter your political leanings, this is the crux of responsibility.

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” - Nathaniel Branden (b.1930)

Massey Lectures

I happened to stumble across the final hour of Douglas Copeland’s five hour Massey Lecture on CBC Radio 1 a couple of nights ago. Copeland’s presentation marks the first time ever that a Massey Lecture has been presented through a work of  fiction. I only caught maybe fifteen minutes of it but what I did hear struck a chord with me, especially while we’re embroiled in another national election. I plan on downloading the lecture off of iTunes so that I can hear the entire presentation.  

Part of Copeland’s lecture touched on what would happen if the price of oil jumped to $900 a barrel. We’re talking about an event of apocalyptic proportions in that the world as we know it will cease to exist. Whether directly or indirectly, we’re all dependent upon affordable oil to make a living. 

People continue to deny mankind’s contribution to global warming. No matter what scientific data we accumulate, there will always be the “natural cycle” argument that will never be possible to disprove. One thing that everyone agrees upon is that oil is not an endless resource. It will run out. Yet even with this indisputable knowledge, we continue to consume oil conspicuously. 

A lot of money is being made off our current, oil dependent, economic model. Corporations answer to their shareholders and Governments answer to the corporations. We hold the power. If we want things to change, we must make sure our political choices and our purchase choices, or better yet our non purchase choices, reflect our values and our priorities. 

"I believe that oil production will peak in a few short years, and it will have very serious ramifications for society.  ..... The fact that this threat is not being taking serious enough frightens me, and that is why I take this debate very seriously." - Robert Rapier