2013.07.11 07:00 - By Whose Definition of Desireable

eliza posted this session from the auto-listener database.

[07:12] DR42 Resident: ηαмαѕтє
[07:12] Storm Nordwind: Namaste

[07:14] DR42 Resident: Any thoughts?
[07:15] Storm Nordwind: Rarely ;-)

[07:17] DR42 Resident: ηαмαѕтє
[07:17] ikumiasahi Resident: Hello :)
[07:17] Storm Nordwind: Welcome Asahi
[07:18] Storm Nordwind: I see you have been here before Asahi, but I don't recall whether you said it was OK to publish both your presence here and what you say. Can i confirm it's OK please?
[07:18] ikumiasahi Resident: Yes
[07:18] Storm Nordwind: Thank you. :)

[07:20] Storm Nordwind: So far we are quiet this morning. I was a little late. We have a topic of the week. But if we're just happy either to sit and enjoy the quiet or talk about something else, that's all fine! :)
[07:21] DR42 Resident thinks about the judge in the court case in Florida. She seems to have done well, and is certainly a rising star.
[07:22] Storm Nordwind has not heard about this, and simply listens.
[07:23] DR42 Resident: Florida vs. Zimmerman, man shot and killed a boy. Race has been an issue.
[07:24] ikumiasahi Resident is also not familiar with this case.
[07:24] DR42 Resident: kk
[07:31] Storm Nordwind: I find it interesting that, wherever I live or work, there's often a parochial element to the news. This is natural, of course, and probably very good (unless one loses sight of any bigger picture). But I notice that my own international background has led me to gloss over many local matters and focus more on wider themes. I don't know whether that's good or bad, or neither, but I guess that's just me!
[07:33] ikumiasahi Resident: There's a need for people who focus more on the big picture too.
[07:33] DR42 Resident: Local new from other locations is often not available easily. In the case I mentioned, it has been covered for the last three months almost continuously on a national level.

[07:34] ikumiasahi Resident: I don't think it's a choice where one option is good and the other bad. Both are needed. In the end, I'd suggest picking the one you feel you can contribute more to.

[07:35] DR42 Resident: I do listen to the BBC world service most days, but that contains little local content.
[07:35] Storm Nordwind: That's interesting DR. I've found it fairly easy to keep in touch with international matters and local stuff from around the world. As Asahi suggests, I guess one is attracted to some things more than others and can contribute more to those.
[07:38] DR42 Resident: World news is easy, but unless I specifically look for it, local news from places like Paris, or Rio, or even major regional lews from asia, is absent from the "common" new sources.
[07:39] DR42 Resident: The only news from yesterday that I remember was the debate in they should charge 5 cents more for a pair of jeans in the US so that workers in Bangladesh could be assured safe workinging conditions.
[07:40] Storm Nordwind nods

[07:41] Storm Nordwind: I wonder if "keeping up" with news and events is "desirable" - in that not doing so would be "undesirable". What do you both think?
[07:42] ikumiasahi Resident: by whose definition of "desireable"?
[07:42] Storm Nordwind smiles
[07:42] DR42 Resident: Remaining aware of events in the world would be somewhat a base for compassionate action.
[07:42] Storm Nordwind: Indeed Asahi. It is probably a personal judgment!
[07:42] Storm Nordwind nods to DR
[07:44] Storm Nordwind: Could one be compassionate without that I wonder. Would greater knowledge, and greater potential for action be helpful? Or would it merely dilute focus? If one is compassionate most of the time, locally or beyond, would that make a difference?

[07:44] ikumiasahi Resident: The answer to that question is most certainly different for each person.
[07:47] DR42 Resident: one issue might be that by being unaware, there would be no base for global compassionate action. Was what happened in bangledesh a bit of "local" new? The outrage in the US has been significant, causing tens of thousands of people to pressure the companies buying garments there to include safe work conditions in their contracts. Would that happen without access to local news stories?

[07:47] ikumiasahi Resident: Storm, the questions you've asked so far are all questions that are difficult to answer with logic due to the fuzziness of the information the answer needs to be based on. Intuition works far better for that kind of questions.
[07:50] Storm Nordwind: Yes DR. Though it may be good that some people are best suited to acting globally and some locally. Maybe all have their place and bring benefit overall. And Asahi, you are quite right! (But I ask to stimulate discussion ;)
[07:50] DR42 Resident thinks "dispassionate discourse"
[07:50] ikumiasahi Resident smiles.
[07:53] ikumiasahi Resident: It's important to keep in mind your own tolerance capacity too. A lot of news is negative and everyone has their limits on how much they can take of that.
[07:53] DR42 Resident: I need to run. Errands are piling up.
[07:53] Storm Nordwind: OK DR. Pleasure to talk with you :)
[07:54] ikumiasahi Resident: Good luck DR :)
[07:55] DR42 Resident: One thought, my interest in the court case, is one from a concern, even outrage, over the hypocrisy of how the people are being treated.
[07:55] DR42 Resident: bye
[07:57] Storm Nordwind: Your point about tolerance is a good one Asahi. For example, I know I have a very short attention span with court cases. So I never watch movies about them either! I guess I'm suited to the process. Perhaps I now live in a country, more than some others, where that's often a way things are sorted out, and I should force myself to take it in!
[07:58] Storm Nordwind: *I'm NOT suited to the process (I mean!)

[08:17] ikumiasahi Resident: Well, it's time for me to go. It was nice to talk :)
[08:17] Storm Nordwind: Pleasure to have you here. Please come again! :)