thanks John...you have been one who stepped up into the tricky world of innovative housing. Just had coffee with one of your colleagues on the project. As a follow up to this story, city council voted 13-1 in favour of the Nimby group, so it will be interesting to see if their talk of affordable housing will have any real impact on our city. My council member who asked me to help with this innovative project was one of the 13, so it goes.
Tough spot, to share a coffee with those so far corrupted that they sneer at any mention of collective responsibility and interdependence. And yet, Abe Lincoln said, “I hate that person, I must get to know them better.”
That is the rub. We primally want to yell and slander and otherwise one another but it’s only been digging us a bigger divide. If we pull out, it will be by swallowing our hubris and listing hard, and striving to comprehend, the incomprehensible.
Thanks Bob, I think the statement that struck me the most in your article was this: "There was gratitude". Along with common sense, compassion, generosity and selflessness, it's something that seems to be in short supply these days.
Thanks for sharing this unfortunate experience, Bob. In there, you mentioned that someone said that if you sat down with all these resident people over coffee, that you'd like them. I wonder if they sat down with the potential occupants of the low-cost housing over coffee, maybe they'd like these disadvantaged people. Obviously from their comments, they do not know and are unwilling to risk having them in the neighbourhood. I don't know if it would work here, but in Antigua they have low cost housing where, if a resident stays for 10 years and maintains the place, they're then given ownership.
Hello Bob. Great article. You’ve poked one of my personal bugbears. Compared to many other cultures, our EuroAmerican culture is very individual based. As children, we can’t wait to be out on our own. Young people today are so entitled and believe the media portrayal of the ideal lifestyle, that of the rich and famous. Is it the fault of our children that they believe they are entitled to everything now and all without really working for it? No. How can it be when they have been taught this all of their lives? We’ve let them down. The Industrial Revolution has cost us our sense of community and belonging in favour of a false measure of accomplishment and success. It’s no wonder so many today suffer from anxiety and a deep feeling of isolation that they can’t explain. I don’t have any answers, all I can say is that I am so glad that I grew up in a simpler time.
Jim, thank you for your thoughts. I think we all are staring down the current sensibility that we need to step back from the digital and fearful isolation of self and step into some renewed communal conversations that might point us back to the search for common good. always appreciate your view of the world Shark...
Community engagement of any kind can be challenging. I've been in those awkward situations that you experienced. Not fun!
Two thoughts come to mind:
1) Belief systems are very powerful. Where anyone stands dictates how they see the world. Change where you stand, and everything else changes.
2) Our culture is not very good at having healthy, intelligent conversations when there are opposing view.
So much more can be said about each.
thanks John...you have been one who stepped up into the tricky world of innovative housing. Just had coffee with one of your colleagues on the project. As a follow up to this story, city council voted 13-1 in favour of the Nimby group, so it will be interesting to see if their talk of affordable housing will have any real impact on our city. My council member who asked me to help with this innovative project was one of the 13, so it goes.
Tough spot, to share a coffee with those so far corrupted that they sneer at any mention of collective responsibility and interdependence. And yet, Abe Lincoln said, “I hate that person, I must get to know them better.”
That is the rub. We primally want to yell and slander and otherwise one another but it’s only been digging us a bigger divide. If we pull out, it will be by swallowing our hubris and listing hard, and striving to comprehend, the incomprehensible.
I remember you always talked about "industrial strength listening!"
Thanks Bob, I think the statement that struck me the most in your article was this: "There was gratitude". Along with common sense, compassion, generosity and selflessness, it's something that seems to be in short supply these days.
Thanks Leslie I believe gratitude has fallen off the worlds supply chain. We need to handcraft our own supply these days
Thanks for sharing this unfortunate experience, Bob. In there, you mentioned that someone said that if you sat down with all these resident people over coffee, that you'd like them. I wonder if they sat down with the potential occupants of the low-cost housing over coffee, maybe they'd like these disadvantaged people. Obviously from their comments, they do not know and are unwilling to risk having them in the neighbourhood. I don't know if it would work here, but in Antigua they have low cost housing where, if a resident stays for 10 years and maintains the place, they're then given ownership.
Hello Bob. Great article. You’ve poked one of my personal bugbears. Compared to many other cultures, our EuroAmerican culture is very individual based. As children, we can’t wait to be out on our own. Young people today are so entitled and believe the media portrayal of the ideal lifestyle, that of the rich and famous. Is it the fault of our children that they believe they are entitled to everything now and all without really working for it? No. How can it be when they have been taught this all of their lives? We’ve let them down. The Industrial Revolution has cost us our sense of community and belonging in favour of a false measure of accomplishment and success. It’s no wonder so many today suffer from anxiety and a deep feeling of isolation that they can’t explain. I don’t have any answers, all I can say is that I am so glad that I grew up in a simpler time.
Jim, thank you for your thoughts. I think we all are staring down the current sensibility that we need to step back from the digital and fearful isolation of self and step into some renewed communal conversations that might point us back to the search for common good. always appreciate your view of the world Shark...
Excellent perspective. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Herb. It’s an important story these days