Be the candle in the dark...

 https://www.weekly-echo.com/be-the-candle-in-the-dark/

In 1859, Charles Dickens penned: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”  

It is certainly the best of times now for us in terms of science and technology. Artificial intelligence-powered systems are capable of understanding and generating human-like speech, recognising objects and faces, and performing complex tasks with high levels of autonomy; Internet of Things technology connect everyday objects to the internet, enabling the collection and exchange of data allowing for improved efficiency, convenience, and decision-making.  Advances in biotechnology have led to breakthroughs in areas such as gene therapy, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering providing innovative treatments for various diseases and conditions, and even personalised treatments tailored to genetic profiles. 3D printing enables the creation of complex three-dimensional objects, from customized medical implants to architectural prototypes, with reduced waste and increased design flexibility. Space exploration technology enables us to observe distant celestial objects, and for missions to the Moon and Mars.  

Against the backdrop of these amazing achievements, World Health Organization in 2020 reported that “nearly 1 billion people live with a mental disorder... Every year, close to 3 million people die due to substance abuse.  Every 40 seconds, a person dies by suicide. About 50% of mental health disorders start by the age of 14.’[1]  Sadly, the covid pandemic has only worsened the statistics.  Certainly, we are experiencing the worst of times in this regard.  

Is there a co-relationship between the two phenomena?  That medical science and healthcare have improved tremendously but more people are sick and there are more new ailments than ever before.  Why is it that education is accessible to so many, yet more and more young people are going astray? Why is that everyone talks about justice, but women and some communities still treated unfairly?   How is it that wealth has increased dramatically but still poverty abounds.  Why is it that science has proved humanity is one, but people continue to construct otherness within their societies? Why is it that we blame society for everything that goes wrong forgetting we are all part of that very society?  

Perhaps we need to go back to basics and think about how we have been interacting with each other to bring us to the condition we are in today.   And reflect on what does it take for all of us to live, nay, thrive together on this one finite resource habitat of ours.

No one will dispute that we are interdependent on one other as we live in a globally interconnected world.  With 8 billion people and growing, it makes rational sense that it is in our collective best interests to live harmoniously together and to work towards common goals which benefit us collectively for our better future.  

Sadly, in Malaysia, while we savour and relish tucking in each other’s nasi lemak, banana leaf rice, and chicken rice, we continue to hear comments and actions fractured, to varying degrees, along racial, cultural, and religious lines.

If we only pause and reflect for a moment, surely, we realise that we are indeed blessed to live in this beautiful megadiverse tanahair of us.  The blend of our multi-cultural, multi-racial, and multi-ethnic society is indeed one of our greatest strengths.   Of course, we know that a society that embraces diversity is inherently more resilient and adaptable to change. By having individuals from various cultural and racial backgrounds, we are better equipped to face challenges, navigate complex issues, and respond to shifting dynamics. When we leverage on each other’s strengths, we become more flexible, have greater problem-solving capabilities, and abilities to embrace change, making us more resilient in these complex time we live in.

To achieve the full potential of our diverse society requires nurturing an inclusive environment that values and respects all individuals. And we need to learn to live harmoniously together. This involves fostering understanding, empathy, and cooperation among individuals and communities.  Living harmoniously together also implies respecting and valuing diversity, embracing different cultures, perspectives, and ideas. It also acknowledges that every individual has a role to play in creating a more inclusive and equitable society.  We would need to learn to assist each other face different kinds of challenges, and to try to find unity through pursuit of common goals;  we need to learn to put aside inherited customs and attitudes and overcome prejudices of all kinds, and learn to guard against tendencies to view matters with cynicism, and instead sustain constructive outlooks; we would have to work to put the equality of women and men into practice and support plans for collective action.  We need to learn to tap into the joy of helping each other.

Clearly, achieving such harmony and interconnectedness is a complex process. It requires addressing various challenges such as social inequalities, conflicts, environmental issues, and global cooperation. Different cultures, interests, and priorities can sometimes create tensions and hinder progress towards harmonious coexistence.   

So how do we live harmoniously together?  Perhaps, shifting of mindsets are the necessary first steps?

Discrimination originates not in the skin but in the human mind. At the root of all forms of discrimination and intolerance is the erroneous idea that humankind is somehow composed of separate and distinct races, peoples or castes, and that those sub–groups innately possess varying intellectual, moral, and/or physical capacities, which in turn justify different forms of treatment.

Mahatma Gandhi wisely told us that we should be the change we want to see in the world.  We know that individual actions have the power to create ripple effects that can lead to significant changes in society. For example, when Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus in 1955, it sparked a movement that paved the way for the Civil Rights Movement. Similarly, when Greta Thunberg started protesting outside the Swedish Parliament for action on climate change, it inspired a global youth movement that has brought attention to the urgent need for action on the issue.  Crucially too, individual actions can lead to positive societal changes in everyday life. Simple acts of kindness can make a huge impact on the lives of those around us and change how we interact with each other. It is essential to remember that our individual actions matter and can create a ripple effect that can lead to significant changes in society.  

Happily, we are already seeing glimpses of this unfolding in varying degrees in many settings, including in Malaysia.  Think about those amazing individuals who work devotedly and selflessly for grassroot communities, for preservation of our biodiversity, and other praiseworthy causes.  

Such enkindled individuals work for the prosperity of all, recognising that the welfare of individuals rests in the welfare of society at large. They are loyal citizens who steer clear of partisanship and the contest for worldly power, and focus on transcending differences, harmonising perspectives, and promoting the use of consultation for making decisions. They emphasise qualities and attitudes - such as trustworthiness, cooperation, and forbearance - that are building blocks of a stable social order. They champion rationality and science as essential for human progress. They advocate acceptance and understanding, and view everyone as a potential partner to collaborate with and strive to foster fellow feeling even among groups who may traditionally have been hostile to one another. They are conscious of how the forces of materialism are at work around them, and aware of the many injustices that persist in the world, yet they are equally clear sighted about the creative power of unity and humanity’s capacity for altruism.  

The actions of these inspiring individuals have the potential to galvanise others to also embrace such qualities. In time, the pattern of their community life might evolve to become nurturing environments where they live harmoniously together with relationships founded on unity and justice.  

So, can we be those individuals who are like candles in the dark?  Individuals who can provide illumination and be a source of light and guidance, allowing others to see our surroundings and navigate through the chaos?  Even in the face of overwhelming challenges or a seemingly insurmountable darkness, a single candle can make a difference, that small acts of kindness, courage, or determination can have a significant impact on the world around us. Just as one candle can inspire others to light their own candles, one person's actions can motivate and influence others to join in creating positive change.

---

[1] https://www.who.int/news/item/27-08-2020-world-mental-health-day-an-opportunity-to-kick-start-a-massive-scale-up-in-investment-in-mental-health#:

Drama Review Club - Extraordinary Attorney Woo

16 June 2023:  Episode 1   

23 June 2023:  Episodes 2 & 3 

30 June 2023:  Episode 4   

If you enjoy book review activities, do join us for this drama review session - only much easier and more fun!   Watch the specified episode of Extraordinary Attorney Woo (on Netflix) ahead of time and turn up at the one hour zoom meeting prepared to share your thoughts on the following:

1. What was your favourite part of the episode?
2. Did any of the scenes make you laugh out loud?
3. Did any of the scenes warm your heart?
4. Who was your favourite character this week? why?
5. Did watching the drama impact your mood? If yes, how so?
6. Are there lingering questions from the episode you're still thinking about?
7. Which virtues were strongly practiced in this episode?
8. What lessons did you learn from this episode?

Impact of our Worldviews

We live in a time of rapid, often unsettling change, which causes much feelings of confusion, and anxiety among many of us.   There is a myriad of underlying reasons for this - many from real challenges arising from structures of society that is ill-prepared to address the needs of humanity: poverty, pandemic, inadequate access to resources, etc.  But at lot too are driven by our behaviours which stem from our anxieties and insecurities which, in turn, emanates from how we perceive the world around us. 

Worldviews play a crucial role in forming our underlying assumptions, which are the foundational beliefs and understandings we hold about ourselves, others, and the nature of reality. These assumptions are often deeply ingrained and operate at a subconscious level, guiding our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours.  Our worldviews are the lenses through which we interpret and make sense of the world around us. They are shaped by various factors, such as our upbringing, culture, education, and personal experiences. These worldviews consist of beliefs, values, and attitudes that influence our perceptions, judgments, and decisions.

For example, someone with a worldview that emphasises individualism and self-reliance may hold assumptions such as "success is primarily the result of personal effort," or "people are responsible for their own circumstances." These assumptions may lead them to adopt behaviours that prioritise personal achievement, independence, and competition.

On the other hand, someone with a worldview that emphasises collectivism and social interconnectedness may hold assumptions such as "people's well-being is interconnected, and we have a responsibility to support one another," or "society should prioritise the needs of the community over individual desires." These assumptions may lead them to adopt behaviours that prioritise cooperation, collaboration, and community engagement.

Importantly, our worldviews and underlying assumptions are not fixed or universally shared. They can evolve and change over time, influenced by new information, experiences, and perspectives. Engaging in critical thinking, reflecting on our beliefs, and being open to diverse viewpoints can help us challenge and broaden our worldviews, leading to more informed and inclusive behaviours.

Many would be familiar with the contemporary theory held by academicians and corporate thinkers that to solve complex problems such as the ones confronting humanity today, we need to apply systems thinking.  That as everything is interconnected in a biological sciences way, so a holistic way will be necessary to investigate factors and interactions to contribute to a possible outcome.  They explain there are six conditions that need to be addressed together to effectively make systems change. 

The six conditions of systems change: the three structural change components listed at the top are explicit, like the visible part of an iceberg, two relational change components which are semi-explicit, whereas the transformative change listed at the bottom is implicit, like the iceberg below the water line. For more information, check out The Water of Systems Change by John Kania, Mark Kramer, and Peter Senge 

Bearing this theory in mind, it is interesting to note that when companies or governments want to bring about change, their efforts are often focused on addressing structural changes by setting out new policies and practices and channeling resource flows.  What is often not sufficiently dealt with is the relationships and connections, and the power dynamics between the people involved, which need to also alter to advance equity, a key element for more sustained change.  Fascinatingly, what is essential for enduring transformative change often gets the least attention - shifts of mental models or worldviews. 

Applying the systems thinking theory, changes are more likely to be sustained when working at three different levels of change: explicit - the policies, the practices, the resource flows; semi-explicit - the relationships and connections, and the power dynamics; and implicit - the mental models for transformative change.

On the point about mental models or worldviews, no one will disagree that education can be an effective means to bring about transformative change.  Education that provides opportunities to engage in critical thinking, reflect on our beliefs, and explore diverse viewpoints.  Education that helps us learn to understand the underlying reasons and the historical processes that have brought our society to this point, as well as understand our underlying assumptions that have been driving our individual and collective behaviour. Education that explores the fundamental questions of human condition, the patterns of relationships that bind us together. Education that can help us re-think our worldviews and beliefs dispassionately based on evidence. 

Going back to basics, perhaps our academic education system – from primary to tertiary - should be re-examined to incorporate a curriculum that is more holistic, one which also builds capacity in our children beyond the focus on technical skills.   Consider if our education curricular is broadened to also include development of capacity to analyse social conditions and discover the forces that have caused them, and the ability to express ideas?  And one which shapes our children to be determined yet humble participants who contribute to the establishment of a spirit of unity and collaboration?  This could be achieved through a curricular that facilitate appreciation of our rich history as well as the unifying forces that contribute to advancement of civilisation rather than focusing on differing ideologies as well as on the wars and events that divide humanity.  Education which instils a sense of justice and civic-mindedness, and which provides the conditions to embrace the diversity of religion, culture, race, class, and ethnicity through inter-faith and inter-ethnic studies.  Education that helps us understand our interconnectedness and which encourages us to strive for the betterment of all.

Adults too could also partake in this movement of change by engaging in meaningful conversations in informal grassroot settings. Conversations which elevate our understanding of what is happening around us, the reasons why these occurrences happen and how everything is inter connected. Conversations that explore concepts and analyse processes that give shape to our search for prosperity, and to examine our beliefs, attitudes, habits, relationships, and actions which cause these occurrences to happen.   

When we understand what is needed for our collective prosperity, we could systematically channel this awareness > understanding > appreciation into tangible patterns of attitudes and behaviours, including our language, and apply them in our daily lives.  Over time, our social existence, as well as our inner lives, might become increasingly and visibly transformed.  With the interconnectedness of individuals, communities, and systems within our society, these shifts at the level of individuals could cause even a ripple effect of change throughout our ecosystem and could contribute to bring about the change we want.

Meaningful conversations

We live in a time of rapid, often unsettling change, causing feelings of confusion, and anxiety in our communities and we are concerned.   There must be numerous underlying reasons for this - many from real challenges arising from structures of society that is ill-prepared to address the needs of humanity: poverty, pandemic, inadequate access to resources, etc but we also believe that at lot too are likely driven by our behaviours which stem from our anxieties and insecurities which emanate from our personal worldviews. 

Thankfully, we see many sacrificial efforts of many individuals and organisations – local and global – who are striving to overcome such challenges.  These selfless individuals and praiseworthy organisations are doing much to bring relief and hope to many across the world.

In our efforts to also contribute to the betterment of our communities, we are exploring an approach that is educational in nature, and which begins by learning to understand the underlying reasons and the historical processes that have brought our society to this point, as well as understand our individual and collective underlying assumptions that have been driving our collective and personal behaviour.  We also explore the fundamental questions of human condition, the patterns of relationships that bind us together, especially in the context of prevailing social structures. 

So we create spaces for regular conversations based on a structured process of understanding what is happening around us; understand the reasons why these occurrences happen and how everything is inter-connected; explore concepts and analyse processes that give shape to humanity’s search for global prosperity; examine our beliefs, attitudes, habits, relationships and actions which cause these occurrences to happen.  Based on insights gained, we begin to rethink our beliefs, attitudes, habits, relationships and actions, including language, necessary to bring about change we want.  Through this, we learn to understand what is good so that we can systematically channel this awareness / understanding / appreciation into tangible patterns of behaviour.  And we endeavour every day to apply this in our daily lives, with the hope that over time, our social existence, as well as our inner lives, might become increasingly and visibly transformed, perhaps contributing to the change we want to see in the world. 

Hence every weekday evening, we hold spaces for these meaningful conversations.  

We choose the educational approach as we believe that if we want transformative change, we need to shift our mental models or worldviews.  Many would be familiar with the theory held by academicians and corporate thinkers that to solve complex problems, we need to apply systems thinking.  They explain that everything is interconnected in a biological sciences way and so a holistic way will be necessary to investigate factors and interactions to contribute to a possible outcome.  They inform there are conditions that need to be addressed together to effectively make systems change – from addressing policies, practices, and resource flows which are structural in nature, to re-moulding relationships and connections and power dynamics which are relational change, to shifting mental models or beliefs or ideology essential for transformative change. 

Consistent with the above contemporary theory for change, we therefore choose to focus on changing mental models for more effective and enduring change.  And we all know the transformative power of education to illumine and shift mental models, and consequential impact on lives.

Crucially too, in our conversations and reflections, we draw on insights from spiritual teachings as well as the accumulated store of human knowledge generated through scientific enquiry, as we see that an educational approach based on both sources of knowledge – science and religion – being holistic.

No one can deny that science has played a crucial role in the development of civilization by providing a systematic and objective way of understanding the natural world. Through scientific investigation and experimentation, humanity has been able to make significant advancements in fields such as medicine, agriculture, transportation, and technology. These advancements have contributed to the overall improvement of our living standards and the advancement of society. Science has also played a key role in shaping our understanding of the universe, and it continues to play a vital role in shaping our future. 

True religion, on the hand, transforms the human heart. Indeed, the world’s great faiths have animated civilisations throughout history. Each affirms the existence of an all-loving God and opens the doors of understanding to the spiritual dimension of life. Each cultivates the love of God and of humanity in the human heart and seeks to bring out the noblest qualities and aspirations of the human being. Each has beckoned humankind to higher forms of civilisation. These systems of shared belief brought by the world’s great religions have enabled people to unite and create bonds of trust and cooperation at ever-higher levels of social organisation―from the family to the tribe, to the city-state and nation. As humanity moves toward a global civilization, this power of religion to promote can perhaps be better understood today than ever before.

Over time, through these sessions, it is our hope that our capacities for service will be enhanced and will give rise to individual initiatives and increasingly complex collective action for the betterment of society. 

Starting on 16 June 2023: Drama Review Club - Extraordinary Attorney Woo

 

Starting from 16 June 2023, we are starting a drama review club - like book review club, only much easier and more fun!  In case you are wondering, this is very much in line with our raison d'être of hosting uplifting hopeful conversations. 

Friends will watch an episode of a selected drama series ahead of time and turn up at the one hour zoom meeting prepared to share their thoughts on the following:

• What was your favourite part of the episode?
• Did any of the scenes make you laugh out loud?
• Did any of the scenes warm your heart?
• Did watching the drama impact your mood? If yes, how so?
• Are there lingering questions from the episode you're still thinking about?
• What lessons did you learn from this episode?
• Which virtues were strongly practiced in this episode?
• Who was your favourite character this week? why?

The drama series we will be reviewing is the Korean award winning drama entitled Extraordinary Attorney Woo. It’s lighthearted yet heartwarming. It has 16 episodes of an hour each and can be watched over Netflix. 

If you have your Friday free and wish to have some fun, laughter and heart-warming conversation, then join us for an hour to discuss the drama.  To get the zoom link, please register here   https://forms.gle/qdeYZnurTGc6HfQv7 

So why are we doing this?  What is the raison d'être of Have Hope?

We are so often bombarded with negative news and conversations.  But we also know these are not the only things that are happening around us.  So it is important to have grassroot spaces to hold the space for ...

... conversations to counter the prevailing narrative,  

... life-affirming conversations among friends on topics that will uplift our hearts and illumine our minds and refresh our souls.  

... conversations to explore ways in which we can move beyond a critique of our current social order, into constructive concepts and practices that allow us to imagine, and to effect change at the level of thought and attitudes.  

Through our conversations, perhaps we could learn to make sense of what is happening around us, and to elevate our understanding on their possible underlying causes - with the hope that our perspectives might be broadened, which, in turn, might help to shape our thoughts and our vocabulary.  We hoped that, for some, this might even lead to re-ordering our lives, and our relationships. 

Power To Do, Not Power Over

https://www.weekly-echo.com/power-to-do-not-power-over/

We are very familiar with the concept of power expressed in countless forms in our relationships.  Think how this exists at home in the way spouses interact with each other, in how parents interact with their children, in how we interact with our aged parents.  In our schools we see nuances of this manifested between teachers and with students, and in our workplaces in the way we interact with our colleagues, our customers, and the authorities.  What about the way we behave when we interact with members of law and order, or when we interact with those that we perceive to be different from us in our communities?

No one will disagree that the dynamics of domination and opposition have come to define many human relationships. This widely accepted concept of power as a means of domination, with the accompanying notions of contest, contention, division, and superiority, generates inequality, violence, and exploitation.  Hence efforts to achieve equality in gender, race, diverse groups, or society are frequently framed as battles for power.  Set up in our society like a zero-sum game, power is perceived as a finite resource which is to be “seized” and “jealously guarded”.  This scarcity mental model shapes us to fight for access to limited resources and for positions of privilege, power taken by one group from another.  Hence, the widespread extremes of wealth, and the wide-scale displacement of people in the form of refugee movement that we see around us. 

Undoubtedly, there has been considerable positive power shifts in many areas in recent years, resulting, for instance in the advancement of women’s and minority rights, and in broadening girls’ access to education in many countries.  One significant milestone is in the near-universal acknowledgement that women and men are equal. Nevertheless, while the ideal of equality is generally acknowledged, its expression in all facets of life is far from realized, evidenced from the news we read from near and far.

It is often noted that the current notion of power is largely externally driven and exerted by material concerns (eg wealth or military force) often resulting in ‘power over another’ whereas the more constructive and generative power expressed in the form of ‘power to do’ often emerges from personal sensibilities, such as morality or the desire to collaborate and cooperate.

So, if historical processes have created inequalities and the current adversarial expressions of power have ceased to be useful as it is ultimately incompatible with the social requirements of justice, solidarity, and peace, surely we would want to explore alternative approaches which would better serve to sustain society and that would yield our collective prosperity and well-being.

So, the question before us is this:  Is a zero-sum paradigm the key driver of our human social organization? Are there alternative systems and structures that can be created that allow all people to thrive concurrently – that will work for 100% of the people? Should we continue to focus on perpetuating a system that has so often failed us, or should we bend our energies, time, and resources towards creating a new one that has the power to uplift us all? What expressions of power would give rise to such systems and structures?

Explore this thought experiment:  what if we challenge our preconceived notions of power, how it is expressed, and how it can best be exercised? And consider the outcomes if we conceive power in a different manner, associated with notions of solidarity, of love, of service to the greater good? What if we were to re-frame power as a limitless resource that one can channel to enact positive movements in the world?   What if we perceive power as the capacity to uplift, to unite for a greater good, to be just, to show compassion, to persevere, to transform? The kind of power which empowers, encourages, channels, guides, and enables us to realise the highest potential of individuals?   

Crucially too, what beliefs, norms, practices, and conversations will our families, civil societies and governments need to adopt to engender this alternate concept of power? How can we ensure that our means are consistent with our desired ends?

Empowerment can serve as a mechanism for effecting deep and broad-based social change, as it provides a means of improving quality of life and expanding the basis of human well-being.  It is an outcome of the development of individuals, achieved through education, training, access to material resources, etc, and supported by societal structural changes.

Particularly on education, it is one of the essential solutions that will enable the establishment of patterns of relationship that are commensurate with humanity’s needs. Educational models that uphold that we are of one human family and that each member of the human race is born into the world as a trust of the whole and has a responsibility to the whole; education that illumines us that every individual and group have room for advancement, that the marginalized are not without capacity, and the privileged are not all-powerful, that all have capacity to develop and all have a responsibility to advance the welfare of the whole; education that raises our understanding on the divisive notions of “us” and “them” and that the us/them dichotomies only perpetuate and reinforce existing divisions;  education that assist development of capacities for unity and integration and a genuine love for all fellow human beings; an orientation to service that will help us address challenges over time with patience and steadfastness; a vision of the future that will motivate us to work towards the transformation of harmful customs and values in our local communities that obstruct progress; and an attitude of humility that will enable us to be open to the perspectives of others and free from rigid attachment to our own views and approaches.

We are living today in a unique period in history. In this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, the need for a new understanding of our relationships with each other - between the individual, the community, and the institutions of society - becomes ever more pressing.  Our interdependence must be recognized, and old paradigms of conflict need to be replaced with more profound conceptions of the complementary roles to be played by each in building a better world.

We must hence learn how to draw on constructive expressions of power that will capacitate our efforts to build a fair and equal society. And our individual efforts be supported by communities and institutions which allow for the creation of environments in which the powers of our noble human spirit can be released: the power of unity, of love, of humble service, of pure deeds.