"I love that you've brought this to attention. An extensive database of uncommon but resistant and hardy plants/foods could be developed and organized by climate. Ease of growth and processing should also be taken in to account. I will try to…"
A crash course in changing the world.
LEARN1 - don't fight culture
I chose tip 2 - "Don’t fight culture (If people cook by stirring their stews, they’re not going to use a solar oven, no matter what you do to market it. Make them a better stove instead.)"
But for me, as a guy who grew up into the Isreali-Arab conflict, this tip is much more than a design tip.
The bloody conflict going on in my country for over a century has several aspects of a cultural (or religious) war. Everybody is quoting the Bible or the Koran to prove that tey're right and that the other side should be demolished. This is not only tragic, but simply untrue: These ancient books have all kinds of interpertations, and every one can choose how to read them.
So you grow up in a culture that keeps telling you that you are surrounded by enemies whos only wish is to destroy you. You're taught in school that you are the chosen people, that God himself promised all the land of Israel to you, and that Zionism means going to the military and building new settlements everywhere.
So if you were lucky enough (like me) to be born in an open-minded, non-religious family, your first reaction to this brain-wash is to negate everything: you hate religion, you oppose the Bible, and you call yourself an "anti-" or "post-" zionist, and try to convince everybody that they're foolish... Of course, by the time you're 20-something, you realize that this approach isn't getting you anywhere: You are regarded by others as a traitor, you're tagged as a "self-hating jew", and nobody listens to what you have to say (except for all your "self-hating" friends of course...)
But after a few years, I realized that it is possible to get into people's hearts if you do the opposite: by declaring that you are proud to be Jewish and a Zionist, you get people's ears. And then you can show them all the humanitarian values that are clearly written in the bible. You can teach people about the original zionists from the beginning of the 20th century, who wanted to be a part of the middle east - not to rule it! You convince people to read these ancient texts with new eyes, and slowly you see how their minds shift.
I can tell you that in many debates that I had with people over the years, if I tried to make them ditch their religious beliefs or negate their zionist ideology, they wouldn't even listen. But by embracing the Bible and zionism, studying them and giving people specific quotes that show them how Judaism is a peace seeking, humane, cosmo-politic, almost socialistic religion, and that zionism is originally against oppression and occupation, I started converting people to my side.
Of course one person can convert so many people, and there is still a long way to go - but I'm certain that the key to succeed in bringing peace to this area is not fighting people's beliefs, but rather helping them to see how they can change the way they act and see reality, based on the same texts and culture that they already believe in.
Views: 13
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Comment by Raymond M. Kristiansen on March 9, 2010 at 10:40am
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This!: "But after a few years, I realized that it is possible to get into people's hearts if you do the opposite: by declaring that you are proud to be Jewish and a Zionist, you get people's ears. And then you can show them all the humanitarian values that are clearly written in the bible"
I think you are on to something very valuable here with your insight into how it can help if you show them a different side from their own religion/tradition. As you say, Zionism is not in itself about warfare. Being a Zionist does Not mean that you want to be hardcore against Palestinian children who throw rocks on the Israeli tanks.
I look forward to hearing more from you on these issues. What examples do you have of progress in your local community? Something which I am personally curious about is how the general Israeli (Jewish Israeli) public actually views those Jews who along with Palestinians are protesting for peace, who are against settlements being built all over the place, etc. Are they seen as "radicals"? Are they seen as a nuisance? Or are they being heard by the mainstream media? Is their view slowly gaining ground?
Thanks for sharing!
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Comment by Ithamar Samuel Eshpar on March 9, 2010 at 1:49pm
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Thanks Raymond, I do intend to keep informing. The good news in here is that the protest is gaining strength and the protestors are succeeding in making some noise. I hope I can bring some video evidence soon about the protest.
There is very hard opposition to our views in Israel, but I think that the majority of the people are just desperate and believe that there is no solution. Tel Aviv is as raving and as partying as ever, and people mostly don't want to hear about these subjects. I hope to find some inspiration in this EVOKE "game"' to think how I can take part in changeing the reality here.
There is a particular group of rabbies, called "Rabbies for Human Rights", that are quite active and have a similar ideology to the ideas I put in the blog. If you're curious here's their website: http://www.rhr.org.il/index.php?language=en
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Comment by Starling on April 1, 2010 at 8:16am
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Respect, Ithamar Samuel Eshpar. :)
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Comment by Sarah Shaw Tatoun on April 1, 2010 at 8:53am
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Ithamar-- I wish everyone would read this wonderful post of yours. It says what I have been trying to say-- but much more powerfully, since you have the real-life experience and I have only the theory!
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