I AM NOT DONE…. I SHALL PERSIST…. I SHALL RETURN
~ Alan Briskin
Talmudic Commentary: “Pshh, Big shot.  I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Dear Friends and Subscribers to Becoming Conscious of Capitalism,

When I first began writing, I sought to discover new perspectives about our social and economic arrangements called capitalism.

I wrote at the beginning:

“At a time when many voices are calling for a new form of conscious capitalism, this is a chance to step back and  consider where we have been and how we can best shape the future.”

My intent then, as it is now, was to share my journey of exploration, to clarify, provoke, inform, and at times delight.

I now am entering another period of reflection and discovery, so there will be a hiatus regarding regular posts.  I will continue, through my blog to send periodic musings, quotes, images, and notice of books and events unfolding. If you have not already done so, please subscribe to my blog and/or mailing list to be notified of postings.

We’ll let you know when the series begins again.

A NOTE OF APPRECIATION
As always, it is the collective that creates safe harbor for new perspectives.  One person may see a new possibility but without some form of receptivity, encouragement, debate, and co-engagement from others, the new perspective is lost, badly mutated, or simply ignored.

GRATEFULLNESS
I want to thank Amy Lenzo for her encouragement and technical prowess, setting up the blog postings with visual beauty, managing the subscriptions, and overseeing the weekly installments.  I want to thank Jo Lee and her e-magazine for showcasing the series on her website with great care and attention.  I want to thank Elissa Rabellino for careful editing and shaping of my text.

And I really want to thank all of you who have read, commented, offered me support, and occasionally differed with me.  Thank you.  Feedback, when respectful and sometimes not, is how we know we exist in the world.

A glimpse at some reader comments that have come in… (I encourage more of you to write).

• Jennifer E. sent a quote that is dear to my heart from Pierre Teilhard Chardin: “There is an almost sensual longing for communion with others who have a larger vision. The immense fulfillment of the friendships between those engaged in furthering the evolution of consciousness has a quality almost impossible to describe.”

• Bill V. wrote “What a helicopter ride to travel vertically between brain functioning and our many higher levels of system; and to travel horizontally from present to past and back. I feel so collectively wise. Charles Dickens is perhaps my all time favorite author. I await Alan’s insightful literary servings in ways that may be similar to how much of literate London awaited the serial publishing of his chapters.”

• Thanks for the link to the compilation.   I dearly treasure the weekly addition to “Becoming Conscious of Capitalism”.  Truly a remarkable set of insights and ideas formulated into an readable,     enjoyable addition to each of my weeks. I also enjoy the HDR photography as a special addition.  Warm regards and hugs; The Cambria Philosopher

• Speaking about my most recent post, Sam I am wrote:  “The murky waters I’ve been plunged in are just starting to have clarity. Ever so slowly I’m acclimating to the scenario of social constructs and your blog is a wonderful guide in helping me navigate. Love the Dr. Seuss “could not, would not” reference. “

• Susan H. wrote early on: “I love the idea of reflecting back on how things came to be. It is so easy to see the present as inevitable, or even “how it’s always been.” Essential to our healthy evolution is the ability to see the present as a result of choices that we’ve made at various points–highly constrained choices perhaps, but choices nonetheless. We need that understanding in order to open up choice now.”

• John M. wrote: It’s more tragic still that Marx, as part of a deeply materialistic culture in the 1800s, was able to make basic assumptions about human behavior that continue to be, on the whole, rather accurate. I hope that Alan will, in further installments, convince me that we’re now ready to move past such egotistical behaviors! Many thanks for this, Alan!

• And George W wrote me that I may have been too harsh on Marx but also that, “I have great confidence that together we will overcome the challenges and change the consciousness. But I am really stumped at how to proceed. I know, Alan, the answer is: step by step. You don’t have to see the details of the whole path in order to take the first step. But what IS the first step?? Can you describe how you see this happening?

• And Stewart L added “I like the frame Angeles Arrien puts on this with her work “The Four Fold Way.’ I translate her idea of “not being attached to outcome” to mean being open to influence which means being capable of learning which requires a mind that’s open to other ideas and collaborating on discovering a resolution that addresses all needs and concerns in a situation… As Michael Douglas said in “The American President” “no one said democracy is easy!”

I would like to end with a quote from a book I am currently reading, Notes on the Need for Beauty,  by Ruth Gendler.  She reminds us that wisdom comes from the root word “to see” and there are many ways to see.

“Perhaps there is a clue in the prepositions that accompany the verbs of seeing.  Their precision offers us a place to position and aim our sight.  Watch how the word look becomes more focused as it is paired with various prepositions – at, for, into, out, down, up, over, forward.  At the same time that these prepositions provide a specific direction for the eyes, they remind us of the metaphoric nature of seeing, as well.  Looking forward takes our eyes out in front of us into the future.  By literally moving our eyes, experimenting with direction and focus, we experience new ways of seeing.”

I hope my writing has been and will continue to be an experiment in looking backwards, forward, inside, and out.  It has certainly been one of my guiding assumptions that what we imagine, what we see in our mind’s eye, can be a source of renewal and a guiding star for how to proceed.

What is in your mind’s eye?