The World We Want

Nice Title

"The World We Want" is the title for the ACLU's Discussion Guide on Reproductive Rights.

Tongs of the Wealthy - The Gift of Access

The gift of access. The right to exclude. Gift in return for access. Among those with access, gifts of political appointments, reciprocal philanthropic contributions, contracts, honors, inside information, membership in private clubs, profiteering opportunities, seats on regulatory commissions, preferment for family members, board seats, diffident news coverage, crimes passed over in silence, a Presidential medal. Tongs, Inspector Lohmann, are not the antithesis of high society but the epitome. I believe The Beggars Opera makes similar points.

Thank You, Lohmann, for Your Sacrificial Gift

Bruce at The River:

I'm still marveling at Inspector Lohmann's beautiful two-part essay, "Building Invisible Comic Community Through Interdimensional Travel" (Part I and Part II).

I just want to publicly thank him here. Thanks, Lohmann!

When a writer speaks for us, not just to us,  he or she actualizes the otherwise latent community.  We hear our thoughts in the other's voice, glance left and right, and realize we are not alone.  I associate this community-creating gift with philanthropy, or the other way around. The gifted giver gives us back ourselves in community with others. The money-giver might enter such a zone of community building with humility, or even in fear and trembling. For the giver in these circles may be called upon to serve as scapegoat, or sacrificial offering, a concern that a true writer like Lohmann must face every time he hits, "post." 

"No good deed goes unpunished." 

In Search of the World We Want

With a nod to our potential tour guide, Jon Husband (see his comment here), let us say that "we" went on a journey to discover the world we want and our own roles in creating or sustaining it.

Questions:

• Who should go? Who should be of our party? Our "we" whose better world we seek? (Rich only? Gifted givers? Artists? Thinkers? Journalists? Bloggers? Those between jobs? Venture philanthropists? Who?)
• What should be the itinerary? (Mayan Ruins, Wall Street, Heritage Foundation, the ruins of New Orleans, the building of the Great Wall separating us from Mexico, the favelas of Brazil, The Mall of America?, Guantanamo Bay, the Dead Sea?)
• What should be the "Capstone Activity?" (A final open space? Presentation of papers? The creation of a personal action plan in concert with others in the world we want network? The publication of Volume II of The World We Want, with essays by engaged citizens? A group blog or discussion site?)
• Reading list? (Prior to the journey would we agree to read certain texts? Perhaps each of us would add one to the list, and each would read at least 3?)
• Format? (Each person would have to research and lead at least one moment of the tour? Be our "expert of the day"?)
• Filling the Seats? (Conveners to specifically invite? Open invitation? Friends of friends? Criteria for inclusion or exclusion?)
• Length? (Short enough so people with jobs could do it as a vacation?)
• Cost? (John Husband is known among his circle for living well on very little. Do we all stay in the lowest cost places, and stay together as a group, or are there choices, so that those with money live better, as in real life? And is that divisive or instructive?)
• Affiliation? (Start up venture? Affiliate with a University, Foundation, or other center that would provide "credibility"?)
• Legal Form? (For profit? Club? Nonprofit? Seek investor, donors, dues?)
• Scholarship? (Via a foundation, or passing the hat, to seed the group with gifted people who have given to the point of having not much money?)
• Network? (Seek out gifted givers, keep in touch after the journey, and with those who go on the next one. Form a network of "fellow travelers" who assist one another, since no one can create or fund the world we want without many others who share the vision?)

Would you want to participate, if you had a chance to help scope it out and it came together in line with your expectations? (I would, if Jon led it).