Connection
We live in an age of personal expression: Twitter, Blogger, Youtube. Thousands of beaming Facebook icons arrayed on Walls as Friends, like antlered trophies of another age. "This is me. This is who I am." How much actual human connection underlies all this expression? I wonder.
Watching the jubilant Egyptians in Cairo as they celebrate the ousting of Mubarak this week, I experience some envy. While the relatively peaceful overturn of totalitarianism there was facilitated by social media, by expression, the actual liberation of Egypt was accomplished by human community, people connected on the streets by a determination to promote their common well being.
Last evening I attended a screening of Matthew Chapman's "The Ledge", a film I recommend to anyone interested in humanism.. I realized that Mr. Chapman's art had brought together a community of mindful participants in that auditorium. It was a community not unlike the protesters in Cairo. His expression had promoted connections, upon which community can be built for a greater good. This was a rare media event and a rare expression of humanism, in my opinion.
Meaningful connection requires truthfulness, just as meaningful expression requires truthfulness.Whether it is on Facebook or a canvas or a screen, the quality of our expression will determine the quality of our connection to our world. Making our expression truthful requires seeking our own truth without self-deception in every moment, to the best of our ability. I think this development of mindfulness is an important part of humanist practice. The closer we get to our personal truths, the closer we get to meaningful dialogue and connection with others. These meaningful connections are the basis of a community which can promote the greater good for all human beings.
Watching the jubilant Egyptians in Cairo as they celebrate the ousting of Mubarak this week, I experience some envy. While the relatively peaceful overturn of totalitarianism there was facilitated by social media, by expression, the actual liberation of Egypt was accomplished by human community, people connected on the streets by a determination to promote their common well being.
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| Liv Tyler and Charlie Hunnam in The Ledge |
Meaningful connection requires truthfulness, just as meaningful expression requires truthfulness.Whether it is on Facebook or a canvas or a screen, the quality of our expression will determine the quality of our connection to our world. Making our expression truthful requires seeking our own truth without self-deception in every moment, to the best of our ability. I think this development of mindfulness is an important part of humanist practice. The closer we get to our personal truths, the closer we get to meaningful dialogue and connection with others. These meaningful connections are the basis of a community which can promote the greater good for all human beings.
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