http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/05/01/grokking-catastrophe/ A middle class white guy comes to grips with Peak Oil, Climate Change, Mass Extinction, Population Overshoot Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:19:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/05/01/grokking-catastrophe/#comment-587 wendi Thu, 10 May 2007 19:07:18 +0000 http://www.whatawaytogomovie.com/2007/05/01/grokking-catastrophe/#comment-587 Tim, I don’t want to presume to know the answer to the research homework Todd took on, but have some thoughts based on personal and professional experiences to share with you both. There is an old question in the foster-care system, meant to inspire and teach kids that there is a silver lining to living in chaos, abuse, and disappointment. What is the difference between what happens when the “shit hits the fan” for a kid who is well loved, secure, and relatively happy compared to a kid whose life has been fraught with pain and abuse? Well, the happy kid gets shi_ splattered all over him while the other kid walks away from the fan and stays clean as a whistle. Kids who are raised with pain and who witness multiple catastrophes in their lifetime often develop the coping skills required to survive, overcome, move out of the way (develop a new paradigm), and build upon the “shit hitting the fan.” They often place an emphasis on instilling a stronger sense of culture and values and improving problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills. And, perhaps they maintain a vision of a respectful, violence-free, cooperative, and productive family, community, or world. We can’t avoid looking reality in the eye, sitting with it, and feeling it, and there is no way to pretend that reality is OK. Tim, I don’t want to presume to know the answer to the research homework Todd took on, but have some thoughts based on personal and professional experiences to share with you both. There is an old question in the foster-care system, meant to inspire and teach kids that there is a silver lining to living in chaos, abuse, and disappointment. What is the difference between what happens when the “shit hits the fan” for a kid who is well loved, secure, and relatively happy compared to a kid whose life has been fraught with pain and abuse? Well, the happy kid gets shi_ splattered all over him while the other kid walks away from the fan and stays clean as a whistle. Kids who are raised with pain and who witness multiple catastrophes in their lifetime often develop the coping skills required to survive, overcome, move out of the way (develop a new paradigm), and build upon the “shit hitting the fan.” They often place an emphasis on instilling a stronger sense of culture and values and improving problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills. And, perhaps they maintain a vision of a respectful, violence-free, cooperative, and productive family, community, or world. We can’t avoid looking reality in the eye, sitting with it, and feeling it, and there is no way to pretend that reality is OK.

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