peter mumme

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‘Have you listened to any ABC radio stations this week’

 

Background and Intro .. 

We have a national public radio/tv/online broadcast service in Australia - the ABC; whilst modelled on the British BBC, it has been slowly realised as actually being located about as far away from the UK - in location and temperament - as is possible !

There are constant squabbles about what this means - in terms of maintaining not only the funding (governmental) model but also the (social) paradigm structures adopted from its originating country .. these cause much angst !

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We certainly continue with the same corporate and governmental structures here as worldwide, but this country has been formed over a huge period of time by a completely different culture .. one that survives, if waveringly, with all the attendant transformational stories, ceremonies and (resultant) formation of country that goes with it .. big view !

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I recall some of the early ideas that came to form the base for creating the ABCs 'Radio National' platform some 25-30 years ago .. these  to do with a concept of ‘drawing in peoples stories from all around Australia, to make programs that were 'reflected back to the whole country’ .. a pretty broad and ‘open' brief .. 

 

Seems we’ve (been) moved toward a more ‘individual life-styling’ base now, one more of marketing imperatives dominating - mobile and social media - at the expense of 'truth' and content diversity  

 

There are problems inherent in this development .. we do get rather too readily ‘stuck in fixed ideas’ that (in this case) portray ‘new technique’ always representing ‘better life’ .. which it may very well be, but not necessarily, nor automatically, nor simply as the stratagem of big companies

 

So content .. and the relationship of content with its sourcing people, country, life .. still needs be as broad as possible .. who knows what is possible until we go looking ? 

and what are we to look for - if constantly told there is nothing (other than one-view life) to look at ?

 

Public radio (as RN) is still, I think in a unique position of being able to remain ‘open’ - to resource, to share. to encourage .. broadest-view experiential-life story, wisdom and living practice ..

To position itself - as public broadcaster - toward a ‘spirit of people/country/life big-view’ .. rather than tending toward limiting itself by either self-imposed, or (dominating) ideological, restriction

 

Clarity and analysis is always needed .. 

The ways we might describe life ‘problems’ and ‘alternative views’ must make sense, they must be readily

understandable and logical - and be expressed in the ‘languages’ of all who could benefit .. 

 

What needs make sense ?

That ‘alternatives’ (to fixed ideas concerning life, living, life-style) are not only possible, but exist already;  many are experientially proven and viable .. and may well provide inspiration and confidence for our working out our own lives - if we just knew more about them (or even, that such ideas exist!)

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So an ongoing and updating process of .. 

Looking into the problems that we continually face socially - those induced by self-importance, greed, anger/war, envy, lying, stealing .. many we seem to have been created by ourselves

and

Looking into ‘alternatives’ .. broadly, spiritually based qualitative life ..  life that is ethical, generous, connecting, compassionate, kind, calm, inspiring, wise .. more ‘virtuous life’ in ‘old’ terms 

 

and, new bigger view social views, for example .. 

‘both ways’.. spiritual and material, ‘non-dual’, head and heart, combining (beneficial) best of both views 

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Opportunity

in Australia, we have two co-incident views-of-life .. 

one spiritual, old, ignored, dismissed, life-totality, big-minded including

one physical-only, 230 yo, materialist and utilitarian, dominating, small-minded excluding

 

We can see/experience the (increasingly) obvious effects of the second .. and are ever seeking ‘better’ ways to live - but generally, are only able to perceive ‘better’ in the terms of the (dominating materialist) ‘secular’ paradigm

(small-mind can be easily incorporated within big-view mind; the opposite (as now) cannot work)

 

We have an existent spiritual culture available in this country able to provide long time wisdom-overview 

We have copious materialist technique available 

We have the need to change the balance .. and we have an opportune medium (public radio broadcaster - RN) with which to assist present the background ideas, experiences and promote discussion .. 

 

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New program paradigms 

I think we need re-visit the concepts of ‘programming’ itself - do we need re-view the ‘languages’ used and the ’placing and timing’ of new stories/programs more appropriately ?

 

Two examples to illustrate .. 

‘dawn in new day’ program

a new day is a new day .. (ideally) calm, quiet, a time of re-newal, a ‘re-birthing’ .. open minded .. 

how we each respond to a ‘new day dawning’ is subjective, is experiential .. there is no inherent agenda

the ’time and situation’ of a new day is seasonal and location dependent .. the languages and sounds of any particular place change with time of day and season - as they also do between different places 

how and what might a celebratory (linking) aspect of these look like ?

 

further .. 

(I think that) the last thing needed in a new day dawn is a blasting of ‘break-fast’ news noise !

(much) more appropriate would be an ‘inviting to appreciate’ (this new day) life ‘as is’, calmly engaging broadest-view world of possibilities for enjoying and living with-in 

 

there is a definite ‘raga’ psychology in a day .. this need be appreciated, respected and used appropriately

 

’news’ and current (men’s-business) affairs - as an ‘interruptive and habitual’ imposition’ - could well be dropped, and replaced by programs (on a national broadcaster) of clear analytic and broadly sourced, 

logical ‘reviews’ or ‘over-view’ .. leaving out dogma, door-stops, opining, ‘tweets’ .. 

these moved to evening times 

 

perhaps using a process of ‘revealing’ rather than one of ‘imposing’ (views) - as motivating paradigm -  might provide a guide ?

 

 

New programming ideas

Topics: Looking into, naming, seeking reasons for and releases from  .. our societal problems

 

Constantly at war .. 

what cost, what need, what benefit, to whom ?

why is our first response to a perceived problem (generally) to ‘declare war’ on it ? 

what is the relationship between our creating ‘problems’ (that need ‘solving and/or bombing’) and our own mental attitudes (to life) ?

are our unending wars (with each other and ourselves) symptomatic of unresolved anger and ignorance lying within ourselves ?

why continue ?  .. cost-benefits analysis needed !

 

‘One life in which to grab as much as possible’  (so says an Aust gambling exec) .. 

is this view even possible - let alone sufficing as (substituting for?) a social paradigm ?

the ‘individual’ in society; what is an individual ?  

how is an ‘individual’ differentiated from his/her society?; 

can or does an individual live - without the (air, food, water, talk, people, death) needed by all beings ?

and if not, what value an ‘individual ?

 

Subjects and objects .. 

the languages of differentiation; how we know what we think we know (epistemology)

we are taught to divide everything into into subjects and predicates .. 

this is ‘me', 'my', I - the subject; everything else is external to 'me', is an object separated from me

the cosmos, the stars, sky, thoughts, air, nature, people, memories - are all 'external, 'not me' 

are we really as different - to all other earthly lifeforms - as we like to think we humans are ?

and different in what ways ?

habits ? 

 

Spirituality deleted, but at what cost ? ..    

is ‘spirituality’ related to religious ?   

is religion related to spiritual ?

is spirituality (reduced) to men’s religion business .. false prophets/profits ?

at what ‘cost’ have we deleted it ?

is secular another particular view of the world ?

does it (secular) mean viewing the world and life as physical (or materialist-science) view only ?

 

Limits of materialist-science .. Measuring consciousness with a ruler .. 

where everything considered to be ‘of value to human business’ is measurable, the qualitative aspects of life (joy, calm, love etc) are excluded - just because they are not measurable 

does this mean that they do not ‘exist ? .. or that their existence is denied ?

we certainly feel love, fear etc .. we can’t measure them, but the fact of their immeasurability and their existence seems both fine and completely ok .. doesn’t it ?

 

Jihad and warriors for Christ  .. metaphor, delusions, allusions 

killing, stealing, lying, slander, envy .. were once ‘non-virtues’ in ’old’ philosophy - Buddhist, Islam, Hindu, Christian ..

are they still non-virtues today ? .. or good business practice ?

 

Death - what helps now ?

if, as our time of death (inevitably) approaches, and we begin to forget stuff and lose interest in all the rushing around that we have spent our whole lives doing - what remains ?

- what now (might) assists us with our own dying processes ?

- why, if once supposedly so important, does all the previous busyness stuff just dissolve ?

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Topics: Moving towards the qualitative .. 

 

appropriate (food, drink, health, life) remedies/balance programs ..  

the how and why - the efficacy - of allowing the ‘knowledge of’ nature’s way of dealing with our bodies  

‘imbalances’ to (be allowed) to assist us, ‘immune’ system .. de-mystifying

case studies: herbs,  

 

appropriate ethics for business persons program

appropriate ethics for secular life

what are and why ‘ethics’ 

secular ethics; ethics for business/government/educators 

(ref Office Dalai Lama: 'ethics', 'mind and life conferences', compassion and global responsibility')

 

appropriate education program ..  

new program series to inspire .. bringing social, community and 'alternative' ideas - such as ethics, 

interdependence, natural law and consequences .. topics not mentioned by mainstream media/schooling 

into view (no fixed theorists, bureaucrats nor politicians involved)

discuss the ways future societies might well evolve - where the well-being of people and country is 

primary ?

 

appropriate technology program .. ‘Off-grid’ 

discussion and ideas to assist beginning a process of dissolving centralised controls (grids, 

networks, absentee governments and corporations, banks/usury) and moving towards regional 

self-sustaining ‘estates/nation-states’ (sim. to former Aboriginal areas)

Revisit EF Schumacher: 'small is beautiful'

 

Small Things We Can Do for Ourselves .. 

a meditation program (for early morning) to help set-up a new day better ..

approachable, pragmatic, with aims, based on Tibet Buddhist and Zen practice

how we might ‘sort ourselves out’, consider, give ourselves 5’ a day to not rush 

may be 5am quiet, new day, no agendas (do NOT turn the radio/tv/i’net on!)

meditations ..

thankful appreciation for (my waking in) this new day

may I spend it well

what might ‘well’ look like ?

 

'People, earth, spirit and ancestor stars' .. 

an explore of the links between modern physics, ‘old’ philosophic thought and traditional Aboriginal 

culture

of relationship, interdependence, relativity, life 

modern (non-materialist) sciences 

 

refs: HH Dalai Lama: 'The universe in a single atom'

Capra: Tao of Physics 

Bohm, Bohr, Einstein; ‘Copenhagen 1926’ 

Tolle: A New Earth

Russell: from Science to God

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Topics: New ‘Both ways’.. 

 

New gondwana

a new view combining old spirit with (appropriate) new ’science’ living .. 

is it time to view - and re-appraise - our countries (last 230yr) occupation as an experiment ?

if so, what is now needed to re-invigorate life and country in meaningful ways - for all ?

what might a ‘new gondwana’ look like ?

 

Renewing our beautiful park

Gondwana re-visited and re-awakened

Aboriginal moiety, relationship, linguistics, 'creating country' 

re-visit the traditional regional nation-states

discuss the creation of a council of elders to provide a calm re-appraisal of ‘aust life’ - and other thoughts .. to act as new ‘senate/governors’ 

 

new education

ethical, spiritual-based, wisdom based education

new hierarchies of ‘top-down’ wisdom, consideration and care as primary aims

long term well-being of all, the interdependence of all

'both ways' - combine of traditional aboriginal culture and 'best western' technique

 

refs: UNSW course: http://sydney.edu.au/kinship-module/about/index.shtml

‘SAIKS’; Darwin univ. (CDU)

Bruce Pascoe: Dark Emu 

Deakin Univ: Singing the land, signing the land

 

 

Opportunity !

 

a big opportunity .. for Australia to re-invent itself - its social paradigms, governance and legal systems, its view of life/earth 

the need for such change seems to be increasingly obvious worldwide 

and

the 230 year ‘australia adventure’ appears to not be benefitting the nature of country nor its 

inhabitants 

 

discussion programs ..

with the sure knowledge that we all ‘re-invent’ ourselves .. plus the knowledge that a most significant 

age old ‘big-life’ view exists here .. what’s not to like ? .. 

- what might our living ‘in relationship’ (with earth, people and stars) in traditional terms .. look like ?

- or living ‘with awareness of life as subjective-interdependence’ (in ‘old’ philosophy) ?

- or live within an enlightening ‘mix’ of ‘old-fella wisdom’ and new-fella science ?

 

new opportunity programs .. 

on the creation of a (new) council of (old) elders - men of high degree .. to overview and assist with ‘how well are we are doing’ in this continent; a ‘tacit’ discussion (Aboriginal modelled) panel

 

RN one special day of new views only ..  

perhaps the first sunday in each of the 6 (trad view) seasons, program devoted to and drawn from (6) significant language groups (Pitjantjatjara, Gumatj/Yolngu, Wik-Mungan/cape york, SE WA .. )

 

knowing that we are able to seek inspiring story, knowing we can find them, finding that they can reveal greater truth about ourselves .. sounds useful ?

 

 

PM

26 April 2017