Words as hindrance to thinking . . .
We seem to be overrun by Madison-Avenue-push-button-unthinking-out-of-context-Pavlovian-branding words that get us to react often in ways that are inimical to our own interests. They don’t spend all those big bucks on campaign advertising without a whole cache of potent words to draw upon, do they?
Words and ideas and thinking and communication are essential to collaboration and heading in the right direction. So, if words can become a hindrance to thinking, that’s a big problem.
And it gets worse. Good words, like resilience and ecosystems and protection can be strung together in seemingly meaningful sentences to great double-think effect. And we can be pacified, become passive, think that maybe things won’t be that bad.
We need holistic thinking, not Madison-Avenue-push-button-unthinking-out-of-context-Pavlovian-branding words, words that are used to get us to jump – or keep us quiet – when we hear them.
Some Notable Doings
This Week:
Tuesday, 11/11/14, 7-9pm, at the Bethlehem Town Hall Rotunda: ‘Planning for the Western Gateway in South Bethlehem’ – the Transitions Group will be attending this in lieu of their usual second Tuesday meeting at Morning Star Center. [For more about South Bethlehem, see also Peter Crownfield’s blog, Bethlehem City Council ignores people and the law.]
Thursday, 11/13/14, noon, in front of Rep. Charlie Dent’s Allentown office: Allentown Rally: ‘Stop Fast Track’ — Against Fast Track for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), also referred to as NAFTA on Steroids.
Friday, 11/14/14, 10am-noon, at Moravian College, Air Products Room in the HUB: Beyond Capitalism Working Group meeting.
Friday, 11/14/14, 7-9pm (potluck at 6:30pm), at LEPOCO Peace Center: “Missing From the War Narrative: Why it Will be Hard for the U.S. to Contain and Weaken, Let Alone Degrade and Destroy the Islamic State” — report of Jim & Debbie Fine just returned after four years living near Erbil, Iraq.
Saturday, 11/15/14, and Sunday, 11/15/14, 10am-5pm each day: Hidden Treasures Artisans Studio Tour and Sale” — unique shopping experience where you go to various local artist studios and buy directly from the talented Lehigh Valley artisans who created the items themselves.
Next Week:
Thursday, 11/20/14, 7-9pm, at Nurture Nature Center: “Pipelines: Environmental Considerations for Communities” — a special presentation on the environmental considerations raised by pipelines, such as the PennEast pipeline, proposed to go through the Lehigh Valley carrying natural gas from Marcellus Shale fracking — co-sponsored by the Alliance.
If you had fun with the Voters Scorecard in the last Sustainability Doings, you’ll probably enjoy this
Pop Quiz on fatherly responses to those coming out of the closet
Renew Lehigh Valley’s 2014 Smart Growth Summit
Planning ahead for this ticketed event:
Friday, 12/5/14, 7:30am-2:45pm, at the Hotel Bethlehem. RenewLV invites you to their second annual Summit for Smart Growth and Sustainable Communities – Moving from Ideas to Actions. This dynamic event will engage community leaders and those who want to be part of the process in finding solutions to tough regional challenges: how we modernize governance, revitalize our urban communities, and preserve open space.
Visit the Summit for Smart Growth and Sustainable Communities 2014! website
To promote the building of sustainable communities, we invite you to:
Donate to support the efforts of the Alliance
Contact: steering@sustainlv.org
Help make the changes in the Lehigh Valley you’d like to make!
Comments welcome!!! You can contact us at: sustainabilitydoings@sustainlv.org
Martin Boksenbaum, sustainability doings editor
