I am finishing a lovely, busy day at Free Speech TV and looking forward to cooking a giant stir-fry at home. Every day I am so enthralled by the people I work with, the issues we deal with, and the social movements we have the privilege of working alongside. Often, our workplace environment is quite an intense place--producers, donors, activists calling with their thousand-and-one demands. We do our best to manage these relationships and continue to do our work thoroughly, steadily, and to the best of our ability.
With the wars raging in Palestine, simmering in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is easy to get carried away by the millions of incredible needs.
It is our obligation to maintain our balance in this time, to show to the world that we are committed to taking care of ourselves and each other, even as we stand up against the violence of this system and attempt to create progressive social change.
I am reflecting a great deal on Thomas Merton's quote, wondering whether or not I agree with his premise.
There is a pervasive form of contemporary violence (and that is) activism and overwork....The rush and pressure of modern life are a form of violence.
To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence.
The frenzy of our activism neutralizes our work for peace. It destroys our inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our won work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful.
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2 comments:
i often wonder about similar concepts too...there's already so much wrapped up in the word 'peace' itself-a word i often resist b/c of it's unwelcome, one-dimensional displeasure and rejection of everything rageful. and to even be able to say that we should 'rest' and not be too full or too busy always smacks of classist bullshit. but, i do want us to find radical ways to rejuvenate and know stillness in the midst of it all.
I don't wholly agree with Merton's quote, that is I half agree but wish I didn't? I think if we we're to all fully agree with Merton's quote activism would just die. Lets face it, it's tough work out there but that is why we do it because it is important. Anyway I like your blog and i linked to you please check out my blog at www.punkrockpermaculture.wordpress.com and link back if you wish...
~permie boi
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