Friday, December 28, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
evaluation and reflection
"assessing and incorporating the lessons we learn through action"
So I figured I would have to write a blog about this since I have been writing all of the arts of democracy in sequential order and I would eventually get to this. And I figured that for this blog I would assess how I as an individual have been implementing the arts of democracy in my daily life. So, as I thought about the different arts of democracy which I use everyday, like negotiation and active listening, I found that since the beginning of this class I have not effectively began using the skills I've learned in a way that has actually made a difference in my democratic encounters.
So, I decided that for the next disagreement I got into, no matter who it was with or what it was about, I would at least try to incorporate the arts of negotiation and active listening since they seemed like the easiest both to do and to implement. Unfortunately, the other individual who I was arguing hadn't taken arts of democracy and had no intention of implementing any of its arts when it came to our disagreement. And I finally broke down and just went back to my usual way of ending a disagreement with this person, which would be to use some poor words and then we wouldn't speak for awhile until we had both forgotten about the disagreement. (which should show that most of what we argue about is very petty, since we forget about it so quickly, which should be a lesson to me just to bite my tongue and not get into the disagreement in the first place.)
Which, is exactly what I've been trying to do when it comes to most of my disagreements: bite my tongue and try not to get into one. Maybe that's not the art of democracy that we were supposed to learn when it came to this class, but it's one I've learned over the past while. While I have difficulty sticking to the biting the tongue policy since I have such a quick and sharp one, I'm trying my best. And in any case, prevention is supposed to be the best policy, isn't it?
So I figured I would have to write a blog about this since I have been writing all of the arts of democracy in sequential order and I would eventually get to this. And I figured that for this blog I would assess how I as an individual have been implementing the arts of democracy in my daily life. So, as I thought about the different arts of democracy which I use everyday, like negotiation and active listening, I found that since the beginning of this class I have not effectively began using the skills I've learned in a way that has actually made a difference in my democratic encounters.
So, I decided that for the next disagreement I got into, no matter who it was with or what it was about, I would at least try to incorporate the arts of negotiation and active listening since they seemed like the easiest both to do and to implement. Unfortunately, the other individual who I was arguing hadn't taken arts of democracy and had no intention of implementing any of its arts when it came to our disagreement. And I finally broke down and just went back to my usual way of ending a disagreement with this person, which would be to use some poor words and then we wouldn't speak for awhile until we had both forgotten about the disagreement. (which should show that most of what we argue about is very petty, since we forget about it so quickly, which should be a lesson to me just to bite my tongue and not get into the disagreement in the first place.)
Which, is exactly what I've been trying to do when it comes to most of my disagreements: bite my tongue and try not to get into one. Maybe that's not the art of democracy that we were supposed to learn when it came to this class, but it's one I've learned over the past while. While I have difficulty sticking to the biting the tongue policy since I have such a quick and sharp one, I'm trying my best. And in any case, prevention is supposed to be the best policy, isn't it?
Friday, December 7, 2007
celebration and appreciation!
"expressing joy and appreciation for what we learn as well as what we achieve"
Last night as I was planning on writing this blog today I had a rather odd dream that I am certain that related to this blog in someway. I can't remember at all what the dream was or what it was about, so unfortunately I can't repeat that here to be able to share it with you. However, it made enough of an impression on me that I figured I might as well mention it for kicks.
I am not sure exactly what to write for this blog. It seems as though it would be easier to write than the blogs which dealt specifically with conflict, but actually I think conflict is easier to talk about. Mainly because with conflict there is more to complain about than with something like celebration and appreciation. However, I'm sure it wouldn't be mentioned in the arts of democracy if it wasn't important to democracy.
In the United States, the dates on which we really celebrate and appreciate our rights as American citizens would be President's Day, Veteran's Day and Independence Day. However, I think that most Americans, particularly youth since that is what I am and what I've had the most experience with, don't really take the time to appreciate or celebrate the rights we have in a democracy. Therefore, we never really take the time to consider what has been done in order to give us these rights in the past, especially on a day like Veteran's Day when we consider the soldiers who have fought in past and current wars for our freedom. Mainly those two holidays, meaning Veteran's and President's Day, are nice days to have three day or even four day weekends and visit Portland or Vancouver. And, the fourth of July is usually a day that we spend with our friends and family and watch fireworks. But, I do not think that many people take the time to reflect and celebrate and appreciate on those designated days.
So, I suppose this art of democracy is important otherwise people take their rights for granted, which is what they do in this country. At least I know I take my rights for granted and do not take the time to celebrate and appreciate our democratic achievements.
Last night as I was planning on writing this blog today I had a rather odd dream that I am certain that related to this blog in someway. I can't remember at all what the dream was or what it was about, so unfortunately I can't repeat that here to be able to share it with you. However, it made enough of an impression on me that I figured I might as well mention it for kicks.
I am not sure exactly what to write for this blog. It seems as though it would be easier to write than the blogs which dealt specifically with conflict, but actually I think conflict is easier to talk about. Mainly because with conflict there is more to complain about than with something like celebration and appreciation. However, I'm sure it wouldn't be mentioned in the arts of democracy if it wasn't important to democracy.
In the United States, the dates on which we really celebrate and appreciate our rights as American citizens would be President's Day, Veteran's Day and Independence Day. However, I think that most Americans, particularly youth since that is what I am and what I've had the most experience with, don't really take the time to appreciate or celebrate the rights we have in a democracy. Therefore, we never really take the time to consider what has been done in order to give us these rights in the past, especially on a day like Veteran's Day when we consider the soldiers who have fought in past and current wars for our freedom. Mainly those two holidays, meaning Veteran's and President's Day, are nice days to have three day or even four day weekends and visit Portland or Vancouver. And, the fourth of July is usually a day that we spend with our friends and family and watch fireworks. But, I do not think that many people take the time to reflect and celebrate and appreciate on those designated days.
So, I suppose this art of democracy is important otherwise people take their rights for granted, which is what they do in this country. At least I know I take my rights for granted and do not take the time to celebrate and appreciate our democratic achievements.
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