Comments on: Alcohol, Apartheid & Anesthesia http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/ Politics, World Affairs, Iraq War, International relations, Peace, War, Human Potential Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:03:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: flashy http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1894 flashy Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:31:12 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1894 defeniately bookmarked defeniately bookmarked

]]> By: Laura Gates http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1848 Laura Gates Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:05:13 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1848 Thanks Shayne. Having just visited San Quentin and hearing convicted murderers share their stories of how their crimes were mainly committed under the influence of drugs and alcohol in a moment of emotional reaction, I first hand grasped the cost of our egosystem. These guys will have to spend the rest of their lives in jail. It also connected me with the thin line between us and them. When I get angry and feel justified in my reaction, I too am contributing to the same kind of divisiveness in the world. Thanks Shayne. Having just visited San Quentin and hearing convicted murderers share their stories of how their crimes were mainly committed under the influence of drugs and alcohol in a moment of emotional reaction, I first hand grasped the cost of our egosystem. These guys will have to spend the rest of their lives in jail. It also connected me with the thin line between us and them. When I get angry and feel justified in my reaction, I too am contributing to the same kind of divisiveness in the world.

]]> By: Bobbi Owens http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1833 Bobbi Owens Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:23:38 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1833 Your analogy resonated with me and my thinking around urban issues. Are gang bangers altering their consciousness with drugs and alcohol to engage in the kind of violence that is common in urban communities? It's probably no coincidence that culture of many gangs exist around the sale and use of drugs. Very thought provoking material. Good job. Your analogy resonated with me and my thinking around urban issues. Are gang bangers altering their consciousness with drugs and alcohol to engage in the kind of violence that is common in urban communities? It’s probably no coincidence that culture of many gangs exist around the sale and use of drugs.

Very thought provoking material. Good job.

]]> By: Steve Black http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1830 Steve Black Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:31:09 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1830 Shayne - I love you and I love your thinking! So much of our confusion and despair is rooted in having been taught at very tender ages that feelings are "bad" and that we (especially males) should not exhibit emotions - especially those of empathy, caring, affection and love. In those harsher moments of childhood when the lesson is "grin and bare it", we learn to avoid feelings and to seek solace by whatever means we can. The more often yooung people can be encouraged to acknowledge feelings openly, to confront the humiliation, fear and shame that seems to be part and parcel of human experience, the more human and humane our culture will become. Hurrah for your blog! Shayne - I love you and I love your thinking! So much of our confusion and despair is rooted in having been taught at very tender ages that feelings are “bad” and that we (especially males) should not exhibit emotions - especially those of empathy, caring, affection and love. In those harsher moments of childhood when the lesson is “grin and bare it”, we learn to avoid feelings and to seek solace by whatever means we can. The more often yooung people can be encouraged to acknowledge feelings openly, to confront the humiliation, fear and shame that seems to be part and parcel of human experience, the more human and humane our culture will become.

Hurrah for your blog!

]]> By: Charles http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1826 Charles Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:40:16 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1826 Dear Shayne, As always, you are a wise and compassionate man. (How's that for an ego stroke?) Seems to me that the addiction and the cruelty/racism are BOTH often symptoms of underlying pain and despair. In pain and confusion, we lash out and scapegoat others; then to deny the cruelty of what we have done, we drink or drug ourselves (or in my case, eat to numbness). Neither the addiction nor the racism is the root cause-- there's a deeper pathology below both?? Dear Shayne,

As always, you are a wise and compassionate man. (How’s that for an ego stroke?)

Seems to me that the addiction and the cruelty/racism are BOTH often symptoms of underlying pain and despair. In pain and confusion, we lash out and scapegoat others; then to deny the cruelty of what we have done, we drink or drug ourselves (or in my case, eat to numbness). Neither the addiction nor the racism is the root cause– there’s a deeper pathology below both??

]]> By: Carl Atkinson http://contextforhumanity.com/2009/09/15/alcohol-apartheid-anesthesia/#comment-1823 Carl Atkinson Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:16:16 +0000 http://contextforhumanity.com/?p=36#comment-1823 Shayne, I appreciate the depth and openness of your relection. Look forward to more. Meantime, I'll try to email you a copy of David Brooks' oped item in today's NYTimes. Carl (Also known as Unca Carl by various categories of our clan.) Shayne,

I appreciate the depth and openness of your relection. Look forward to more.

Meantime, I’ll try to email you a copy of David Brooks’ oped item in today’s NYTimes.

Carl

(Also known as Unca Carl by various categories of our clan.)

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