Dialogue as distraction
August 5, 2009 | Tikkun Daily
A dialogue listserv I subscribe to received several emails about participation in a meeting to assist Carleton University build a dialogue program.
One correspondent, a former professor at Carleton now serving as a dean in western Canada, does not trust the administration of Carleton. She suggests our dialogue group talk about participating in Carleton’s initiative, but only after individuals attend (and not as representatives of the dialogue group) and report back to the group.
This is dialogue as distraction: we’re willing to talk to each other but not the the Carleton administration!
Rah’bahn Shimon was the hereditary leader of Roman Israel, a powerful political office recognised by Rome. His grandfather, most often called Rebbi Yehuda, oversaw the restoration of traditional memory that we now call the Talmud.
Rah’bahn Shimon himself contributed in many ways to Jewish traditional memory. The quote I favour most is “Too much talk leads to sin.”
That’s not a very sensible remark — we’d normally say something like “all talk and no action”. Rah’bahn Shimon understands, though, that no action may well be the desired action a group wishes to take.
We cannot afford to take no action. I’m certain that’s been an option before — and I’m certain that it’s been the wrong option!
It is reasonable, paraphrasing George Bernard Shaw, to adapt ourselves to the world — and it is unreasonable to persist in trying to adapt the world to ourselves. All progress depends on what is unreasonable.
I am generally unreasonable.
