Trauma and Recovery: A New Story of Interconnection and Action...

Mary Pipher Author

09/03/2020 Added

258 Plays

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Pipher, PhD, is the author of 10 books, including #1 New York Times bestseller “Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls” and most recently, “Women Rowing North: Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing As We Age.” In 2013, she published “The Green Boat: Reviving Ourselves in Our Capsized Culture” about environmental activism in Nebraska.

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[00:00:00.266]♪ ♪
[00:00:07.407]>> TODAY, YOU ARE PART OF AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION
[00:00:09.976]ABOUT OUR SHARED FUTURE.
[00:00:12.212]THE E.N. THOMPSON FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES
[00:00:14.547]EXPLORES A DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINTS ON INTERNATIONAL
[00:00:17.851]AND PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES TO PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING
[00:00:21.020]AND ENCOURAGE DEBATE ACROSS THE UNIVERSITY
[00:00:23.323]AND THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.
[00:00:25.658]SINCE IT'S INCEPTION IN 1988, HUNDREDS OF DISTINGUISHED
[00:00:29.562]SPEAKERS HAVE CHALLENGED AND INSPIRED US,
[00:00:32.665]MAKING THIS FORUM ONE OF THE PREEMINENT SPEAKER SERIES
[00:00:37.103]IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
[00:00:39.906]IT ALL STARTED WHEN E.N.
[00:00:42.208]"JACK" THOMPSON IMAGINED A FORUM ON GLOBAL ISSUES THAT WOULD
[00:00:45.979]INCREASE NEBRASKANS' UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURES AND
[00:00:48.882]EVENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
[00:00:51.184]JACK'S PERSPECTIVE WAS INFLUENCED BY HIS TRAVELS,
[00:00:54.621]HIS ROLE IN HELPING TO FOUND THE UNITED NATIONS,
[00:00:57.323]AND HIS WORK AT THE CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT
[00:00:59.893]FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE.
[00:01:02.295]AS PRESIDENT OF THE COOPER FOUNDATION IN LINCOLN,
[00:01:05.231]JACK PLEDGED SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING TO THE FORUM,
[00:01:08.668]AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AND LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING
[00:01:11.871]ARTS AGREED TO CO-SPONSOR.
[00:01:15.041]LATER JACK AND HIS WIFE KATIE CREATED THE THOMPSON FAMILY FUND
[00:01:19.612]TO SUPPORT THE FORUM AND ALL THEIR PROGRAMS.
[00:01:22.982]TODAY MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE COOPER FOUNDATION,
[00:01:28.354]LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS, AND UNIVERSITY OF
[00:01:31.257]NEBRASKA-LINCOLN.
[00:01:33.259]WE HOPE THESE TALKS SPARK AN EXCITING CONVERSATION AMONG YOU.
[00:01:39.899]AND NOW, ON WITH THE SHOW!
[00:01:42.202]♪ ♪
[00:01:48.942]>> THE E.N. THOMPSON FORUM ON WORLD ISSUES.
[00:01:51.945]I'M PATRICE McMAHON, AND AS THE NEW CHAIR OF THE FORUM,
[00:01:55.448]I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU ALL HERE.
[00:01:58.485]WHETHER YOU'RE WATCHING VIRTUALLY OR YOU JOINED US
[00:02:00.887]HERE AT THE LIED CENTER THIS EVENING, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL
[00:02:04.557]FOR YOUR INTEREST.
[00:02:05.925]IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE SO MANY FACES TOGETHER,
[00:02:09.028]AND SOCIALLY DISTANCED.
[00:02:11.131]I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COOPER FOUNDATION AND THE UNIVERSITY
[00:02:14.734]FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT
[00:02:17.170]TOWN-GOWN EVENT.
[00:02:18.972]I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE LIED CENTER FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON
[00:02:21.875]THE SOCIALLY DISTANCED SAFETY MEASURES THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE
[00:02:25.678]TO KEEP US ALL SAFE.
[00:02:27.780]THIS SEASON'S THEME IS "REGENERATION: LEADERSHIP
[00:02:32.352]AND HOPE FOR A CHANGING PLANET."
[00:02:35.355]WE BELIEVE THAT THIS THEME AND OUR SPEAKERS WILL FURTHER
[00:02:38.658]UNDERSTANDING OF THE GRAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
[00:02:42.328]FACING THE WORLD AT THIS TIME.
[00:02:45.064]WE ALSO HOPE OUR SPEAKERS AND THEIR EXPERTISE AND ENERGY
[00:02:49.602]PROMOTES DISCUSSION, COMMUNITY, AND ACTION AS WE ALL TRY TO
[00:02:54.073]DO OUR PART FOR OUR CHANGING PLANET.
[00:02:57.043]WE HAVE A VERY STRONG LINEUP THAT I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH
[00:03:00.280]ALL OF YOU, STARTING WITH OUR AMAZING SPEAKER THIS EVENING.
[00:03:04.517]I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MIKE ZELENY TO THE STAGE WHO WILL
[00:03:07.453]TELL YOU A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THIS EVENING'S SPEAKER,
[00:03:11.190]A LOCAL, A NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL TREASURE.
[00:03:14.694]THANK YOU AND GOOD EVENING.
[00:03:16.663](clapping)
[00:03:23.703]>> THANKS, PATRICE.
[00:03:24.537]GOOD EVENING.
[00:03:25.838]I AM MIKE ZELENY WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND I AM DELIGHTED
[00:03:27.440]TO BE HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST SPEAKER
[00:03:30.076]IN THIS HIGHLY REGARDED SERIES SUPPORTED BY THE COOPER
[00:03:32.712]FOUNDATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN,
[00:03:35.048]AND THE LIED CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS.
[00:03:37.016]TONIGHT OUR SEASON BEGINS WITH MARY PIPHER,
[00:03:39.285]THE AUTHOR OF TEN BOOKS INCLUDING THE NUMBER ONE
[00:03:41.754]NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "REVIVING OPHELIA:
[00:03:44.424]SAVING THE SELVES OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS,"
[00:03:46.626]AND MOST RECENTLY "WOMEN ROWING NORTH: NAVIGATING
[00:03:49.562]LIFE'S CURRENTS AND FLOURISHING AS WE AGE."
[00:03:52.565]IN 2013, MARY PUBLISHED "THE GREEN BOAT: REVIVING OURSELVES
[00:03:56.736]IN OUR CAPSIZED CULTURE" ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISM
[00:03:59.872]IN NEBRASKA.
[00:04:01.240]MARY PIPHER IS A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR.
[00:04:04.243]SHE GRADUATED IN CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY FROM THE UNIVERSITY
[00:04:07.080]OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY IN 1969, AND RECEIVED HER Ph.D.
[00:04:10.817]FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN 1977.
[00:04:15.021]SHE WAS A ROCKEFELLER SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE AT BELLAGIO,
[00:04:18.091]AND HAS RECEIVED TWO AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
[00:04:20.760]PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS, ONE OF WHICH SHE RETURNED TO PROTEST
[00:04:24.397]PSYCHOLOGISTS INVOLVEMENT IN ENHANCED INTERROGATIONS
[00:04:27.200]AT GUANTANAMO AND OTHER BLACK SITES.
[00:04:29.702]MARY WAS BORN IN THE OZARKS AND GREW UP IN RURAL NEBRASKA.
[00:04:32.972]SHE IS ALSO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND ACTIVIST
[00:04:35.475]FOR MANY CAUSES.
[00:04:36.809]SHE LIVES IN LINCOLN WITH HER HUSBAND, JIM.
[00:04:39.045]AFTER THIS EVENING'S SPEECH, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
[00:04:41.581]DR. PIPHER QUESTIONS BY TEXTING ENT 918 TO 22333,
[00:04:47.820]OR GOING TO POLLEV.COM/ENT 918.
[00:04:52.492]AND NOW PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING MARY PIPHER
[00:04:54.994]TO THE STAGE.
[00:04:56.129]MARY.
[00:04:57.030][ APPLAUSE ]
[00:05:07.206]>> THANK YOU, MIKE.
[00:05:08.808]GREETINGS, EVERYONE.
[00:05:11.210]IT'S GOOD TO SEE MY FRIENDS HERE AND I HOPE AT HOME
[00:05:15.715]AND ALSO IT'S GREAT TO SPEAK IN MY HOMETOWN.
[00:05:19.185]IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND PART OF THIS
[00:05:21.587]DISTINGUISHED SERIES.
[00:05:24.157]IN THIS COUNTRY OF 330 MILLION PEOPLE,
[00:05:27.427]IT'S A PRIVILEGE AND A RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE A VOICE
[00:05:30.997]AND I HOPE MY SPEECH WILL BE WORTHY OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
[00:05:36.002]LET'S BEGIN WITH WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED
[00:05:38.538]THE "FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW."
[00:05:40.940]AT THE MOMENT OUR COUNTRY IS FACING MULTIPLE CRISES.
[00:05:44.444]EMINENT ENVIRONMENTAL COLLAPSE, SHAMEFUL INCOME INEQUALITY,
[00:05:48.715]SYSTEMIC RACISM, FAILING INSTITUTIONS AND A LACK OF TRUST
[00:05:52.852]IN GOVERNMENT AND MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS.
[00:05:56.222]OUR CITIZENS ARE BOMBARDED BY A 24/7 NEWS CYCLE.
[00:06:00.727]WE'RE DEALING WITH A LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY AND INTENSITY
[00:06:04.530]THAT KEEPS US IN WHAT I'M GOING TO CALL AN ONGOING
[00:06:07.600]TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
[00:06:10.269]OUR PROBLEM-SOLVING ABILITIES, OUR COPING SKILLS,
[00:06:14.107]OUR SYSTEMS FOR GLOBAL COOPERATION HAVE NOT EVOLVED
[00:06:18.745]QUICKLY ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN US.
[00:06:21.581]WE'VE GOT PALEOLITHIC AROUSAL SYSTEMS, NEOLITHIC BRAINS,
[00:06:26.185]MEDIEVAL INSTITUTIONS, AND 21st CENTURY TECHNOLOGY.
[00:06:30.757]AND NOW WITH COVID, WE'RE ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER.
[00:06:35.194]OUR COMMON MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES ARE ANXIETY, ANGER,
[00:06:38.431]SORROW AND A SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS.
[00:06:41.367]IN ADDITION TO THE PROBLEMS WE CAN LABEL,
[00:06:43.970]WE HAVE NEW PROBLEMS WE CAN BARELY NAME.
[00:06:46.873]FOR EXAMPLE, GLENN ALBRECHT COINED THE TERM "SOLASTALGIA"
[00:06:50.977]TO DESCRIBE HOMELESSNESS OR MELANCHOLIA WHEN YOUR
[00:06:54.614]ENVIRONMENT IS CHANGING ALL AROUND YOU IN WAYS YOU FEEL
[00:06:58.518]ARE PROFOUNDLY NEGATIVE.
[00:07:00.620]WE EXPERIENCE OUR PAIN BUT ALSO THE PAIN OF THE EARTH,
[00:07:04.590]OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS SUFFERING ALL OVER THE WORLD.
[00:07:08.027]THE GREAT ENVIRONMENTALIST JOANNA MACY CALLS THIS PAIN
[00:07:12.398]PLANETARY ANGUISH.
[00:07:14.500]WE KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH US,
[00:07:16.769]BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE ENDEMIC AND SYSTEMIC.
[00:07:19.906]AS A PEOPLE WE HAVE LOST OUR GROUNDING IN DEEP TIME
[00:07:23.442]AND MOTHER EARTH.
[00:07:24.944]OUR PROBLEMS ARE AT ROOT RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS.
[00:07:29.081]WE HAVE A DISORDERED RELATIONSHIP
[00:07:31.450]WITH THE WEB OF LIFE.
[00:07:33.953]THE CLIMATE CRISIS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS SO ENORMOUS IN ITS
[00:07:37.523]IMPLICATIONS THAT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO GRASP ITS REALITY.
[00:07:42.528]ITS SCOPE EXCEEDS OUR HUMAN AND CULTURAL RESILIENCE SYSTEMS.
[00:07:46.766]OFTENTIMES BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND,
[00:07:49.702]WE DON'T RESPOND.
[00:07:51.237]WE DEVELOP LEARNED HELPLESSNESS AND OUR SENSE THAT WE ARE
[00:07:54.340]POWERLESS BECOMES A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
[00:07:58.411]IN "STATES OF DENIAL" STANLEY COHEN WRITES ABOUT GERMANY
[00:08:01.881]DURING THE WAR AND THE DENIAL OF THE HOLOCAUST.
[00:08:05.218]HE TALKED ABOUT A STATE OF KNOWING, NOT KNOWING,
[00:08:08.821]THAT ARISES IN TRAUMATIC ONGOING SITUATIONS.
[00:08:12.959]THIS "WILLFUL IGNORANCE" OCCURS WHEN INFORMATION CANNOT BE
[00:08:19.065]TOTALLY DENIED, BUT IS TOO UPSETTING TO BE
[00:08:22.735]TOTALLY PROCESSED, EITHER.
[00:08:24.971]THIS INTENSE -- THE INTENSE DESTRUCTIVE POLARIZATION AND
[00:08:29.342]TENDENCY TO VIEW EVERY PROBLEM THROUGH A POLITICAL FILTER
[00:08:33.412]MAKES MANY PROBLEMS EVEN MORE UNSOLVABLE.
[00:08:36.616]BECAUSE OF OUR CULTURE WARS, WE HAVE ALMOST NO WAYS WE CAN
[00:08:39.819]DISCUSS CLIMATE CHANGE, THE MASS EXTINCTION OF OUR SPECIES,
[00:08:44.457]SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SO ON.
[00:08:47.927]IT'S AS IF OUR CULTURE HAS YELLOW WARNING TAPE AROUND THESE
[00:08:51.631]MOST IMPORTANT TOPICS AND OUR NATIONAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEM
[00:08:55.935]IS DON'T ASK AND DON'T TELL.
[00:08:59.105]THIS REMINDS ME OF AN OLD JOKE FROM THE SOVIET UNION ERA.
[00:09:02.608]TWO KGB MEN WERE WALKING TOGETHER DOWN A STREET.
[00:09:06.512]ONE OF THEM SAID TO THE OTHER,
[00:09:08.414]"WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE SYSTEM?"
[00:09:10.883]"I DON'T KNOW," SAID THE OTHER ONE.
[00:09:12.151]"I PROBABLY THINK ABOUT THE SAME THING YOU DO."
[00:09:16.055]"IN THAT CASE," SAID THE FIRST MAN,
[00:09:18.391]"I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ARREST YOU."
[00:09:22.495]JOANNA MACY BELIEVES THAT WE ALL HOLD TWO GREAT FEARS:
[00:09:27.300]FEAR OF THE FUTURE, AND FEAR OF FACING OUR FEAR.
[00:09:31.904]WE'RE EXPERIENCING A PSYCHIC NUMBING AND A TEMPTATION TO
[00:09:35.608]EMOTIONALLY SHUT DOWN, BUT WE CANNOT SOLVE PROBLEMS
[00:09:39.245]WE WILL NOT FACE.
[00:09:41.280]WITH AWARENESS, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
[00:09:44.483]WE CAN BEGIN A PERSONAL JOURNEY AND CULTURAL JOURNEY THAT STARTS
[00:09:48.721]WITH TRAUMA AND GOES THROUGH SHOCK, DESPAIR,
[00:09:51.724]AND ACCEPTANCE TO TRANSCENDENCE.
[00:09:54.727]IN FACT, THE POET ROETHKE SAYS IT VERY WELL.
[00:09:58.264]"THE DARKER THE CIRCUMSTANCE, THE MORE BRILLIANT
[00:10:00.933]THE INVITATION."
[00:10:02.802]SO LET ME TALK ABOUT THIS HEALING
[00:10:05.171]AND TRANSCENDENT RESPONSE TONIGHT.
[00:10:07.740]NOW, TRANSCENDENT RESPONSE IS DIFFERENT FROM A RECOVERY
[00:10:12.111]OR A RETURN TO NORMAL.
[00:10:14.513]I DEFINE IT PRETTY SIMPLY AS WHEN OUR PROBLEMS ARE TOO BIG
[00:10:18.784]FOR US, WE MUST GROW BIGGER.
[00:10:21.654]AND A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS IN THE MOVIE "JAWS"
[00:10:25.291]WHERE THE SHARK COMES AND THE MEN ARE IN A SMALL BOAT,
[00:10:28.561]AND AFTER THAT SCENE THE CAPTAIN SAYS "WE NEED A BIGGER BOAT."
[00:10:33.299]WE NEED A BIGGER BOAT RIGHT NOW.
[00:10:35.968]THE KIND OF EMERGENCIES WE'RE EXPERIENCING CALL FOR EMERGENT
[00:10:39.939]THINKING AND EMERGENT BEHAVIORS.
[00:10:43.576]WE ALL KEEP APPOINTMENTS WE DID NOT MAKE.
[00:10:46.345]WE ALL HAVE -- WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE CONTROL
[00:10:49.949]BUT WE HAVE CHOICES.
[00:10:51.817]AND DESPAIR CAN BE A CRUCIBLE FOR GROWTH.
[00:10:55.521]ALL OF YOU KNOW EXAMPLES OF A CANCER PATIENT WHO REMAINS
[00:10:59.191]CHEERFUL AND KIND AS THEY EXPERIENCE SUFFERING AND LOSS,
[00:11:03.763]OR PARENTS WHO HAVE LOST A CHILD AND SPEND THE REST OF
[00:11:06.699]THEIR LIVES WORKING TO PREVENT OTHER CHILDREN FROM DYING.
[00:11:10.469]THIS CAPACITY FOR HEROIC RESPONSE IS BUILT INTO US
[00:11:15.174]AND MUCH MORE COMMON THAN IS SUPPOSED.
[00:11:18.244]ORDINARY PEOPLE ALL AROUND US RISE TO THE OCCASION.
[00:11:21.781]AND MY GUESS IS IF YOU THINK RIGHT NOW OF YOUR OWN
[00:11:24.450]EXPERIENCE, YOU CAN THINK OF MORE THAN ONE PERSON THAT
[00:11:27.953]THAT DESCRIPTION FITS.
[00:11:30.990]NO EXPERIENCE IS WASTED IF WE CAN GROW FROM IT.
[00:11:34.727]AND THE GREAT EDUCATOR PARKER PALMER TALKS ABOUT THE POWER
[00:11:39.532]OF HEARTBREAK.
[00:11:40.900]"IF WE ALLOW OUR HEARTS TO BREAK OPEN,
[00:11:43.569]WE CAN ALLOW THE WHOLE WORLD TO FLOW IN.
[00:11:46.572]WE CAN INCREASE OUR MORAL IMAGINATIONS BY WHICH I MEAN
[00:11:50.176]EMPATHY AND DESIRE TO HELP ALL LIVING BEINGS.
[00:11:53.746]WE CAN WORK WITH OTHERS TO CREATE THE KIND OF WORLD
[00:11:56.916]WE WANT TO LIVE IN."
[00:11:58.584]NOW, THAT'S ENOUGH ABSTRACT LANGUAGE.
[00:12:01.687]I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A VERY SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF THIS
[00:12:05.424]IN NEBRASKA.
[00:12:06.826]AND NEBRASKA STORY WHERE GROUP OF PEOPLE MOVED FROM DESPAIR
[00:12:11.730]TO AWARENESS AND TO ACTION.
[00:12:13.732]HUNDREDS OF US WORKED TOGETHER IN OUR STATE TO STOP
[00:12:17.670]THE TRANSCANADA PIPELINE, TRANSCANADA FROM BUILDING
[00:12:21.674]THE KXL PIPELINE THROUGH OUR SAND HILLS AND OVER
[00:12:25.411]THE OGALLALA AQUIFER AND THIS WAS BY THE WAY --
[00:12:29.081]THIS STARTED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.
[00:12:30.649]IT WAS A REALLY ORGANIC MOVEMENT IN WHICH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER
[00:12:34.019]THE STATE CAME TOGETHER TO PROTECT THIS LAND AND WATER
[00:12:39.358]THAT WE LOVE.
[00:12:40.793]PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN ACTIVISTS EMPOWERED THEMSELVES.
[00:12:44.163]LEADERS HELPED OTHER PEOPLE TO BE LEADERS AND EVENTUALLY WE HAD
[00:12:48.000]A GREAT VICTORY FOR THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR STATE.
[00:12:52.471]I'LL SHARE MY PART OF THAT STORY TONIGHT,
[00:12:55.941]REMINDING YOU ALL THAT MY STORY IS JUST ONE STORY AND THAT
[00:12:59.211]THERE WERE MANY IMPORTANT LEADERS IN THIS STATE
[00:13:02.581]WORKING TO STOP THE KXL.
[00:13:07.953]I WOULD NAME A FEW BUT THERE ARE SO MANY THAT I WOULD BE AFRAID
[00:13:12.224]TO LEAVE SOME PEOPLE OUT.
[00:13:14.593]IN THE CATACLYSMIC SUMMER OF 2010,
[00:13:18.130]I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FACE MY FEARS
[00:13:21.133]ABOUT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE.
[00:13:23.002]AT THAT TIME, THE EARTH WAS EXPERIENCING ITS WARMEST DECADE,
[00:13:27.573]ITS WARMEST YEAR, AND THE WARMEST APRIL, MAY,
[00:13:30.242]AND JUNE ON RECORD.
[00:13:32.178]IN 2010, PAKISTAN HIT ITS RECORD HIGH OF 129 DEGREES
[00:13:38.017]AS DID RUSSIA, 111.
[00:13:40.719]IN JULY THE HEAT INDEX IN LINCOLN REACHED 115
[00:13:44.423]FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN A ROW.
[00:13:46.325]OUR PLANET AND ALL LIVING BEINGS SEEMED TO BE GASPING FOR BREATH.
[00:13:51.463]THAT SUMMER I READ BILL McKIBBEN'S BOOK "EAARTH"
[00:13:54.733]AND THAT SPELLED E-A-A-R-T-H IN WHICH HE ARGUES THAT
[00:13:59.572]THE EARTH AS WE USED TO KNOW IT HAS ALREADY VANISHED.
[00:14:03.108]HE POSTULATES WE NOW LIVE ON A NEW PLANET,
[00:14:05.978]EAARTH AS HE SPELLED IT WITH THE RAPIDLY CHANGING ECOLOGY.
[00:14:10.516]HE ARGUES THAT WITHOUT IMMEDIATE ACTION OUR FAMILIAR WAYS OF LIFE
[00:14:14.253]WILL DISAPPEAR, NOT IN OUR GRANDCHILDREN'S ADULTHOODS BUT
[00:14:18.224]IN THE LIFETIME OF MIDDLE-AGED PEOPLE ALIVE TODAY.
[00:14:22.027]HE WRITES WE DON'T HAVE 50 YEARS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT,
[00:14:25.531]WE HAVE A DECADE.
[00:14:27.366]NOW, NONE OF MY EXPERIENCES HAD QUITE PREPARED ME FOR
[00:14:30.803]THE BLEAKNESS OF THIS BOOK.
[00:14:32.838]I COULDN'T STOP READING IT, AND WHEN I FINISHED
[00:14:35.941]I FELT SHELLSHOCKED.
[00:14:37.843]ALL I COULD DO WAS EXPERIENCE DESPAIR.
[00:14:40.913]EVERYTHING FELT SO HOPELESS AND OVER.
[00:14:44.617]NOW, DURING THIS TIME, MY THREE YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN
[00:14:48.520]CAME TO VISIT, AND AS WE PICKED STRAWBERRIES,
[00:14:51.590]I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE CARE WE LAVISH ON THOSE CHILDREN.
[00:14:55.160]WE MAKE SURE THEY EAT HEALTHY FOODS AND BRUSH THEIR TEETH
[00:14:58.130]WITH SAFE TOOTHPASTE.
[00:15:00.032]WE EXAMINE AND TREAT EVERY LITTLE BUG BITE OR CAT SCRATCH
[00:15:04.036]AND YET WE, AND I MEAN ALL THE PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS IN THE
[00:15:07.506]WORLD INCLUDING MYSELF HAVEN'T WORKED TO SECURE THEM A FUTURE
[00:15:12.511]WITH CLEAN AIR AND WATER AND DIVERSE HEALTHY ECOSYSTEMS.
[00:15:17.049]HAD WE BEEN IN A TRANCE?
[00:15:19.251]THAT SUMMER WHEN I LISTENED TO FRIENDS TALKING ABOUT THE
[00:15:22.254]MUNDANE DETAILS OF LIFE, I WANTED TO SHOUT AT THEM,
[00:15:26.292]"WAKE UP, PLEASE WAKE UP.
[00:15:28.527]MATTERS ARE URGENT.
[00:15:29.962]WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW."
[00:15:32.064]BUT AFTER YEARS OF BEING A MOTHER AND A THERAPIST,
[00:15:35.167]I HAVE LEARNED SHOUTING "WAKE UP" DOESN'T WORK.
[00:15:38.304]IN FACT, THAT IS ONE OF MY MOST DISPIRITING REALIZATIONS.
[00:15:42.474]I WANTED DESPERATELY TO PRESERVE THE WORLD I LOVED,
[00:15:45.711]BUT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT THIS
[00:15:48.180]WITH MY CLOSEST FRIENDS.
[00:15:52.017]MY OWN DESPAIR WAS INTOLERABLE.
[00:15:54.920]I HAD TO FIND A WAY OUT OF MY STATE OF MIND.
[00:15:58.057]I COULDN'T SURVIVE WITH ALL THAT AWARENESS
[00:16:00.192]EVERY MINUTE OF MY DAY.
[00:16:02.161]I WANTED TO BE HAPPY AGAIN, TO BE ABLE TO LAUGH AND TO SNUGGLE
[00:16:05.531]WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT THEIR FUTURES,
[00:16:09.501]BUT I COULDN'T FORGET WHAT I NOW UNDERSTOOD.
[00:16:13.272]WHAT PULLED ME OUT OF MY DESPAIR WAS THE DESIRE TO GET TO WORK.
[00:16:17.810]I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO.
[00:16:19.845]I FELT UNQUALIFIED FOR VIRTUALLY ANYTHING
[00:16:22.815]INVOLVING THE ENVIRONMENT.
[00:16:24.783]BUT I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP.
[00:16:27.486]IT WAS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH MY ACTION WOULD BENEFIT THE WORLD,
[00:16:31.256]BUT I WAS PRETTY SURE IT WOULD HELP ME.
[00:16:33.525]I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO TOLERATE STEWING IN MY OWN ANXIETY.
[00:16:37.730]ACTION HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY ANTIDOTE TO DESPAIR.
[00:16:42.167]SO AROUND THIS TIME, I HAD A GUY NAMED BRAD KINDLER COMING OVER
[00:16:46.872]TO HELP ME PRUNE TREES AND HE WAS A YOUNG GUY, WORE OVERALLS,
[00:16:51.477]AND HAD HAIR DOWN BELOW HIS WAIST, AND HE WORE WORK BOOTS.
[00:16:56.415]TALL, SKINNY GUY.
[00:16:58.517]WE LIKED TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
[00:16:59.952]HE'S REAL GOOD CONVERSATIONALIST.
[00:17:02.121]ONE DAY WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT,
[00:17:04.857]AND HE FELT LIKE I DID, AND WE DECIDE, WELL,
[00:17:07.926]LET'S DO SOMETHING TOGETHER.
[00:17:10.195]SO HE -- WE AGREED HE WOULD INVITE A FEW OF HIS FRIENDS
[00:17:13.665]AND I WOULD INVITE A FEW OF MY FRIENDS,
[00:17:16.435]AND I COOKED US A GOOD MEAL AND I BOUGHT A COUPLE BOTTLES OF
[00:17:19.605]FRENCH WINE AND WE MET AT MY HOUSE FOR A POTLUCK TO TALK OVER
[00:17:24.209]WHAT WE COULD DO TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT IN OUR STATE.
[00:17:27.813]AND RIGHT AWAY, THE FIRST MEETING I THINK, LIKE,
[00:17:30.849]FOUR OR SIX PEOPLE WERE THERE.
[00:17:33.152]AND RIGHT AWAY, WE DECIDED THAT THE BIG ISSUE IN NEBRASKA
[00:17:36.922]WAS TRANSCANADA.
[00:17:38.357]THERE HAD BEEN AN ARTICLE IN THE "LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR" ABOUT HOW
[00:17:43.328]THE PIPELINE WOULD CROSS 2,000 MILES OF EVERY MAJOR RIVER
[00:17:48.400]SYSTEM WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND ALSO THE SAND HILLS
[00:17:52.204]AND OGALLALA.
[00:17:53.572]NOW, THIS TAR SANDS WAS ALREADY AN ECOLOGICAL DISASTER
[00:17:57.476]IN ALBERTA.
[00:17:59.411]ITS SPILLAGE WAS DEVASTATING ECOSYSTEMS AND IT WOULD
[00:18:02.781]COMPROMISE OUR WATER SUPPLY, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
[00:18:06.018]SO, WE SHARED WHAT LITTLE WE KNEW ABOUT IT AND GAVE EACH
[00:18:10.222]OTHER ASSIGNMENTS, AN ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND OUT MORE,
[00:18:15.694]AND TO INVITE MORE PEOPLE.
[00:18:17.663]NOW, AFTER EVERYBODY LEFT THAT NIGHT I HAD ALL THESE DISHES
[00:18:20.332]IN THE KITCHEN, AND I WAS DOING DISHES AND I NOTICED
[00:18:24.570]I WAS HUMMING.
[00:18:26.371]I ALMOST NEVER HUM.
[00:18:27.573]I'M NOT THAT HAPPY A PERSON.
[00:18:30.275]BUT BOY, I THOUGHT THIS IS WHAT ACTIVISM DOES FOR ME.
[00:18:33.946]IT GIVES ME SOME HOPE.
[00:18:35.981]SO THE NEXT WEEK, ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE SHOWED UP,
[00:18:39.084]AND AT THAT TIME WE CALLED OURSELVES "THE COALITION"
[00:18:42.054]AND WE KIND OF LAID THE GROUND RULES FOR OUR MEETINGS.
[00:18:45.524]LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS WE DECIDED WAS OUR MEETINGS
[00:18:49.228]WE CALLED THEM "PEETINGS."
[00:18:50.629]THEY WERE HALF MEETINGS AND HALF PARTIES.
[00:18:53.131]WE ALWAYS HAD GOOD FOOD, WE HAD A LOT OF JOKING,
[00:18:56.335]AND LAUGHTER, AND HUGS.
[00:18:58.237]WE ALWAYS STARTED OUT WITH VICTORY REPORTS WHERE ANYBODY
[00:19:01.740]WHO HAD DONE ANYTHING THAT FURTHERED OUR CAUSE WE MADE
[00:19:04.943]A TOAST TO THEM AND THEY GOT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
[00:19:08.213]THEN WE TALKED OVER INFORMATION WE'D HEARD.
[00:19:12.217]WE REPORTED ON ACTION WE HAD DONE.
[00:19:14.920]AND WE GAVE OURSELVES NEW ASSIGNMENTS.
[00:19:17.055]WE NEVER LEFT WITHOUT ASSIGNMENTS.
[00:19:19.391]AND WE'D ALWAYS END THE MEETINGS ON A POSITIVE NOTE,
[00:19:23.629]SO EVERYBODY WANTED TO COME BACK.
[00:19:25.731]NONE OF US WERE -- NONE OF US HAD EXTRA TIME AND WE CERTAINLY
[00:19:29.434]DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXTRA TIME FOR SUFFERING OR TEDIUM OR TO WASTE.
[00:19:34.306]BUT WE FELT LIKE WE WERE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING SOMETHING
[00:19:37.142]AND WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON GOOD IN A WAY
[00:19:40.212]THAT WAS VERY ENJOYABLE.
[00:19:41.980]NOW, I WANT TO MENTION HERE WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO SUCCEED.
[00:19:46.051]IN FACT, I WOULD SAY OUR MEMBERSHIP COULD EASILY
[00:19:48.820]BE CALLED THE ROYALTY OF LOST CAUSES.
[00:19:51.890]WE WERE A GROUP OF URBAN PROGRESSIVES,
[00:19:55.727]MANY OF US WHO HAD BEEN FIGHTING AND LOSING BATTLES FOR YEARS
[00:19:59.331]IN NEBRASKA, WHICH HAS BEEN PRIMARILY A RED STATE.
[00:20:02.701]WE ORGANIZED PRIMARILY BECAUSE WE JUST COULDN'T SIT AND LET
[00:20:06.972]THIS STUFF HAPPEN TO US.
[00:20:08.640]IT WAS REALLY A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY OF WE JUST CAN'T SIT
[00:20:12.044]HERE AND KNOW THIS IS GOING ON, AND NOT DO ANYTHING.
[00:20:15.414]IT FELT BETTER TO FIGHT BACK AND A LOT OF US BY THEN HAD LEARNED
[00:20:20.352]THAT HOPE IS NOT ABOUT OUTCOME.
[00:20:23.188]IT'S ABOUT A PROCESS.
[00:20:24.823]HOPE COMES FROM ENGAGING IN A HOPEFUL PROCESS.
[00:20:29.027]IF YOU WANT TO DISCOVER HOW THE WORLD WORKS, TRY TO CHANGE IT,
[00:20:33.932]ESPECIALLY IF THAT CHANGE INVOLVES CONFRONTING
[00:20:36.835]THE FOSSIL FUEL INDUSTRY.
[00:20:39.204]OUR CAMPAIGN WAS A COMPLICATED STORY ABOUT INTERNATIONAL
[00:20:43.175]COOPERATION -- CORPORATIONS AND POLITICS BUT IT WAS ALSO
[00:20:47.646]A SIMPLE STORY ABOUT NEBRASKANS WORKING TO SAVE OUR STATE
[00:20:51.650]FROM WHAT WE CALL "THE EXTRA LEAKY PIPELINE."
[00:20:55.253]OUR FIRST REALIZATION VERY EARLY ON WAS
[00:20:58.690]NOBODY'S COMING TO SAVE US.
[00:21:03.762]THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T HELPING US.
[00:21:06.531]THE OIL INDUSTRY HAS A GREAT DEAL OF POWER IN THIS STATE
[00:21:09.368]AS IN EVERY OTHER STATE.
[00:21:11.069]THEIR LOBBYISTS ARE MONEYED PEOPLE.
[00:21:12.838]THEY HIRE VERY ATTRACTIVE, SKILLFUL PEOPLE WHO COME WITH
[00:21:17.175]PLENTY OF MONEY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT FOR OUR STATE.
[00:21:21.146]SO WE REALIZED ALSO THAT CELEBRITIES
[00:21:24.916]WEREN'T COMING TO SAVE US.
[00:21:26.051]EARLY ON, PEOPLE WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE,
[00:21:28.387]"WELL HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF ASKING OPRAH?"
[00:21:30.789]OR "HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF ASKING ROBERT REDFIELD OR SOMEONE
[00:21:34.126]LIKE THAT TO COME SAVE US?"
[00:21:36.495]WHAT WE WOULD SAY IS, "NO, WE'RE LOOKING AT YOU.
[00:21:40.666]WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?"
[00:21:42.434]AND IF SOMEBODY SAID, "I REALLY LIKE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING,"
[00:21:45.937]WE'D SAY, "WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOME STUFF, TOO?
[00:21:48.874]WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN DOING?"
[00:21:50.909]WE REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE THAT WE ALL HAVE THE POWER
[00:21:56.314]TO CO-CREATE THE WORLD WE WANT TO LIVE IN.
[00:21:59.518]WHETHER YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING OR NOT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
[00:22:03.922]WHETHER YOU BELIEVE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING OR NOT, YOU'RE RIGHT.
[00:22:07.225]ACTING AS IF YOU HAVE POWER CREATES POWER OUT OF THIN AIR.
[00:22:12.664]SO THE FIRST THING IS JUST DECIDING I WILL ACT AS IF
[00:22:15.634]I HAVE SOME POWER.
[00:22:17.769]AND THEN AS YOU ACT THAT WAY, AS YOU ADD YOUR POWER
[00:22:21.840]TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE DONE,
[00:22:25.243]AS YOU ASK OTHER PEOPLE TO ADD THEIR POWER TO YOU,
[00:22:28.180]AS YOU DO THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE DONE,
[00:22:30.615]YOU ACCRUE POWER IN REALLY A PRETTY AMAZING AND
[00:22:33.852]TRANSFORMATIVE WAY.
[00:22:35.854]THE OTHER THING I WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT IS ALL OF US
[00:22:39.391]ARE COMMUNITY EDUCATORS, WHETHER WE KNOW IT OR NOT.
[00:22:43.128]EVERY TIME WE OPEN OUR MOUTHS, WE HAVE A CHANCE TO SAY
[00:22:46.531]SOMETHING USEFUL AND HELPFUL.
[00:22:48.667]NOW, SOMETIMES THAT'S ON THE LEVEL OF CRACKING A GOOD JOKE
[00:22:53.305]TO HELP SOMEBODY CHEER UP, OR TURNING THE CONVERSATION
[00:22:56.808]INTO A POSITIVE DIRECTION WHEN SOMEONE IS LOW,
[00:23:00.378]OR SYMPATHIZING WITH SOMEONE OR LISTENING TO SOMEONE AND GIVING
[00:23:03.515]THEM PERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THEIR PAIN AND GRIEF.
[00:23:07.319]BUT SOMETIMES, IT'S BEING ABLE TO SAY THINGS LIKE,
[00:23:10.989]"IF YOU EVER WANT HELP BUILDING A COMPOST BIN,
[00:23:13.792]I KNOW HOW TO DO IT."
[00:23:15.494]OR "HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING A RAIN GARDEN
[00:23:17.963]IN THIS AREA?
[00:23:19.030]IT'S NICE AND LOW."
[00:23:20.699]OR "ARE YOU DOING SOME SHOPPING THROUGH
[00:23:23.702]LOCAL FARMER'S MARKETS AND CSAS?
[00:23:26.171]I'VE FOUND VEGETABLES AND FRUITS DELICIOUS THERE."
[00:23:30.909]EVERY ONE OF US CAN ASK THE QUESTION "WHAT IS IT I CAN DO
[00:23:34.846]NOW FROM WHERE I AM?
[00:23:37.149]WHAT IS IT I CAN DO NOW?"
[00:23:38.984]AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT IS MARGARET MEAD HAD A BEAUTIFUL
[00:23:43.722]LINE WHICH IS "THE IDEAL CULTURE HAS A PLACE
[00:23:48.226]FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT."
[00:23:50.462]AND YOU CAN SAY THAT ABOUT ACTIVISM, TOO.
[00:23:53.331]THE IDEAL ACTIVIST CAUSE HAS A PLACE FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT.
[00:23:59.771]IF YOU'RE MUSICAL, IF YOU'RE ARTISTIC,
[00:24:02.541]IF YOU'RE A GOOD SPEAKER, IF YOU'RE A GOOD WRITER,
[00:24:05.310]IF YOU'RE A GOOD WORKHORSE, IF YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX VEHICLES,
[00:24:10.515]THERE'S ALWAYS A PLACE FOR YOU IN A CAMPAIGN.
[00:24:13.919]NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS OUR COLLECTIVE
[00:24:17.422]CAMPAIGN WAS THE BEST THING THAT'S REALLY EVER HAPPENED
[00:24:21.259]IN NEBRASKA MAYBE EXCEPT FOR SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE
[00:24:24.663]THAT'S BIG RED FOOTBALL.
[00:24:26.631]BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WAS
[00:24:31.136]OUR FIRST ALLIES, HERE IN LINCOLN WHEN WE STARTED TO
[00:24:34.272]WORK ON THIS, WERE PROGRESSIVE RANCHERS -- I MEAN,
[00:24:37.409]WERE REPUBLICAN RANCHERS AND THE REASON THAT WAS HAPPENING IS
[00:24:43.014]THEY FULLY UNDERSTOOD THAT YOU CAN'T GIVE COWS BOTTLED WATER.
[00:24:48.453]THEY JUST WON'T DRINK BOTTLED WATER.
[00:24:50.055]YOU CAN'T BUY IT AND KEEP YOUR RANCH ALIVE ON BOTTLED WATER.
[00:24:53.859]THEY ALSO WERE GETTING A LOT OF PRESSURE FROM TRANSCANADA ABOUT
[00:24:57.963]EMINENT DOMAIN AND IF THEY DIDN'T ALLOW THIS PIPELINE
[00:25:01.366]TO COME ACROSS THEIR LAND THEY WOULD BE --
[00:25:03.501]THEIR LAND WOULD BE TAKEN FROM THEM.
[00:25:05.437]THE RANCHERS WERE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
[00:25:07.505]AND THEY DIDN'T LIKE THAT.
[00:25:08.840]SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SURPRISED LIKE AT THAT TIME
[00:25:12.143]KEN WINSTON WAS ATTORNEY FOR THE SIERRA CLUB,
[00:25:15.046]AND HE WAS TRYING TO GO OUT TO COUNTIES WHERE THEY HAD BUMPER
[00:25:19.317]STICKERS THAT SAID THINGS LIKE "WE SHOOT DEMOCRATS" AND HE
[00:25:23.054]WALKED INTO A LITTLE VFW CALL IN A TOWN IN WESTERN NEBRASKA
[00:25:27.893]AND HE GOT A STANDING OVATION.
[00:25:29.895]IT WAS REALLY FUNNY FOR OUR GROUP BECAUSE WE'RE SO USED TO
[00:25:32.664]OPPOSITION WHEN WE STARTED TO GET SUCCESS,
[00:25:35.867]WE HARDLY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
[00:25:37.502]IT'S LIKE "OH, NO, WE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN AGREEMENT WITH US.
[00:25:41.172]NOW WHAT DO WE DO?"
[00:25:42.207]THAT WAS SO NEW.
[00:25:43.541]BUT WE HAD THE COWBOY AND INDIAN ALLIANCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
[00:25:47.445]THAT WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING.
[00:25:49.648]WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GO TO D.C.
[00:25:52.050]WE JUST MADE STUFF UP, LIKE AT ONE POINT
[00:25:54.319]WE DECIDED LET'S SEND SOME PEOPLE TO DC
[00:25:58.056]TO TALK TO OUR SENATORS AND REPS BACK THERE.
[00:26:02.560]AND WHAT SHOULD WE CALL THAT GROUP?
[00:26:04.429]DELEGATION.
[00:26:05.297]LET'S CALL IT A DELEGATION.
[00:26:06.798]THAT SOUNDS IMPORTANT.
[00:26:08.600]AND THEN WE WENT BACK AND I REMEMBER WE HAD A TEACHER,
[00:26:12.504]A REALLY SWEET SCHOOL TEACHER, FROM HASTINGS IN OUR GROUP.
[00:26:17.142]AND SHE WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE LINCOLN PAPER
[00:26:20.245]BACK IN D.C. HANDCUFFED.
[00:26:22.213]SO WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE GO BACK TO D.C. TO MAKE A STAND
[00:26:26.451]AGAINST THE KXL AND AS THEY WENT BACK THERE,
[00:26:30.355]THEY GOT MORE AND MORE ENGAGED.
[00:26:32.390]THAT'S ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT ACTIVISM.
[00:26:34.592]THE MORE YOU DO, THE MORE YOU START DEVELOPING FRIENDS
[00:26:38.229]AND SEEING THE EFFECTS OF YOUR ACTION,
[00:26:40.332]AND CONNECTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE ,
[00:26:42.167]AND HAVING FUN AND IT STARTS BEING A REALLY --
[00:26:46.271]A PROCESS THAT IS VERY REINFORCING TO BE IN.
[00:26:50.842]NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALIZED IN NEBRASKA IS THIS
[00:26:54.646]STATE DOES NOT LIKE RADICALS.
[00:26:57.148]IT'S A VERY POLITE STATE AND WE LIKE POLITE PEOPLE.
[00:27:00.852]SO ALL OF OUR TACTICS WERE POLITE.
[00:27:04.222]FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF OUR TACTICS WAS WE HAD A WOMAN WHO COULD
[00:27:07.359]BAKE THESE BEAUTIFUL DEEP-DISH CHEDDAR CRUST APPLE PIES
[00:27:13.365]AND WHENEVER ANYBODY IN THE LEGISLATURE OR L.E.S.
[00:27:17.235]OR CITY COUNCIL OR ANYBODY WITH POWER IN THE STATE MADE A GOOD
[00:27:22.674]DECISION, WE WOULD CALL A PRESS CONFERENCE AND GIVE THEM ONE OF
[00:27:26.478]THESE DEEP-DISH APPLE PIES.
[00:27:29.080]I WOULD GO PICK IT UP RIGHT OUT OF THE OVEN SO THE ODOR WOULD
[00:27:32.751]WAFT OVER THE CAPITOL ROTUNDA OR WHEREVER WE WERE CALLING
[00:27:36.254]OUR PRESS CONFERENCE.
[00:27:37.856]AND THOSE TURNED OUT TO BE VERY POPULAR AND EFFECTIVE.
[00:27:41.059]AND STILL WHEN I GO BACK TO L.E.S.
[00:27:43.028]TO TESTIFY, IF I MENTION THAT DEEP CRUST CHEDDAR APPLE PIE,
[00:27:47.799]THERE IS PEOPLE THAT THEIR EYES GET A LITTLE TEARY,
[00:27:50.068]BECAUSE WE WOULD GAVE EVERYBODY ONE IF THEY'D VOTE FOR
[00:27:52.570]SOME ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.
[00:27:54.506]WE ALSO REALLY TRIED TO CRAFT A LOT OF DIVERSE GROUPS.
[00:27:58.977]ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING GROUPS WAS THE OGONI NATION.
[00:28:04.616]AND THEY HAD BEEN IN NIGERIA WHEN ROYAL DUTCH SHELL OIL,
[00:28:08.253]WHO BY THE WAY ALSO IS PART OF TRANSCANADA,
[00:28:11.990]THEY'RE THE SAME COMPANY, WITH JUST DIFFERENT NAMES
[00:28:14.192]IN DIFFERENT CONTINENTS.
[00:28:15.794]BUT ANYWAY, THE OGONI PEOPLE HAD BEEN DOWNRIVER AS COMMUNITIES
[00:28:21.232]UPRIVER HAD THE PIPELINE, THE DUTCH SHELL OIL PIPELINE COME
[00:28:24.602]THROUGH, IT WAS IN CAHOOTS WITH THE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT,
[00:28:28.206]AND THEY SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING UPRIVER AND PROTESTED.
[00:28:33.611]AND ALL THE MALE LEADERS WERE HUNG IN THAT COMMUNITY.
[00:28:37.916]AND THE WOMEN AND THEIR -- THE CHILDREN WERE GIVEN ASYLUM
[00:28:42.520]AND THEY CAME TO LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.
[00:28:44.089]SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OGONI PEOPLE HERE.
[00:28:46.925]BUT WE HAD A STATEWIDE WATER FESTIVAL WHERE PEOPLE IN
[00:28:49.794]LITTLE TOWNS ALL OVER THE STATE CELEBRATED WATER
[00:28:52.664]AND WHATEVER THEY CHOSE.
[00:28:54.999]AND WE HAD A BIG PARTY IN ANTELOPE PARK
[00:28:57.769]AND THE OGONI CAME.
[00:28:59.871]AND IT WAS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL EVENT,
[00:29:03.575]BECAUSE THE OGONI LEADER STOOD UP -- HE HAD A TRANSLATOR AND HE
[00:29:07.912]SAID THIS WAS A GUY, AN OLDER GUY WHO'D SURVIVED AND HE SAID,
[00:29:12.750]"FIRST WHEN THE PIPELINE CAME UPRIVER, WE SAW THE FISH DIE.
[00:29:17.288]THEN WE SAW THE ANIMALS DIE.
[00:29:19.357]AND THEN WE SAW THE PEOPLE DIE.
[00:29:21.259]SO DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN IN NEBRASKA."
[00:29:24.229]AND ONE OF THE THINGS -- THAT DAY I WAS SITTING BY A COUPLE
[00:29:27.599]REPUBLICAN RANCHERS, AND THEY, THE OGONI,
[00:29:32.170]MADE SOME VERY KIND REMARKS AND THANKED THESE RANCHERS
[00:29:35.240]FOR THE WORK THEY WERE DOING.
[00:29:37.175]AFTERWARDS THEY WERE BOTH SO MOVED BY THAT.
[00:29:40.311]ONE OF THEM SAID TO ME, "YOU KNOW,
[00:29:42.080]I WOULD NEVER HAVE MET ANYBODY LIKE THIS OGONI LEADER
[00:29:46.551]IF I HADN'T BEEN PART OF THIS MOVEMENT."
[00:29:48.419]HE SAID, "THIS WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME
[00:29:50.288]THAT THIS HAPPENED TODAY."
[00:29:52.590]WE ALSO HAD SOMETHING CALLED THE "THANK YOU IN ADVANCE CAMPAIGN"
[00:29:59.797]WHERE A BUNCH OF OLDER WOMEN THAT LOOKED LIKE ME WENT TO
[00:30:02.667]THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION AND WE TOOK THINGS LIKE CORN MUFFINS,
[00:30:09.107]AND ZUCCHINI BREAD, AND LITTLE BOUQUETS OF FLOWERS,
[00:30:14.179]AND WITH THESE WE HAD A "THANK YOU IN ADVANCE, GOVERNOR,
[00:30:17.849]FOR CALLING A LEGISLATIVE SPECIAL SESSION
[00:30:22.086]TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM THIS PIPELINE."
[00:30:24.556]ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN
[00:30:28.293]IS WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
[00:30:30.662]YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE -- YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEAK LOUDLY
[00:30:34.632]AND SPEAK WRONG.
[00:30:35.833]YOU WANT YOUR FACTS TO BE RIGHT.
[00:30:38.469]AND THE OTHER THING IS, WE FOCUSED ON WHAT I'LL CALL
[00:30:42.307]ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.
[00:30:44.075]THERE IS A LOT OF INTELLIGENCE OUT THERE IN THIS 24/7
[00:30:48.112]NEWS CYCLE THAT I CALL DISTRACTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.
[00:30:52.417]LIKE I'LL PICK AN EXAMPLE OF MY WHAT I CONSIDER DISTRACTIONABLE.
[00:30:56.888]EVERYBODY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN CALLS ON THAT.
[00:30:59.123]THERE IS NOTHING I, MARY PIPHER
[00:31:01.359]IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA CAN DO ABOUT THE TROUBLES
[00:31:04.829]BETWEEN PALESTINE AND ISRAEL.
[00:31:07.098]I CARE ABOUT IT.
[00:31:08.366]I'VE BEEN READING ABOUT IT SINCE I WAS A TEENAGER.
[00:31:11.202]BUT I PERSONALLY HAVE NO IDEAS AND NO AGENCY WITH THAT PROBLEM.
[00:31:16.207]SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS WE STUCK WITH INFORMATION THAT
[00:31:21.212]WE COULD USE AND WE ACTED ON THAT INFORMATION AND THE REST OF
[00:31:25.383]THE INFORMATION WE DIDN'T PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO,
[00:31:29.420]AND WE NEVER LET OURSELVES GET INTO KIND OF AN "AIN'T IT AWFUL"
[00:31:33.891]KIND OF DISCUSSION.
[00:31:35.226]WE ALWAYS STAYED REALLY FORWARD MOMENTUM AND FOCUSED ON
[00:31:39.197]VICTORIES AND WHAT WE COULD DO NEXT.
[00:31:42.000]WHAT ALL THESE PEOPLE FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS HAD IN
[00:31:45.870]COMMON WAS WE WANTED TO PROTECT A PLACE WE LOVED,
[00:31:49.707]AND NEBRASKA IS A PLACE WHERE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE IN LINCOLN,
[00:31:53.411]FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE HOMESTEADER GRANDPARENTS,
[00:31:56.547]OR THEY'LL SAY, "MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE STATE THREE
[00:32:00.184]GENERATIONS," OR "I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN."
[00:32:02.854]A LOT OF PEOPLE OF US WERE NOT JUST NEBRASKANS,
[00:32:05.757]WE'RE FROM NEBRASKA AND WE HAVE A REAL DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF
[00:32:09.861]OUR STATE AND WHY WE LOVE THIS STATE.
[00:32:13.665]NOW, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT HAPPENED TO US WAS THERE WAS
[00:32:17.935]A CORNHUSKER GAME, AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU WERE THERE.
[00:32:21.673]BUT THIS IS WHEN THE TIDE TURNED AND THE GOVERNOR
[00:32:24.042]CALLED A SPECIAL SESSION.
[00:32:26.144]THAT TRANSCANADA ADVERTISED ON THE JUMBOTRON,
[00:32:30.615]SOMETHING REALLY GREAT ABOUT THE KXL PIPELINE
[00:32:34.052]AND THE PEOPLE IN THE STADIUM BOOED.
[00:32:36.854]THE PEOPLE IN THE STADIUM BOOED.
[00:32:38.690]AND I WASN'T AT THE FOOTBALL GAME, BUT I HEARD ABOUT IT.
[00:32:42.794]AND I REALIZED THIS IS REALLY GOOD.
[00:32:45.963]ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO,
[00:32:48.333]THIS IS NOT -- THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
[00:32:53.237]CLEAN WATER IS NOT A POLITICAL ISSUE.
[00:32:56.007]CLEAN AIR.
[00:32:56.841]CLEAN SOIL.
[00:32:58.209]IT'S NOT A RED ISSUE.
[00:33:00.044]IT'S NOT A BLUE ISSUE.
[00:33:01.612]WATER IS CLEAN OR DIRTY.
[00:33:04.182]WE HAD A LOT OF WAYS WE FRAMED THIS SO THAT WE WEREN'T
[00:33:08.786]INCITING ANY KIND OF POLARIZED DEBATE ABOUT THINGS.
[00:33:13.658]OUR GROUP LEARNED A LOT OF LESSONS.
[00:33:15.626]ONE OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED IS THAT PESSIMISM --
[00:33:18.863]THIS IS QUOTING GEORGE ORWELL.
[00:33:20.164]"PESSIMISM IS REACTIONARY BECAUSE IT MAKES THE VERY IDEA
[00:33:24.469]OF IMPROVING THE WORLD IMPOSSIBLE.
[00:33:26.771]I FOUND THAT WHETHER OR NOT WE BELIEVE WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
[00:33:30.875]IN A SMALL WAY ACTING AS IF WE CAN IS THE HEALTHIEST EMOTIONAL
[00:33:35.680]STANCE TO TAKE IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE AND DESTRUCTION.
[00:33:40.551]WE CAN NEVER KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR INDIVIDUAL
[00:33:44.489]ACTIONS, BUT WE CAN ACT AS IF OUR ACTIONS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
[00:33:50.061]THIS WILL CREATE ONLY GOOD ON EARTH."
[00:33:53.498]THUS FAR WE'VE KEPT THE KXL OUT OF AMERICA.
[00:33:57.435]THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT DECISION IN EARLY JULY TO HALT
[00:34:01.339]ACTION UNTIL FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND THAT
[00:34:05.443]PLUS THE FACT THAT AT THIS POINT IT'S ECONOMICALLY NOT A GOOD
[00:34:08.713]IDEA FOR THE OIL COMPANIES, THEY REALLY HAVE NO INTEREST IN IT
[00:34:12.583]MEANS WE'VE PROBABLY STOPPED IT FOREVER, WHICH IS GREAT.
[00:34:16.954]NOW, OUR GROUP HAS CHANGED ITS NAME "GUARDIANS OF THE AQUIFER"
[00:34:21.526]AND WE HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A FIGHT TO REGULATE
[00:34:25.029]CONFINED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS,
[00:34:28.232]SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE FREMONT PLANT.
[00:34:30.568]BUT ALL OF THE CATHODES IN THE STATE NEED MUCH BETTER
[00:34:34.505]REGULATION BECAUSE THE NITRATE LEVELS IN OUR WATER
[00:34:37.442]ARE VERY HIGH.
[00:34:38.676]AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING VERY HARD WITH O.P.P.D.
[00:34:43.114]AND L.E.S. ON ENERGY ISSUES.
[00:34:45.883]AND WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH THAT.
[00:34:48.085]THE PEOPLE ON THOSE BOARDS WANT TO MOVE TOWARDS ALTERNATIVE
[00:34:51.856]ENERGY, AND THEY'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT ONLY
[00:34:56.027]THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT'S THE CHEAPEST THING TO DO.
[00:34:59.664]SO THAT'S REALLY BEEN A GOOD MOVEMENT.
[00:35:02.433]AND SO ABOUT ONCE A MONTH WE'RE STILL GETTING TOGETHER AFTER
[00:35:05.102]TEN YEARS AND WE'VE BECOME WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLS
[00:35:11.576]A BELOVED COMMUNITY.
[00:35:14.212]I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OTHER WORK I'M DOING.
[00:35:17.782]THIS IS WORK I LEARNED FROM -- SHE IS NOW ABOUT 90-YEARS-OLD.
[00:35:22.653]SHE IS AN EDUCATOR, BUDDHIST,
[00:35:24.789]TRANSLATOR FROM THE GERMAN OF RILKE.
[00:35:27.058]I THINK SHE CAN SPEAK ABOUT SEVEN LANGUAGES.
[00:35:30.294]HER NAME IS JOANNA MACY.
[00:35:33.030]SHE STARTED HER ACTIVISM IN THE 50s TO STOP NUCLEAR WEAPONS
[00:35:39.070]AROUND THE WORLD.
[00:35:41.339]AND THE WHOLE NUCLEAR FREEZE MOVEMENT SORT OF MORPHED INTO
[00:35:46.210]THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT.
[00:35:47.512]ALMOST THE SAME PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED.
[00:35:50.715]HOW SHE GOT MOST INVOLVED IN WHAT SHE NOW CALLS
[00:35:54.352]"THE WORK THAT RECONNECTS" WAS -- SOME OF YOU IN THIS ROOM
[00:35:58.155]ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER CHERNOBYL.
[00:36:01.826]WHEN CHERNOBYL HAPPENED, HER HUSBAND WAS WORKING AS
[00:36:06.797]AN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AMBASSADOR IN MOSCOW.
[00:36:11.802]AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE LIVING IN MOSCOW.
[00:36:14.539]AND THE ACCIDENT AT CHERNOBYL WAS A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
[00:36:20.211]MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED.
[00:36:22.280]THE MILK COWS, THE MILK WAS RADIOACTIVE,
[00:36:25.449]THE 500-YEAR-OLD FOREST AROUND THE VILLAGE OF CHERNOBYL
[00:36:30.655]BECAME UNINHABITABLE.
[00:36:32.056]THAT'S WHERE THE VILLAGERS WENT FOR FIREWOOD AND MUSHROOMS
[00:36:35.793]AND GAME AND SO ON.
[00:36:37.795]THE WORST THING ABOUT CHERNOBYL IN SOME WAYS WAS THE GOVERNMENT
[00:36:43.634]DIRECTED THE NUCLEAR RAIN TO FALL ON CHERNOBYL.
[00:36:47.471]THE NUCLEAR RAIN WAS IN A CLOUD HEADING TOWARDS MOSCOW
[00:36:51.842]AND THEY SENT UP AIRPLANES TO SEED THOSE CLOUDS
[00:36:57.048]SO IT WOULD FALL ON CHERNOBYL.
[00:36:59.951]THERE WAS A UNIQUE SENSE OF WHY WERE WE CHOSEN TO BE THE PLACE,
[00:37:05.222]THE SACRIFICIAL AREA IN THIS TERRIBLE SITUATION?
[00:37:10.695]MACY WENT THERE, AND THE PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED, OF COURSE,
[00:37:15.399]TRAUMATIZED, JUST BESIDE THEMSELVES.
[00:37:20.237]AND SHE DECIDED THAT SHE NEEDED TO ORGANIZE EXERCISES TO HELP
[00:37:25.676]PEOPLE DEAL WITH THEIR GRIEF, SHARE THEIR GRIEF
[00:37:30.815]WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
[00:37:35.586]THINK OF WAYS TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THEIR SITUATIONS BETTER,
[00:37:40.825]TO BUILD STRENGTH AND COURAGE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY,
[00:37:44.562]AND THEN CELEBRATE TOGETHER THEIR LOVE OF THEIR COMMUNITY
[00:37:48.666]AND EACH OTHER AND THEIR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE.
[00:37:51.869]SO, SHE DESIGNED A LOT OF EXERCISES FOR THAT AND
[00:37:55.506]THE LAST ONE IS A BEAUTIFUL ONE THAT I'VE USED.
[00:37:58.643]I'M IN A GROUP WITH JUDY GREENWALD AND KIM MORROW AND
[00:38:01.312]SOME OTHERS HERE IN LINCOLN AND WE'VE USED THIS EXERCISE
[00:38:04.782]AT OUR WORKSHOPS, BUT IT'S CALLED THE ELM DANCE.
[00:38:07.952]IT'S THIS BEAUTIFUL CIRCLE DANCE WHERE PEOPLE DANCE
[00:38:11.155]TO THIS SLOW SAD MUSIC THAT BECOMES MORE AND MORE JOYOUS.
[00:38:15.626]AND BY THE END OF HER TIME IN CHERNOBYL,
[00:38:18.229]PEOPLE WERE DANCING TOGETHER TO THE ELM DANCE.
[00:38:21.198]THAT'S WHEN SHE DECIDED THIS WHOLE WORLD IS IN PAIN,
[00:38:25.703]AND WE CAN BRING THIS KIND OF HEALING TRANSFORMATIVE WORK
[00:38:29.907]TO PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
[00:38:32.476]SO, SOME OF US HAVE BEEN A TRAINER AND WE'RE BRINGING THAT
[00:38:36.247]WORK TO LINCOLN THE BEST WE CAN.
[00:38:38.949]BUT LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER THEORIES
[00:38:41.118]BECAUSE THEY'RE SO PERFECT FOR THIS MOMENT.
[00:38:44.488]SHE SAYS THERE'S THREE GREAT STORIES BEING TOLD
[00:38:47.758]IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.
[00:38:49.360]ONE OF THOSE STORIES IS BUSINESS AS USUAL.
[00:38:52.897]IF WE JUST KEEP ALL THIS INDUSTRIAL GROWTH CYCLE AND
[00:38:57.301]CAPITALISM MOVING ALONG AND KEEP THINGS THE WAY THEY ARE,
[00:39:01.906]WE'RE IN A SOCIETY WHERE INFINITE GROWTH IS POSSIBLE,
[00:39:05.042]INFINITE CONSUMERISM, INFINITE EXPANSION.
[00:39:08.446]THAT'S ONE STORY, BUSINESS AS USUAL.
[00:39:11.082]THE NEXT STORY IS THE GREAT UNRAVELING,
[00:39:14.552]WHICH IS BASICALLY EVERYTHING IS GOING TO HELL.
[00:39:17.221]EVERYTHING IS FALLING APART.
[00:39:19.123]AND WE'RE WITNESSING THE END OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT.
[00:39:24.295]AND THE THIRD STORY IS THE ONE SHE IS INTERESTED IN.
[00:39:27.765]AND THAT IS THE STORY OF THE GREAT TURNING AND ALL OF HER
[00:39:32.036]WORK, THESE MANY YEARS, HAS BEEN TO FURTHER THE STORY OF
[00:39:36.841]THE GREAT TURNING ALL OVER THE WORLD THROUGH EXERCISES.
[00:39:40.444]AND I'VE BEEN TO MULTIPLE WORKSHOPS WITH JOANNA
[00:39:43.781]BUT I HAPPENED TO BE AT THE LAST WORKSHOP SHE WAS AT.
[00:39:47.952]BY THEN SHE WAS VERY OLD WOMAN, SHE COULDN'T SEE VERY WELL.
[00:39:52.056]SHE HAD A LITTLE BRAIN DAMAGE IN THAT SHE INVITED ME AND SOME
[00:39:55.726]OTHER NEBRASKANS OUT TO LUNCH AND THEN SHE FORGOT ABOUT IT
[00:39:58.896]AND INVITED SOME OTHER PEOPLE OUT TO LUNCH.
[00:40:01.432]AND SHE HAD A HEARING PROBLEM, WE HAD TO REALLY SHOUT
[00:40:04.769]TO HEAR HER.
[00:40:06.137]SO THERE WAS A WAY IN WHICH I FELT KIND OF SORRY FOR HER
[00:40:09.874]AT 90 HAVING TO STILL DO THESE WORKSHOPS.
[00:40:12.643]BUT WHEN SHE STARTED TALKING, SHE WAS LIKE JOHN NEIHARDT WHEN
[00:40:16.480]HE STARTED TALKING AS AN OLD MAN AT LINCOLN AT THE STUDENT UNION
[00:40:20.584]SOME, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS AGO.
[00:40:23.654]AMAZING.
[00:40:24.789]ALL THIS STRENGTH AND POWER CAME INTO HER.
[00:40:27.825]AT THE END OF THE WORKSHOP, IT WAS HER LAST WORKSHOP
[00:40:32.797]AND SHE KNEW IT.
[00:40:33.898]AND SHE HAD THIS PRETTY SILK SHIRT ON,
[00:40:36.433]AND SHE WAS SAYING GOODBYE AND TALKING ABOUT HER WORK AND WHAT
[00:40:39.637]IT MEANT ALL OVER THE WORLD, SHE HAD THESE TEARS STREAMING DOWN
[00:40:43.274]HER FACE, AND SHE HAD THIS PRETTY SILK BLOUSE ON
[00:40:47.444]AND IT WAS WET WITH TEARS.
[00:40:49.613]AND THEN THIS WOMAN GOT UP AND STARTED SINGING
[00:40:53.050]THIS BEAUTIFUL SONG.
[00:40:54.218]WE SURROUNDED JOANNA.
[00:40:55.953]AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THIS SONG SWITCHES FROM SAD TO HAPPY
[00:40:59.857]AND JOANNA JUST STARTS DANCING THIS WILD FRENETIC DANCE,
[00:41:04.295]AND HER FACE IS TRANSFORMED FROM SORROW TO JOY.
[00:41:07.932]AND I REMEMBER THINKING, "BOY, IF I COULD DANCE AND LOOK LIKE
[00:41:12.102]THAT AT 90, I WOULD LIKE TO BE DOING THE KIND OF WORK
[00:41:14.104]SHE IS DOING."
[00:41:15.239]THERE'S A BIG PAYOFF IN FACING YOUR GRIEF,
[00:41:18.709]WORKING TO HELP THE WORLD, AND THEN CELEBRATING THE WORK
[00:41:22.413]YOU'VE DONE.
[00:41:23.681]BUT SHE TEACHES THERE IS THREE KINDS OF WORK TO DO NOW.
[00:41:27.051]THERE IS ACTION TO SLOW THE DAMAGE THAT'S ONGOING.
[00:41:31.055]NOW, THAT CAN BE THINGS LIKE WORKING WITH CLEAN ENERGY.
[00:41:34.525]IT CAN BE PROTECTING FORESTS AND WETLANDS.
[00:41:37.595]IT CAN BE PLANTING TREES.
[00:41:40.164]IT CAN BE ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT JUST SLOW DOWN DAMAGE.
[00:41:44.702]HELPING REFOREST THE AMAZON, STOPPING SOME OF
[00:41:48.339]THE DANGEROUS ACTIVITIES THERE.
[00:41:50.608]THE SECOND KIND OF ACTION IS THINKING NEW THINKING ABOUT
[00:41:56.313]HOW TO TRANSFORM THE VERY FOUNDATIONS OF OUR COMMON LIFE.
[00:42:01.452]SO FOR EXAMPLE, REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE IS A WHOLE NEW WAY
[00:42:06.056]OF THINKING ABOUT AGRICULTURE THAT TAKES THE BEST PRACTICES
[00:42:10.361]FROM A LONG TIME AGO AND ADAPTS THEM TO THE WORLD
[00:42:14.265]WE'RE LIVING IN RIGHT NOW.
[00:42:16.133]AND WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE,
[00:42:18.402]GRAHAM CHRISTIANSEN COMES TO MIND,
[00:42:20.070]WHO ARE WORKING ON THAT IN OUR STATE.
[00:42:22.773]ALSO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW
[00:42:25.676]TO BE TELLING STORIES OF HOPE.
[00:42:28.312]FOR EXAMPLE, MACY'S ESSENTIAL STORY IS WE CAN MEET OUR NEEDS
[00:42:33.784]AND HAVE ENOUGH FOR EVERYONE ON THE PLANET WITHOUT DESTROYING
[00:42:38.522]OUR LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM, AND FURTHERMORE,
[00:42:41.725]THIS NEW WORLD WILL NOT BE ONE OF SACRIFICE BUT ONE OF
[00:42:45.396]CONNECTION AND JOY.
[00:42:47.731]THE OTHER THING IS, A SHIFT IN WORLDVIEW,
[00:42:51.268]A PARADIGM SHIFT FROM INDIVIDUALISTIC TO A COMMUNAL
[00:42:55.506]CULTURE, FROM A DISCONNECTED SENSE OF SELF TO A VERY DEEP
[00:43:02.346]SENSE OF INTERCONNECTION, AND I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE
[00:43:05.849]STORY ABOUT THIS THAT CAME UP WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN LONG AGO.
[00:43:09.787]AT THE TIME -- THEY'RE TEENAGERS NOW.
[00:43:15.893]BUT AT THE TIME THEY WERE, OH, I WOULD SAY THEY WERE ABOUT
[00:43:20.197]EIGHT, SIX, AND FOUR.
[00:43:22.333]AND I READ THEM THIS BOOK CALLED
[00:43:24.668]"HEY, LITTLE ANT."
[00:43:25.736]HAVE ANY OF YOU EVER SEEN THIS BOOK?
[00:43:27.671]IT SHOWS A BOY IN A SCHOOLYARD AND THERE IS AN ANT AND HIS
[00:43:31.642]FRIENDS HAVE BEEN RUNNING AROUND STOMPING ON ANTS.
[00:43:34.845]AND HE'S JUST READY TO STOMP ON THIS ANT
[00:43:38.115]AND THE ANT STARTS TALKING TO HIM.
[00:43:41.218]AND THE ANT IS GOING, "WELL I'VE GOT A FAMILY, TOO.
[00:43:44.355]AND MY FAMILY DEPENDS ON ME.
[00:43:46.256]AND I LIKE MY LIFE JUST AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE.
[00:43:49.994]AND WHY WOULD YOU JUST SNUFF OUT MY LIFE SO YOU COULD SHOW
[00:43:53.464]THOSE BOYS YOU WERE A BULLY LIKE THEM?"
[00:43:56.400]AND SO THE SONG THAT GOES WITH THIS IS THE CHORUS IS: SHOULD
[00:44:00.904]THE ANT GET SQUISHED, SHOULD THE ANT GO FREE, IT'S UP TO THE KID,
[00:44:05.409]NOT UP TO ME.
[00:44:06.777]WE'LL LEAVE THAT KID WITH THE RAISED UP SHOE,
[00:44:09.947]NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT BOY SHOULD DO?
[00:44:12.616]SO THAT'S WHERE I STOP THIS BOOK WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN.
[00:44:15.319]I GO, "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY
[00:44:20.057]TO SQUISH AN ANT?"
[00:44:21.759]WELL, THE OLDEST GIRL, KATE, GOES, "OH, NANA,
[00:44:25.362]I WOULD NEVER -- I WOULD NEVER SQUISH AN ANT NOW."
[00:44:28.465]AND ADEN, WHO WAS SIX AT THE TIME GOES,
[00:44:31.235]"OH, NANA, I WOULDN'T EITHER.
[00:44:32.870]I WOULD NOT SQUISH AN ANT NOW."
[00:44:34.905]AND THE YOUNGEST ONE CLARE SAID, "WELL, NANA,"
[00:44:39.076]SHE THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SHE GOES, "NANA,
[00:44:40.677]THE BEST I COULD PROMISE IS I WON'T SQUISH A TALKING ANT."
[00:44:44.548]SO SHE SORT OF HAD THE IDEA, BUT SHE HAD SOME MORE DEVELOPMENT
[00:44:50.187]IN HER MORAL IMAGINATION.
[00:44:56.293]THE WAY MACY PUTS IT IS OUR RECOVERY DEPENDS ON
[00:44:59.830]THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE BELONG TO EACH OTHER
[00:45:02.833]AND ARE PART OF ONE IMMENSE HUMAN HEART.
[00:45:06.236]RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE BARDO, WHICH MEANS
[00:45:09.206]WE'RE BETWEEN TWO SHORES.
[00:45:11.542]WE'VE LOST SIGHT OF ONE PLACE AND CANNOT YET SEE ANOTHER.
[00:45:15.712]THE BARDO ALSO SIGNIFIES A GAP BETWEEN WORLD VIEWS,
[00:45:20.617]WHERE CULTURAL PARADIGMS CAN CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION
[00:45:24.254]IS POSSIBLE.
[00:45:25.956]THE OLD NORMAL WILL NOT RETURN, AND IN SOME WAYS THAT'S GOOD.
[00:45:29.960]CAPITALISM, WESTERN CIVILIZATION IT WAS WORKING,
[00:45:33.397]WAS NEITHER SUSTAINABLE NOR FAIR.
[00:45:35.699]AND OUR OLD WAYS OF THINKING WILL NOT SAVE US.
[00:45:40.437]AS EINSTEIN SAID, "NO PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED BY THE SAME LEVEL
[00:45:44.475]OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT CREATED IT."
[00:45:47.010]EMERGENCIES REQUIRE EMERGENT BEHAVIOR.
[00:45:50.247]IN TIMES OF RAPID CHANGE, WE NEED TO SEE CREATIVITY,
[00:45:55.085]CONNECTEDNESS, AND FLOURISHING.
[00:45:57.321]WHAT WILL SAVE US NOW IS OUR IMAGINATIONS.
[00:46:01.358]WE MUST IMAGINE A NEW FUTURE AND WE MUST IMAGINE AND WORK ON
[00:46:05.896]THE TRANSITIONS THAT WILL MAKE IT POSSIBLE.
[00:46:09.500]IT'S A TERRIFYING TIME, BUT IT'S A TIME TO CREATE A NEW STORY
[00:46:15.205]ABOUT THE FUTURE AS RILKE SAID, "WE ARE CONCEIVING A NEW STORY.
[00:46:20.844]LET US NOT SQUANDER THE PAIN OF OUR DESPAIR."
[00:46:24.648]AND THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL BOOK RIGHT NOW OUT BY ROB HOPKINS
[00:46:28.018]CALLED "FROM WHAT IS TO WHAT IF" IN WHICH HE ARGUES THAT OUR ONLY
[00:46:33.257]LIMITS FOR BUILDING THE KIND OF WORLD WE WANT ARE THE PARAMETERS
[00:46:38.629]OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND OUR IMAGINATION.
[00:46:41.732]RIGHT NOW WE'RE BOMBARDED BY DOOMSDAY STORIES,
[00:46:44.868]APOCALYPTIC STORIES THAT LEAVE US HOPELESS AND HELPLESS.
[00:46:48.805]BUT WE CAN TELL EACH OTHER NEW STORIES ABOUT A WORLD WHERE
[00:46:53.977]THINGS ACTUALLY WORK OUT OKAY.
[00:46:56.513]WE CAN ONLY BUILD FUTURES WE ENVISION.
[00:47:00.150]AND ONCE WE HAVE A DREAM, WE CAN PLAN THE STEPS TO REALIZE IT.
[00:47:05.222]CYNICISM IS EASY.
[00:47:07.291]IMAGINING THESE HOPEFUL STORIES IS AN ACT OF IMMENSE COURAGE
[00:47:11.361]AND RESISTANCE.
[00:47:12.796]NOW, HOPKINS DONE IT.
[00:47:14.164]HE'S HEAD OF THE TRANSITION TOWN MOVEMENT,
[00:47:17.534]WHICH IS ALL OVER THE WORLD NOW.
[00:47:19.536]AND WHAT HE DID WITH SOME MEMBERS OF HIS OWN COMMUNITY IS
[00:47:25.008]-- WHAT HE DID WITH MEMBERS OF HIS OWN COMMUNITY IS SAY,
[00:47:28.512]"WHAT KIND OF TOWN WOULD WE LIKE TO LIVE IN
[00:47:31.315]AND LET'S START WORKING ON IT."
[00:47:33.183]AND THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS FROM 3:00 TO 6:00 EVERY DAY,
[00:47:37.988]THEY CLOSED OFF THE STREETS AFTER SCHOOL
[00:47:40.257]IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS.
[00:47:42.092]SO ALL THE KIDS COULD GO OUT AND PLAY AND THE NEIGHBORS
[00:47:44.761]STARTED GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH EACH OTHER.
[00:47:47.064]AND THE CHILDREN WERE OUT PLAYING BALL AND HIDE-AND-SEEK
[00:47:49.900]INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT DEVICES.
[00:47:52.402]A GOOD QUESTION CREATES UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM.
[00:47:56.240]HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A QUESTION I LIKE RIGHT NOW.
[00:47:59.443]WHAT IF LINCOLN DECIDED TO BECOME A TRANSITION TOWN?
[00:48:03.480]AND SOME OF US ARE ALREADY ENVISIONING THAT.
[00:48:06.617]DEALING WITH GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE IS AN ETHICS PROBLEM.
[00:48:10.520]IT REQUIRES NEW VALUES AND NEW WAYS OF THINKING.
[00:48:13.790]IF WE DO NOT EXPAND OUR MORAL IMAGINATIONS,
[00:48:16.760]WE WILL DESTROY OURSELVES.
[00:48:18.895]HEALING WILL INVOLVE REWEAVING THE MOST SACRED AND PRIMAL
[00:48:22.733]OF CONNECTIONS.
[00:48:24.368]INTERCONNECTION CAN BE SEEN AS A SPIRITUAL BELIEF
[00:48:28.105]ESPECIALLY IN BUDDHISM.
[00:48:29.940]AS THICH NHAT HANH SAYS, "WE INTER-ARE."
[00:48:32.709]BUT IT'S ALSO A SCIENTIFIC FACT.
[00:48:35.245]JEREMY RIFKIN WRITES, "WE ARE LEARNING THAT THE EARTH
[00:48:38.115]FUNCTIONS LIKE AN INVISIBLE ORGANISM.
[00:48:41.018]WE ARE THE VARIOUS CELLS OF ONE LIVING BEING.
[00:48:44.254]THOSE WHO WORK TO SAVE THE EARTH ARE ITS ANTIBODIES.
[00:48:49.159]WE'RE ALL CONNECTED NOW, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT.
[00:48:52.562]COVID HAS TAUGHT US THAT.
[00:48:54.298]A BAT BITES A PANGOLIN IN WUHAN AND THE WHOLE WORLD
[00:48:57.701]GOES INTO FREE FALL.
[00:48:59.836]AT CORE A STRONG SENSE FOR OUR INTERCONNECTION
[00:49:03.473]IS A SURVIVAL STRATEGY."
[00:49:06.209]GREGORY BATESON SAID, "THE UNIT OF SURVIVAL IS THE ORGANISM
[00:49:10.814]AND HIS OR HER ENVIRONMENT.
[00:49:13.283]IN OUR GREAT HOMINID JOURNEY, NOBODY REALLY KNOWS
[00:49:16.286]WHAT TIME IT IS.
[00:49:18.055]WE COULD BE AT ITS END OR AT THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT
[00:49:21.158]AND GLORIOUS TURNING TOWARDS RECONNECTION AND HOLD-NESS.
[00:49:25.195]TO BUILD A WORLD THAT WORKS, WE NEED A GIANT LEAP FORWARD
[00:49:29.099]IN OUR COLLECTIVE MORAL IMAGINATION.
[00:49:31.902]AMERICA IS IN A CRUCIBLE MOMENT.
[00:49:34.705]IF WE CAN KEEP FEAR FROM STOPPING US,
[00:49:37.474]WE CAN STEP INTO A NEW WORLD.
[00:49:39.876]WE ARE NOT WITHOUT RESOURCES.
[00:49:42.045]WE HAVE OUR INTELLIGENCE, HUMOR, AND COMPASSION,
[00:49:45.349]OUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS AND OUR ANCESTRY OF RESILIENT SURVIVORS.
[00:49:50.620]WE CAN BE RESTORED."
[00:49:53.023]SO LET US SAVE AND SAVOR THE WORLD TOGETHER.
[00:49:56.860]I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
[00:49:58.829]I WISH YOU WELL ON YOUR JOURNEY.
[00:50:00.897]I WISH YOU VITALITY AND HOPE.
[00:50:03.100]AND LONG AND HAPPY LIVES.
[00:50:05.569]LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD TOGETHER.
[00:50:07.170]THANK YOU.
[00:50:08.105][ APPLAUSE ]
[00:50:11.041]>> THANK YOU.
[00:50:13.977]>> THANK YOU.
[00:50:18.248]>> THANK YOU.
[00:50:24.788]>> IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR MARY,
[00:50:26.490]PLEASE SUBMIT QUESTIONS VIA TEXT AGAIN AT ENT918 TO 22333.
[00:50:32.262]OR BY GOING TO POLLEV.COM/ENT918.
[00:50:36.800]MARY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[00:50:38.168]YOUR MESSAGE OF HOPE ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC
[00:50:40.303]WAS WONDERFUL.
[00:50:41.505]>> THANK YOU.
[00:50:42.639]>> YOU SPOKE SO HOPEFULLY AND LOVINGLY ABOUT
[00:50:43.707]YOUR GRANDCHILDREN.
[00:50:45.008]WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM OR THEIR PEERS?
[00:50:48.512]>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK CHILDREN MAKE GREAT ACTIVISTS.
[00:50:51.415]THEY REALLY WANT TO BE HELPFUL AND THEY LOVE TO BE OF USE.
[00:50:54.951]EVERYBODY WHO KNOWS A 3-YEAR-OLD KNOWS HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO HAVE
[00:50:58.855]A TOY LAWNMOWER TO GO OUT AND HELP DAD OR MOM MOW THE YARD.
[00:51:04.127]MY OWN EXPERIENCES CHILDREN MAKE WONDERFUL TESTIFIERS.
[00:51:08.198]WHEN WE'VE GONE TO SEE THE GOVERNOR IN A MEETING TO ASK HIM
[00:51:11.001]FOR SOMETHING, WE ALWAYS TAKE A BABY ALONG.
[00:51:14.070]OUR YOUNGEST ACTIVIST WAS A 2-YEAR-OLD WE CALLED BABY BOB,
[00:51:17.674]AND BABY BOB WAS IN OUR VIDEOS.
[00:51:19.876]HE WENT WITH US.
[00:51:22.412]THIS SUMMER DURING COVID, I WAS TALKING, MY GRANDSON,
[00:51:28.885]ONE OF MY GRANDSONS LIVES IN CANADA, AND HE'S TEN.
[00:51:32.689]AND I WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT WRITING A STORY TOGETHER.
[00:51:37.794]AND I SAID, "LET'S TAKE TURNS WRITING A LINE.
[00:51:41.097]I'LL WRITE THE FIRST LINE, AND YOU WRITE THE SECOND.
[00:51:44.434]AND WE'LL JUST WRITE A STORY WHILE WE VISIT TODAY."
[00:51:47.237]SO I START OUT WITH A LINE THAT, OF COURSE,
[00:51:49.773]I STOLE FROM CHARLES DICKENS BUT I THOUGHT IT'S A GENERATIVE LINE
[00:51:52.943]FOR A STORY.
[00:51:54.311]I GO, "IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES.
[00:51:59.049]A POOR BOY LIVED IN A LITTLE HUT IN A POOR PART OF LONDON,
[00:52:06.723]AND ANOTHER BOY WAS THE SON OF A KING AND LIVED IN A PALACE."
[00:52:11.161]AND SO NOW IT'S YOUR TURN FOR THE NEXT SENTENCE.
[00:52:14.364]AND MY GRANDSON SAID, "AND THE POOR BOY
[00:52:17.100]FOUND A CURE FOR COVID."
[00:52:20.036]IT WAS VERY TOUCHING, BECAUSE IT SHOWS HOW MUCH HE WOULD LIKE TO
[00:52:23.039]HAVE BEEN THAT HERO AND HOW THAT'S WHAT A HEROIC
[00:52:26.510]10-YEAR-OLD BOY WOULD DO, FIND A CURE FOR COVID.
[00:52:31.515]>> WOW.
[00:52:32.516]THAT'S AMAZING.
[00:52:33.950]MARY, THE STORIES YOU REGALED US WITH THIS EVENING MAKE IT JUST
[00:52:37.621]RAISE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE THINGS YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED.
[00:52:41.525]MAYBE IT'S THE PIPELINE, BUT WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS
[00:52:43.827]YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS ACTIVISM?
[00:52:47.664]>> WELL, I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK THE GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT
[00:52:52.302]FOR ANYONE IS BEING ABLE TO GET ALONG WITH ALL THE PEOPLE
[00:52:57.641]IN NEBRASKA, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO GET ALONG WITH
[00:53:00.377]DIVERSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
[00:53:02.812]YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO IS A PARENT KNOWS
[00:53:04.714]ONE OF YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS IF
[00:53:07.617]YOU RAISE CHILDREN THAT END UP LIKING YOU.
[00:53:10.320]BUT IN TERMS OF JUST SPECIFICALLY ACTIVISM,
[00:53:14.624]I WOULD SAY I FEEL MY GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT HAS BEEN BEING
[00:53:20.564]A MEMBER OF THIS BELOVED COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE LIKE ME
[00:53:24.501]WHO WANT TO MAKE LINCOLN AND THE STATE A BETTER PLACE.
[00:53:27.437]AND JUST -- THERE ARE NO PEOPLE MORE INTERESTING OR FUN
[00:53:31.374]TO HANG OUT WITH THAN ACTIVISTS.
[00:53:33.410]AND BECAUSE OF THE WORK I'VE CHOSEN TO DO ALL MY LIFE,
[00:53:37.247]I'VE HAD THE LIFE-LONG EXPERIENCE OF BEING AROUND
[00:53:39.916]PEOPLE LIKE THAT.
[00:53:41.017]AND SO IT'S WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
[00:53:42.986]>> THANK YOU.
[00:53:44.254]AND NOW QUESTION FROM OUR ONLINE POLL.
[00:53:46.656]IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES, MARY, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH
[00:53:49.059]THE DESPAIR WE FEEL?
[00:53:50.460]>> WELL, OF COURSE, I JUST GAVE A SPEECH ABOUT THAT,
[00:53:53.430]DIDN'T I, IN A WAY.
[00:53:55.165]I SAID THAT THE ANECDOTE TO DESPAIR IS ACTION.
[00:53:59.469]BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION BECAUSE I'M GOING TO PUT ON MY
[00:54:03.306]PSYCHOLOGIST HAT FOR A MINUTE AND SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL,
[00:54:08.678]WE CAN'T DEAL WITH OUR DESPAIR BY NUMBING OURSELVES OUT.
[00:54:13.883]WE CAN'T ENTERTAIN IT AWAY.
[00:54:16.086]WE CAN'T DRINK IT AWAY.
[00:54:19.789]WE CAN'T FACETIME IT AWAY.
[00:54:23.326]ULTIMATELY, THE HEALTHY WAY TO DEAL WITH DESPAIR IS TO SIT WITH
[00:54:27.897]IT AND TO FACE IT, AND TO FEEL IT IN OUR BODIES AND THEN TO
[00:54:32.268]SHARE OUR GRIEF WITH PEOPLE WHO CAN LISTEN TO US AND WHO CAN
[00:54:36.306]SHARE THEIR GRIEF WITH US.
[00:54:38.441]AND THERE'S A TREMENDOUS POWER IN TALKING AND LISTENING TO
[00:54:42.545]OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR GRIEF.
[00:54:44.781]NOT NECESSARILY FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE ONE OF THE TRICKS I LEARNED
[00:54:48.418]AT JOANNA MACY'S WORKSHOPS IS IF YOU SIT DOWN WITH ANOTHER PERSON
[00:54:53.723]AND LOOK IN THEIR EYES FOR FIVE MINUTES,
[00:54:57.227]AND THEN YOU DROP DOWN INTO YOUR HEART,
[00:54:59.529]AND YOU TELL THEM HOW YOU'RE FEELING IN YOUR HEART,
[00:55:02.899]AND THEY DO NOTHING BUT LISTEN, AND THEN YOU LISTEN TO THEM
[00:55:06.903]WHILE THEY DO THE SAME THING, YOU'VE SPENT TEN MINUTES TALKING
[00:55:11.007]ABOUT YOUR DEEPEST FEELINGS.
[00:55:13.443]AND THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON TO THE WEATHER OR WHAT'S FOR DINNER
[00:55:16.613]OR WHATEVER.
[00:55:18.048]BUT YOU'VE DONE SOME HONEST FACING OF YOUR GRIEF AND
[00:55:22.118]IT'S TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL RATHER THAN JUST SMASHING IT DOWN.
[00:55:25.922]IN FACT, IF YOU FACE IT, THEN YOU HAVE HOPEFULLY THE ENERGY
[00:55:29.826]FOR SOME VITALITY.
[00:55:31.361]WHAT GIVES ME THE MOST ENERGY RIGHT NOW IS THE NATURAL WORLD
[00:55:36.366]CONNECTION TO OTHER PEOPLE, AND HEARING STORIES OF HOPE.
[00:55:40.537]AND SO I'M READING STORIES OF HOPE.
[00:55:42.806]I'M WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHENEVER I CAN THAT ARE
[00:55:45.675]TELLING STORIES OF HOPE.
[00:55:47.510]AND LIKE RIGHT NOW I WAS SAYING IN THE SPEECH
[00:55:49.879]I HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION.
[00:55:52.048]WHAT IF SOME OF US IN THIS COMMUNITY DECIDED TO MAKE
[00:55:55.185]LINCOLN A TRANSITION TOWN WHERE PLAY WAS CREATIVE AND WONDERFUL
[00:55:59.355]FOR CHILDREN, WHERE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WORKED TO FOSTER THE
[00:56:02.726]IMAGINATION, WHERE WORK WAS MEANINGFUL FOR ADULTS,
[00:56:07.430]WHERE WE'RE EATING LOCAL FOOD AND USING LOCAL ENERGY,
[00:56:12.435]WHERE WE LIVED IN A GREEN AND VERDANT TOWN WHERE PEOPLE
[00:56:14.771]TALKED TO EACH OTHER?
[00:56:15.872]THAT WOULD BE A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
[00:56:17.574]AND I THINK IT'S WITHIN OUR REACH.
[00:56:19.809]SO I LIKE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION
[00:56:22.645]AFTER I FACED MY OWN GRIEF.
[00:56:26.082]>> THAT'S MY VISION OF LINCOLN.
[00:56:27.250]THANKS FOR DESCRIBING IT SO ELOQUENTLY.
[00:56:29.519]WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE NEW NORMAL.
[00:56:31.755]WHAT DO YOU THINK OR HOPE THE NEW NORMAL LOOKS LIKE?
[00:56:34.824]MAYBE YOU ALREADY DESCRIBED PART OF IT.
[00:56:37.494]>> WELL, I LIKE THE LANGSTON HUGHES' QUOTE
[00:56:39.195]"IN DREAMS BEGIN RESPONSIBILITY."
[00:56:41.831]AND I THINK THE NEW NORMAL WILL REQUIRE A GREAT DEAL OF
[00:56:47.937]CREATIVE IMAGINATION AND WORKING TOGETHER.
[00:56:51.775]THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INERTIA IN THIS COUNTRY
[00:56:55.245]AND THERE IS ALSO A GREAT DEAL OF RESISTANCE TO CHANGE.
[00:56:59.482]WE'VE SEEN IT WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OVER AND OVER
[00:57:03.653]AGAIN THROUGH THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.
[00:57:06.055]AND WE'RE ALREADY SEEING IT THIS SUMMER WHERE BLACK LIVES MATTERS
[00:57:10.894]WAS A VERY POPULAR MOVEMENT WITH MASSIVE SUPPORT.
[00:57:14.597]AND AS THERE IS AGITATION FROM THE RIGHT,
[00:57:19.435]SUGGESTING THAT PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE RIOTERS AND MOBSTERS,
[00:57:24.541]THAT SUPPORT IS FALLING AWAY.
[00:57:27.277]AND SO IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF COURAGE AND ENERGY AND
[00:57:32.215]IMAGINATION TO SAY, "I'M GOING TO STEP UP AND WORK FOR MY
[00:57:36.986]VISION OF WHAT A GOOD WORLD WOULD LOOK LIKE."
[00:57:39.722]I MEAN, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF MY IDEAS ABOUT A WORLD IS WE WOULD
[00:57:42.859]SPEND MUCH LESS TIME ON DEVICES
[00:57:45.195]AND MORE TIME WORKING TOGETHER FOR CHANGE.
[00:57:48.031]AND MORE TIME ENJOYING EACH OTHER.
[00:57:49.632]I DON'T THINK THE NEW WORLD I WANT TO LIVE IN IS LESS JOYFUL
[00:57:53.770]THAN THE OLD WORLD.
[00:57:55.171]I THINK IT'S MORE JOYFUL.
[00:57:56.573]I THINK THERE'S MORE COMMUNAL ACTIVITY.
[00:57:59.075]THERE'S MORE LOCAL EVENTS EVERYTHING FROM MUSIC AND ART TO
[00:58:03.146]FESTIVALS AND POETRY READINGS AND THE FARMERS ARE AGAIN
[00:58:08.518]WORKING AT FARMING IN A WAY THAT THEY TRULY ENJOY.
[00:58:12.922]THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BED AT NIGHT WONDERING IF
[00:58:14.724]THEY'RE GOING TO GO BROKE.
[00:58:16.292]SO I CAN SEE A NEW NORMAL THAT IS A REALLY FLOURISHING WORLD.
[00:58:21.197]THE WORST NEW NORMAL FOR ME WOULD BE A SORT OF
[00:58:25.869]EVISCERATED PATHETIC VERSION OF THE OLD NORMAL,
[00:58:29.405]JUST COMING BACK WITH LESS OF EVERYTHING AS OPPOSED TO
[00:58:33.910]MOVING INTO A NEW STORY OF WHAT OUR LIVES COULD BE.
[00:58:38.047]>> NEXT QUESTION WITH APOLOGIES FOR READING IT FROM A DEVICE
[00:58:41.885]ALTHOUGH IT'S JUST A TOOL, RIGHT,
[00:58:43.887]FROM ONE OF THOSE LIVE PEOPLE IN YOUR AUDIENCE TONIGHT.
[00:58:45.788]WHAT DO YOU ADMIRE OR WORRY ABOUT IN THE YOUNG GENERATION'S
[00:58:48.992]ACTIVISM IN TODAY'S WORLD?
[00:58:51.527]>> I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE AND ACTIVISM.
[00:58:54.597]WHEN OUR GROUP STARTED, WE HAD A TOTALLY BIMODAL DISTRIBUTION OF
[00:59:00.003]MEMBERS BECAUSE PEOPLE THAT ARE RAISING CHILDREN LIKE BETWEEN,
[00:59:04.674]SAY, 35 AND 50 OR 55, THEY'RE TOO BUSY TO BE ACTIVISTS
[00:59:12.181]A LOT OF TIMES.
[00:59:13.316]THEY'VE GOT LITTLE KIDS.
[00:59:14.784]THEY'VE WORKING.
[00:59:16.119]THEY'RE TRYING TO ARRANGE EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, INSURANCE,
[00:59:19.656]AND HOUSE PAYMENTS AND CAR PAYMENTS.
[00:59:22.058]PEOPLE IN THEIR 20s HAVE SOMETIMES A LOT OF ENERGY
[00:59:26.162]FOR SOCIAL CHANGE.
[00:59:27.230]SO DO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.
[00:59:28.965]AND PEOPLE AGAIN MY AGE WHO ARE RETIRED OR MOVING TOWARDS
[00:59:33.403]RETIREMENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY, TOO,
[00:59:36.572]BECAUSE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
[00:59:39.108]WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WANT MORE THAN SEVEN GENERATIONS
[00:59:43.112]OF FUTURE PEOPLE TO BE HAPPY.
[00:59:45.481]SO OUR GROUP WAS A BEAUTIFUL CONFLUENCE OF YOUNG PEOPLE
[00:59:50.787]WHO AMONG OTHER THINGS REALLY UNDERSTOOD THE USE OF
[00:59:54.357]SOCIAL MEDIA AND GETTING TOGETHER CROWDS AND FLASH MOBS
[00:59:57.927]AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
[00:59:59.529]AND THEN OLDER PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO HAD SOME ACCESS TO RESOURCES
[01:00:04.901]THAT A LOT OF YOUNGER --LIKE A BIG ENOUGH HOUSE I COULD HAVE
[01:00:07.570]A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER AND COOK A BIG MEAL,
[01:00:10.006]OR A FEW PHONE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE IN POWER I COULD CALL
[01:00:13.710]AND TALK TO ABOUT THINGS ON BEHALF OF OUR GROUP.
[01:00:16.612]SO I THINK THAT MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE
[01:00:20.883]I KNOW, THAT'S NOT A RANDOM SAMPLING,
[01:00:23.886]IS THEY'RE DEEPLY IDEALISTIC AND ENGAGED.
[01:00:27.023]THIS MORNING I MET WITH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
[01:00:29.492]AND WE DID AN EXERCISE WHERE WE ALL IMAGINED A WORLD
[01:00:34.130]IN 20 YEARS THAT WORKED.
[01:00:36.165]AND THEN EACH STUDENT STEPPED INTO THAT WORLD
[01:00:38.768]AND IMAGINED IT AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD BE.
[01:00:42.038]AND EVERY STUDENT, THEIR IDEAS FOR THE KIND OF WORLD
[01:00:44.874]THEY WANTED TO LIVE IN, WERE SO BEAUTIFUL.
[01:00:47.243]I HOPE THEY WORK FOR THAT WORLD.
[01:00:49.445]>> THANK YOU.
[01:00:50.847]MAYBE YOU SHARED THIS WITH THOSE HONOR STUDENTS TODAY, MARY,
[01:00:52.248]BUT WHAT THREE SKILLS DO YOU THINK ARE MOST IMPORTANT
[01:00:54.884]FOR BEING AN ACTIVIST?
[01:00:56.886]>> I THINK THE WORLD HAS A PLACE FOR EVERY HUMAN GIFT.
[01:01:02.291]I THINK FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE SKILLS IS BEING ABLE TO
[01:01:06.362]THINK ABOUT A LONG GAME.
[01:01:08.831]AND TO REALLY BE FOCUSED ON GOOD PROCESS ALL THE TIME.
[01:01:12.869]AND NOT BE VERY FOCUSED ON OUTCOME.
[01:01:15.371]BECAUSE IN MANY SITUATIONS WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER OUTCOME.
[01:01:19.742]ANOTHER SKILL I THINK IS REALLY GOOD IS JUST BEING A WARM LOVING
[01:01:25.114]PERSON WHO CAN SHOW UP AND BE KIND TO EVERYBODY
[01:01:28.317]AND BE POSITIVE ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
[01:01:30.853]BUT WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.
[01:01:33.122]WE HAVE SOME INTROVERTS THAT ARE EXCELLENT AT DOING
[01:01:36.059]CERTAIN THINGS.
[01:01:37.393]I'M TERRIBLE AT CERTAIN THINGS.
[01:01:39.062]I'M GLAD IN OUR GROUP THERE IS SOMEBODY WHO CAN HANDLE
[01:01:42.031]SPREADSHEETS AND ENERGY STATISTICS FOR L.E.S.,
[01:01:45.301]FOR EXAMPLE.
[01:01:46.769]SO I DON'T THINK IT'S LIKE WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST
[01:01:48.738]IMPORTANT SKILLS.
[01:01:50.173]I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF EACH PERSON SAYING WHAT IS IT
[01:01:53.576]THAT I HAVE TO OFFER?
[01:01:55.344]AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL GIVE TO
[01:01:56.546]WHATEVER CAUSE I'M MOST DEVOTED TO.
[01:01:59.949]>> THANK YOU.
[01:02:01.384]AS DR. McMAHON TOLD US EARLIER, THE THOMPSON FORUM THIS YEAR
[01:02:04.220]IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND HOPE.
[01:02:05.988]WHAT COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT
[01:02:07.323]THOSE CHARACTERISTICS?
[01:02:09.692]>> THIS COUNTRY IS FULL OF WONDERFUL LEADERS
[01:02:14.597]AND OF COURSE JOHN LEWIS WE JUST LOST.
[01:02:19.569]THERE'S BEEN SO MANY AND I'M THINKING MOSTLY RIGHT AT THIS
[01:02:22.238]MOMENT OF LEADERS FROM THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
[01:02:25.341]AND BLACK MOVEMENT.
[01:02:26.909]BUT THERE'S BEEN WONDERFUL LABOR LEADERS OVER TIME.
[01:02:30.780]I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE EARLY WOMEN SUFFRAGETTES WHO
[01:02:35.418]WERE LOCKED UP AND SPIT ON AND CALLED ALL KINDS OF NAMES AND
[01:02:40.389]ACCUSED OF TRYING TO DESTROY THE FAMILY AND BEING SEXLESS OR
[01:02:44.327]BEING MONSTERS, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LONG THREAD
[01:02:49.966]IN THIS COUNTRY OF PEOPLE LIKE WALT WHITMAN FOR EXAMPLE WHO
[01:02:55.938]DURING THE CIVIL WAR WORKED IN HOSPITALS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
[01:03:00.042]TAKING CARE OF WOUNDED SOLDIERS AND WORKED VERY HARD
[01:03:03.246]TO PROMOTE CARE FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS.
[01:03:07.550]HARRIET BEECHER STOWE WHO WROTE "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN."
[01:03:11.154]THERE'S WONDERFUL WRITERS, THERE'S ALL THESE MUSICIANS,
[01:03:14.524]THERE'S ARTISTS, THERE'S POLITICAL LEADERS,
[01:03:17.226]AND THERE'S COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS,
[01:03:19.228]SO THERE IS SO MANY WAYS PEOPLE CAN BE A REALLY GOOD LEADER.
[01:03:22.899]MY FAVORITE WORLD LEADERS RIGHT NOW ARE JOANNA MACY WHO I THINK
[01:03:27.870]HAS MADE AN ENORMOUS DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY PEOPLE ALL OVER
[01:03:31.307]THE WORLD THINK ABOUT MOTHER EARTH.
[01:03:34.510]I ALSO AM EXTREMELY FOND OF THICH NHAT HAHN AND
[01:03:37.747]HIS TEACHINGS ABOUT INNER BEING AND INNER PEACE
[01:03:41.017]AND OUTER PEACE BEING VERY CONNECTED.
[01:03:44.887]I REALLY LIKE THE PRESIDENT OF NEW ZEALAND.
[01:03:47.790]I CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME RIGHT NOW BUT SHE HAS BEEN
[01:03:50.493]SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR IN LEADERSHIP.
[01:03:53.596]WHENEVER SHE SPEAKS I JUST THINK,
[01:03:55.364]"OH, WHAT A WONDERFUL LEADER.
[01:03:57.333]WHAT AN EMPATHIC, KIND, VISIONARY PERSON SHE IS."
[01:04:02.038]>> WONDERFUL.
[01:04:03.472]MANY OF OUR VIEWERS THIS EVENING ARE ASKING ABOUT A RECIPE FOR
[01:04:06.175]THAT DEEP-DISH PIE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT
[01:04:08.444]FOR THAT, MARY.
[01:04:09.412]>> I COULDN'T BAKE A PIE LIKE THAT.
[01:04:10.813]THAT'S NOT ONE OF MY SKILLS.
[01:04:12.048]>> PIES AND SPREADSHEETS, RIGHT?
[01:04:14.050]TELL US SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU'VE LEARNED
[01:04:16.052]WHILE DOING YOUR WORK HERE IN NEBRASKA.
[01:04:19.121]>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LIKE ABOUT NEBRASKANS
[01:04:22.858]IS THERE ARE HUMBLE PEOPLE.
[01:04:26.662]LIKE FOR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE JOKES WE HAVE IS
[01:04:29.465]WHENEVER ACTIVISTS GET IN THE CAR WE ALL COMPETE TO SIT
[01:04:32.435]IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT.
[01:04:34.337]"OH, I LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK SEAT.
[01:04:35.671]YOU SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT."
[01:04:37.473]AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY LIKE A BIG FUSS
[01:04:40.610]BEING MADE OVER US.
[01:04:42.545]AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN REALLY BEAUTIFUL
[01:04:45.248]FOR ME TO SEE IS ALL THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS,
[01:04:49.385]ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CAME FROM VERY DIFFERENT PLACES AND
[01:04:53.022]DECIDED THEY LIKED EACH OTHER AND COULD GET ALONG
[01:04:55.258]AND WORK TOGETHER.
[01:04:56.659]AND NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, I KNOW QUITE A FEW PEOPLE IN WESTERN
[01:05:02.131]COMMUNITIES THAT I CALL MY FRIENDS THAT I WOULD NEVER
[01:05:06.702]HAVE MET IF WE HADN'T WORKED TOGETHER ON THE PIPELINE
[01:05:10.406]SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY NICE.
[01:05:13.442]ANOTHER THING ABOUT NEBRASKA, THEY'RE NOT A PRETENTIOUS PEOPLE
[01:05:17.280]IN ANY WAY.
[01:05:18.347]MOST PEOPLE USE SIMPLE LANGUAGE.
[01:05:20.950]THEY USE A LOT OF HUMOR AND STORIES.
[01:05:24.153]AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE IF YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR HELP,
[01:05:28.524]IT'S ALMOST NEVER YOU GET TOLD NO.
[01:05:30.359]IF YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR HELP IN NEBRASKA,
[01:05:32.495]NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF HELP YOU ASK, THEY'RE LIKELY TO SAY SURE,
[01:05:35.398]I'LL GIVE YOU SOME HELP.
[01:05:37.066]IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
[01:05:39.035]>> MARY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAY MOST ON THIS CAMPUS IS
[01:05:41.470]THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE NEBRASKA.
[01:05:43.039]ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS IS BECAUSE YOU'RE HERE.
[01:05:45.541]THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[01:05:46.475]>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[01:05:47.510]THANK YOU ALL FRIENDS WHO CAME TONIGHT.
[01:05:48.878]THANK YOU.
[01:05:49.679][ APPLAUSE ]
[01:05:52.181]>> THANK YOU.
[01:05:55.151]>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING TONIGHT'S
[01:05:56.986]E.N. THOMPSON FORUM AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARY.
[01:05:59.722]I HOPE TO SEE YOU THREE WEEKS FROM TONIGHT ON SEPTEMBER 22nd
[01:06:02.692]WHEN WE HOST WORLD-RENOWNED PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN, SPEAKER,
[01:06:05.828]AND PULITZER-PRIZE WINNING BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
[01:06:07.997]DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN VIA LIVE STREAM.
[01:06:10.032]HAVE A NICE EVENING AND STAY SAFE.
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Trauma and Recovery: A New Story of Interconnection and Action...

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