One giant step outside my doom box---thinking of a relative of mine many generations ago walking from east Canada to Pacific Northwest. Setting up trade with the indians and settling the area. If the net were around, what would he have experienced? MORE bears than admitted? Mountains higher than documented. Disasterous weather will decimate your stash? Locals unpredictable? And if so, what would he have done? Paradim: it is about how a situation is conceptualized and the actions one takes because of those perceptions. I choose another box and skip in and around it too--loosening attatchment to theory and belief in "reality"----experimenting. Thanks grandpa--

-- John Q (stepping@outsidethebox.com), August 28, 1999

Answers

What he would probably have done is not gone on his journey. Now we don't have any choice about taking this journey, but just like grandpa probably did...we can pack our bags and attempt to be prepared for what we think we know...but yeah, there will be more unknowns than knowns to deal with down the road. Makes for an interesting life journey, which in re: to beliefs structures: I believe we all chose to be here now in these most interesting times.

That aside, I'd like to pass on what several ex-military (some Vietnam) have related regarding people in extreme positions: they do tend to work together, even in prolonged (years) dire straits. They share food and resources and find ways to survive. So I think we may learn (if things are bigger than BITR) that we are all made of stronger and more compassionate stuff than we may now demonstrate in a society that seems to shun the notion of working together. We will certainly have a clearer view of why that is desirable and essential when (if) our vulnerabilities are exposed.

-- Shelia (Shelia@active-stream.com), August 28, 1999.