The time for thinkers has come

Spiritual resource to share: intelligence

I felt a sigh of relief after I finished watching Frontline's program "The Choice 2008" that gave in-depth biographies of Obama and McCain last night. There was something about its attempt to be fair and to draw out the essential leadership qualities of the two candidates that appealed to me. As a viewer, I felt I was being recognized as a thinker, as someone who could think for herself and weigh the larger issues of today against each candidate.

Actually, I am for just about anything that appeals to our higher sense of intelligence, morals, compassion and responsibility. I get concerned when the lower sense of revenge, slander, pride and fear gets more play, not only in campaign ads, but all sorts of vehicles that attempt to influence thought.

I regularly read headlines from numerous sources (yes I can name them all if asked!) and dig into those headlines' articles based on my interest and need to know. But my favorite news source is The Christian Science Monitor. Founded by Mary Baker Eddy, who wrote "The time for thinkers has come", this newspaper has as its motto: "to injure no man, but to bless all mankind."

After watching Frontline whose approach to the program approximated this motto, I wondered if the Monitor's motto could be a standard for all media - even for all forms of information exchange!

Think of it - newspapers vetting their articles to ensure that they "injure no man, but to bless all mankind!"; Newscasters highlighting news that follows this theme; Campaign ads to adopt this standard!!

This might be interesting. As you know, the future of newspapers is being discussed. Last month, The Boston Globe ran an article "Monitoring the future of newspapers" by Alex Beam

"One place where the future remains unevenly distributed is the newspaper business. The country's most successful dailies are enduring draconian cutbacks in personnel and coverage. Some of the also-rans are disappearing altogether. What no one knows is: What will the newspaper of the future look like? Maybe it will look like The Christian Science Monitor."

Hmmm.... much to think about. I openly welcome this discussion and am looking forward to engage the best of what we can be to the urgent demands of today.

"The time for thinkers has come." Enough said.



Of special note:

The Future of Journalism
The arrival of the digital age has upended journalism. Old business models are broken. Newspapers are reeling. But we’re convinced there is a solution.
Hosted by: The Christian Science Monitor
When: Thursday, November 6 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm










To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.