The Obama administration has released their report on
climate change and it is grim but nothing new. George Bush once said that we
are addicted to oil. Evidently, we are also addicted to denial. Obama and the Pope recently met and perhaps planned the timing of this report with the Vatican pronouncement as reported in the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
But human nature is a recalcitrant beast.
In 12 Step relationship programs, what is repeated in those rooms is that we must accept the alcoholic/ insane/ addicted person with love and detachment while working on our own welfare. What eventually changes the dynamic is not trying to change anyone else but focusing on changing ourselves. The critique of that approach, which evolved from Bill Wilson's wife's response to her husband's initiation of AA, is that it's essentially sexist. That is, put up & shut up while her husband cheated on her, underearned and filled their house with drunks.
In 12 Step relationship programs, what is repeated in those rooms is that we must accept the alcoholic/ insane/ addicted person with love and detachment while working on our own welfare. What eventually changes the dynamic is not trying to change anyone else but focusing on changing ourselves. The critique of that approach, which evolved from Bill Wilson's wife's response to her husband's initiation of AA, is that it's essentially sexist. That is, put up & shut up while her husband cheated on her, underearned and filled their house with drunks.
On the other hand, there's a lot of wisdom in working
on the solution, As far as the Dark Mountain project, recently described in the
NY Times magazine section, I'm not sure. It certainly represents working on
oneself. But on the other hand, the Jewish mandate to step forward when a crime
is committed or you are equally guilty, is worth considering. Even in Al-Anon,
passivity isn't recommended. People routinely organize
"interventions" to confront a person with their effects on others.
The trick, is to do that with true love and compassion, not rage, fear,
self-righteousness, judgement, pity or contempt. A bit of a task that,
sometimes.
As far as working on oneself, the "solution"
is to be so deeply grounded in the spirituality, personal responsibility and spirit of being of service to those still suffering & fellowship with
those in recovery, that it overwhelms awareness of horrors. A bit of a task
that too.
Which is why I'm sharing these thoughts with you, dear readers, rather than crying in my white wine. And, considering that we have the President of the United States and the Pope on our side, there may really BE some cause for hope.
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