Wednesday, June 20, 2012

carly's notes #1


  • carly's notes are creative learning guides for documentaries, books and other recommended resources, including: overviews, themes, quotes, discussion/reflection questions, activity ideas...
  •  The story: I wanted my dad to try meditating and got him a book about it for his birthday.  Knowing how busy he is and how he likes to learn, I knew that he most likely wouldn't read the whole book.  So, I read the book for him, took notes and gave him the outline- an easy way to engage with the topic that works for him.  Years later, he told me that he still reads those notes.  This inspired me to start carly's notes in hopes of providing the same type of service to others.
  • Thoughts and ideas to share? email me and I'll add them!

I am

Documentary film- 80 minutes

I am follows Tom Shadyac, director of Bruce Almighty and Ace Ventura, after a life-changing motorcycle accident that caused him to consider the world in a new way.  He had achieved the 'American Dream' of wealth and success, yet after his injury he realized that wasn't what was most important.  He set out to interview all kinds of people to ask the questions: What's wrong with our world? and What can we do about it?.  His journey leads him to additional questions: What is humankind's basic nature,  How do we change?, and How has change happened?. Shadyac  includes various forms of scientific evidence in support of the concept that we are all connected rather than separate.
Inspiring- Accessible- Good Soundtrack & Cinematography- Interesting Interviews
  • Themes-  connection & cooperation vs. separation & competition, materialism, philosophy of science, social change 
 

notes:

- The concept of 'greed is good' is contributing to the separation of humanity from the natural world. The economy is considered most important
- People are driven to acquire more stuff, but aren't necessarily happier because of it. Money doesn't buy happiness
- Education is based on the idea of separation and competition; we fashion the world by needing to be significant, to stand out and to win
- He asks: What is humankind's basic nature?...to cooperate; the scientific story is that it's competitive, but the reality is that cooperation is as much a part- it's both
- Democracy observed in animals- flocks of birds, schools of fish; example: story about decision-making in herds of deer.  In making important decision of which watering hole to drink from, it wasn't the alpha deer, but rather when 51% of the deer agreed
- Darwin's message got misrepresented: he mentions love many more times than survival of fittest, and stated that sympathy is the strongest human instinct
- We are biologically wired for connection and compassion towards troubles of others
- "We are because we belong"- Desmond Tutu
- Heart Math is a group that tests the intelligence and intuition of the human heart.  Findings that the heart controls the brain more than other way around and compassionate states are healthy 
- Random number generators placed all around the world are affected by group emotions and cause patterns in the numbers, often even before the event happens. Example: 9/11
- Science proving we're all connected: we're constantly inhaling and exhaling argon atoms and sharing them- what you breathe was breathed by all ancestors, world leaders, etc.; we share 1000's of genes with animals; Einstein's theories of relativity
- "Grief is a form of joy...the rose celebrates by falling apart...the clouds celebrate by weeping"- Coleman Barks
- He asks: How do we change?...a building up of consciousness until a large group believes; change from- What do I get out of it?, to- How can I bring out the best in you?
- How have things changed?...examples of change: civil rights movement to Obama as president; protest without violence- 'oppressors are damaged...approaching through love will help teach them to become more fully human'- MLK
- Dalai Lama's answer to, What's the most important meditation?: critical thinking followed by action. Figure out where your talents might fit in to make a better world...do something that makes your heart sing
- There is no such thing as a small act- YOU can be the change
Questions & Ideas:
- How can you make a small change that can make a big difference?
- Make a list, chart or picture of your talents and come up with idea for how to use them to start a fundraiser or awareness campaign, or to change yourself and your relationships 
- Research more about the philosophy and story of people mentioned in the film: Einstein, Gandhi, Rumi, Darwin, the Dalai Lama 
- Research more about things mentioned in film: Heart Math, random number generators
- What are your feelings around money and material things?  How do you feel if you want something and you can't have it? Is it easy or hard to forget about? Why do you think that is?
- What do you believe? Are people separate, connected, both? How did you come up with your answer? 
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