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Hawthorn Press Ltd - Christopher Schaefer

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138 pages

English

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Publié par	Hawthorn Press Ltd
Date de parution	01 janvier 0001
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781912480302
Langue	English

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‘Christopher Schaefer writes brilliantly with two hands, one for exposing the suffering caused by American militarism, racism, and the neo-conservative Republican economic agenda, and one for exhibiting the compassion, joy, and hope necessary in these difficult times.’
Professor Robert McDermott, California Institute of Integral Studies, President Emeritus.
‘By facing the shadow side of our nation, and of himself, Christopher Schaefer makes it possible for us to do the same. Re-imagining America: Looking for Hope in Difficult Times is an acorn of hope. May it take root and grow into a mighty oak.’
Eric Utne, founder, Utne Reader.
‘By connecting his own journey as an immigrant and a keen student of international politics and economics to the Long Emergency of American Society Christopher Schaefer has done us a real service. These essays bring clarity and hope, connecting our inner soul state to the challenge of creating a more sustainable and just world.’
Paul Mackay, Board chair, Weleda Inc.; former head of the Social Science Section of the School of Spiritual Science at the Goetheanum and until 2018 part of the Executive Board of the General Anthroposophical Society.
‘How can we stay informed about world events without suffering from overload? How can we develop empathy for people and events far away? Chris Schaefer’s book is a workbook for contemporary humanity. With honesty and wisdom, he shares his insights that will inspire and encourage those who want to make a difference.’
Tom Ravetz, author, Free from Dogma.
‘In these twelve essays Christopher Schaefer describes the events leading up to the present crises of American democracy. With insight and hope he calls upon us to reflect deeply, reconnect to ourselves and our community and work toward a new tri-sectoral imagination of society which honors our freedom, deepens our democracy and creates a sustainable stakeholder economy.’
Gary Lamb, author, activist and co-director of the Center for Social Research, Hawthorne Valley Association.
‘As a working mother of young children and an environmental advocate, I am deeply concerned about our common future. Christopher Schaefer’s moving and insightful account of the systemic corruption of American society is telling, and his reflections on what can be done are practical, and ultimately, hopeful.’
Arizona Muse, mother, fashion model and advocate for sustainability in the fashion industry.
‘An astute witness to our nation’s history, Christopher Schaefer offers a clear voice of higher conscience in the face of corrupt governance and unsustainable economic disparity. The need for personal and national spiritual insight is given along with sound progressive reforms – May we have the courage to go there. It’s now or never.’
Nancy Jewel Poer, American Studies, Rudolf Steiner College, Sacramento.
‘In this exceptional series of essays Christopher Schaefer casts a deeply penetrating eye on the major political, social and economic phenomena of our time, offering compelling insights into these often catastrophic events. His observations are matched by a deep and loving sense of responsibility for humanity and the earth and the conviction that a healthier, more equitable and non-violent future is within our grasp. From this source he suggests inspiring practical examples for both inner and outer work to overcome our powerlessness and to become a catalyst for the good.’
Marjatta van Boeschoten, General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Great Britain, Lawyer and Organizational Development Consultant.
‘We need books like this one. On the one hand there are the alarming world events, and the corruption and decline of America. On the other there are our own lives, real and intimate. Chris Schaefer’s book, Re-Imagining America, connects them in a deeply personal and reflective way. It is an unusual and rewarding series of essays casting a hopeful light on our strange time.’
Jonathan Westphal, Visiting Fellow, Philosophy Dept., Yale University.
To Cyris and Talei, and to Noah and Lela, as well as to all the children of the world.
May the hope, courage and promise of the young help us all to build a society more worthy of the human being.
With Gratitude to
The many people who have read, or heard and commented on, different versions of these essays over the years, and also to those who took the time to read and digest the book, and provide endorsements.
I owe a particular debt of gratitude to Signe Eklund Schaefer whose encouragement, careful reading and many insightful comments have deepened my understanding of the issues discussed and greatly improved the presentation of this book.
While a bit unusual, I would also like to acknowledge the thinkers and authors who have had a significant impact on the development of my thinking in grappling with the perplexing times in which we live.
Hannah Arendt, for her profound insights into the nature of the totalitarian mind.
Alexander Bos, for his reflections on the connection between the human soul and the moral dilemmas of our modern world.
Bernard Lievegoed, for his mentorship and developmental perspectives on human life and the processes of social creation.
Joanna Macy for bringing a sense of agency and hope to thousands of groups and individuals.
Jacob Needleman, for his deep philosophical reflections on the American experience.
Parker Palmer, for his inner honesty and his wisdom in helping people discover the richness of their nature in dialogue with others and with poetry.
Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer for the Presencing work; encouraging people to connect body, soul and spirit in a future-oriented, dynamic process of social transformation.
Rebecca Solnit, for her extraordinary and enlightening essays on the struggle for social equity.
Rudolf Steiner, for his profound spiritual and social insights and for his admonishment to be a conscious witness of our times, which I have tried to take to heart.
And my deep gratitude and appreciation for the millions of people who seek to serve others first, doing the good every day.
RE-IMAGINING AMERICA
FINDING HOPE IN DIFFICULT TIMES
Christopher Schaefer, Ph.D.
Re-Imagining America: Finding Hope in Difficult Times © 2019 Christopher Schaefer Ph.D.
Christopher Schaefer is hereby identified as the author of this work in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act, 1988. He asserts and gives notice of his moral right under this Act.
Re-Imagining America: Finding Hope in Difficult Times © 2019 Hawthorn Press, published by Hawthorn Press, Hawthorn House, 1 Lansdown Lane, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL5 1BJ, UK info@hawthornpress.com www.hawthornpress.com
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means (electronic or mechanical, through reprography, digital transmission, recording or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.
Cover Image by Karin Schaefer Cover design by Lucy Guenot Typesetting in Minion Pro by Mach 3 Solutions Ltd ( www.mach3solutions.co.uk ) Printed by Henry Ling Ltd, The Dorset Press, Dorchester
Every effort has been made to trace the ownership of all copyrighted material. If any omission has been made, please bring this to the publisher’s attention so that proper acknowledgement may be given in future editions.
The views expressed in this book are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Printed on environmentally friendly chlorine-free paper sourced from renewable forest stock.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data applied for
ISBN 978-1-907359-96-5 eISBN 978-1-912480-30-2
Contents
Foreword – Eric Utne
Preface – Steve Briault
Introduction
Part I: Being a Witness of Our Times
1 Witnessing the Long Emergency
Part II: The American Empire Project
2 The Will to Power: The American Empire Project
3 Disturbing Questions about 9/11 and the War on Terror
Part III: The Crisis of Western Capitalism
4 The Crisis of Western Capitalism
5 Reflections on the Global Economic Crisis and What to do About It: A Journey through the Dismal Science
6 Common-Sense Outrage: Move your Money Now!
7 Toxic Excess: Income Inequalities and the Fundamental Social Law
Part IV: Looking for Hope in Difficult Times
8 Navigating Chaos in the Age of Trump: A Call for Discernment
9 Looking for Hope in Difficult Times
10 The Pattern and Ideology of Oppression
11 Facing Ourselves: The Work of Reconnection
12 Re-Imagining America: Building Communities of Conscience
Index
Foreword
The salvation of the human being is through love and in love.
Viktor Frankl
When I started the Utne Reader in 1984, I believed America was on the threshold of a new age. I hoped, and I think we all hoped, that American society would extend human freedom, deepen democracy, and create an economy that served everyone and protected the earth. Instead, we now have a government run by and for the rich, an economy that plunders the earth, and a culture increasingly addicted to entertainment and the internet.
In this, his new book Re-Imagining America: Finding Hope in Difficult Times , Christopher Schaefer asks how we got here, and how we can find hope and direction for the future. His first answer is that we clearly witness the times we are living in, and connect key patterns of events. At another level he describes the thought framework lying behind these events, which he refers to as the pattern and ideology of oppression. Behind this ideology he identifies the ultimate causes of our distress. He then points to and describes the great work of re-connection – to nature and the earth, to each other and ourselves – and to the American spirit. He ends by outlining a new covenant between the American people and its government. It is a bracing and ultimately hopeful read.
The theme of war and peace, of conflict and healing, has been a leitmotif in Chris’s life, starting with hi