Like every restaurant, national monument, club, loose association, florist, and fire hydrant, my organization at work has a companionable presence on the internet. This forum, intended mainly to promote goings-on, and solicit community mood, however, is open to a wider public, not under the same dictates as an employer/employee- or consumer-relationship. It is sociologically fascinating and gloomy to see how it has not invited civility in. Though most items betray laziness, idleness or the inability to use the telephone book or the Google, a growing portion of complaints, vignettes and insights border on tormenting and terrorism--or at least the instigation thereof. A few weeks ago, I was involved in hosting a guest speaker on the subject of bullying. The talk was very accessible and lucid and though the target audience was school teachers and children, adults are bullies too--just with more ammunition. The discussion really highlighted the fundamental lessons that are sometimes overlooked: that bullying is not conflict and arbitration techniques do not apply but only exacerbate the targets, there is a distinct difference between tattling and alerting and children can comprehend the difference with guidance and positive examples. Snitching and gossip do not need to be broadcast if the message only serves to get another into trouble but not prevent it. A vigilant and a vigilante mentality has become a cultural norm, thanks to more universal tormentors and maybe many are not conditioned to err on the side of restraint or introspection. I don't think many take into account the distinction among incrimination, defamation, intervention--all of them together or answer unclear, before committing an observation to the permanent-record.
Friday 3 June 2011
thugs and skullduggery
catagories: 🧠, lifestyle, networking and blogging
Thursday 2 June 2011
himmelfahrt
A few weeks ago, our balcony was a flutter with activity when the swallows came back to investigate their former nest under the eaves. I was a little surprised to see them swoop around at amazing speeds (and there was only one casualty when one slammed into the glass door but then fortunately flew away unstunned) since they had not been around the previous two years and there had been only their totem, a ledge fixed to the exterior wall placed squarely underneath to shield the railing and floor from their leavings, piled high and petrified, which we carefully removed. After this sortie, they were gone again but returned the other day, perhaps in earnest. I suspect maybe, although there's been a spot of rain, the birds are confused as well but this hottest, driest Spring on record for Germany.
catagories: 🇩🇪, environment, holidays and observances
Wednesday 1 June 2011
white hat or in kind
catagories: 🇺🇸, 🎬, 🥸, foreign policy, networking and blogging
prospectus
catagories: economic policy, graphic design, labour