Tag: diversity

Facing Complexity and Men’s Issues

On By Roger B. BurtIn Struggle, visionLeave a comment

 

Not As Special As They Claim

Now we tred into difficult territory. No doubt there are wide differences concerning how men view themselves. In general behaviors and attitudes suggest men are meant to demonstrate that they are superior to women and will lead them. The problem is that many men don’t feel that way. Deep inside many men don’t feel as special as they claim but accepting those feelings would give them opportunity if they can seize it.

Being direct with oneself would help men clarify who they think they are and how they should devote themselves. That requires them to accept that they can actually do that. It may mean turning away from a devotion to power. Sharing it and its different levels would benefit us all.

Then There is Sports Tyranny

The confinement of men is well illustrated by the role of sports in their lives at many levels. From a very early age it is expected that boys will devote themselves to sports. If they are not good or don’t care they may be ridiculed and treated badly.

There is the image of the small boy wearing a ball mitt standing adoringly before a sports star. It almost seems required. Is that boy good at sports or will he feel diminished if he does not measure up to his “idol”.

And what if he doesn’t care about sports. He may be ridiculed and told it is essential for his conditioning and physical wellbeing. In fact there are many other conditioning and self maintenance alternatives. They are more apparent now than when I was a child. Being able to choose alternatives will offer ways to enhance self esteem as well as skills and help open the bounty and diversity of the world.

Being Who We Are

As soon as we question men’s self esteem we have the chance to explore their world. That world includes not just a view into self esteem but also their ability to make choices about numerous alternatives for their lives. That in turn offers them a rich type of future with the woman of their choice. 

Not long ago it seemed we thought that our development ended with what we call the beginning of adulthood. In fact, our complex development continues throughout life. And it helps if we are not confined by a rigid identity and limited choices as often happens to men. When they open their world they let a woman in for greater rich experience together.

A Lesson From Women

Currently we are seeing something with women that is instructive. 

I don’t remember the exact time but it was a few decades ago when some women were looking for power and a new place in life. Some chose to dress down closer to what men wore. It seemed unreal and confining. It didn’t last long and it disappeared from the stage.

And now, with empowerment, It is truly lovely to see smart, assertive women appear on television and they may be dressed beautifully. They show their talents, commitments and intelligence. Yes, they can be pretty, smart and important.

The Bottom Line

Perhaps we might look at empowerment as a universal need. We are already seeing benefits in the empowerment of women. Now, if men can overcome common self esteem issues and self image issues it may be that they can be empowered in a new way. And with both men and women being empowered we will find a new form of partnership. 

This can be a wonderful new day. We can look forward to rich and enhancing self and social explorations.

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Don’t Miss My Developing Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy

I refer to it as a work of magical realism. It is a series with a strong mythological element and a real world setting in this time when women are being empowered at last. It is a time of wonder and awakening for all of humankind.

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power – Book 1

Avery had dedicated her life to work for the future of third world women. Her life was enhanced when she met the man who became the love of her life. They could not know that they shared a destiny and that a mission set long ago by our Earth Goddess was to be revealed before 

them. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called

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Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge: The Chosen Rise – Book 2

These people, called Tethyans, live in cities in the sea but can morph into fully human form and come to land to form families. They join with the warrior women called the Andromeda to fight against the forces working to impair the future of humankind. Avery has found her birth name of Chantia and she and Beck find there is soon to be a child of seeming great import just as the world falls into terrible strife with millions already dead. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge

The Wonder of Reuben De Santis

On By Roger B. BurtIn Characters, WritingLeave a comment

Enter the link below to enter the Goodreads giveaway for Book 2 of the Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy – Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge: The Chosen Rise:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45420688-challenge?ac=1&from_search=true

Seeking Character Diversity

In the first book of the Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy, Gaia’s Majesty: Mission Called, our lead character, Chantia, refers to being among the fishies. Her use of the term reflects her ambivalence about the new life she has been thrust into in the world of the Tethyans.

Of course she has derived benefits such as finding the birth mother she didn’t know she had and the love of her life, Beck. But it is a complex world and she finds special appreciation of the man Reuben who helps guide her through the revelations and turmoil.

The Richness of Reuben

The world views Reuben as an extremely talented couture designer who works in Milan, Italy. While he is, indeed, talented and world renowned, he also is deeply embedded in the causes of the Tethyan people. And that means he offers special guidance and support for Chantia and Beck. It is he who designs their wedding and her wedding gown.

Why Reuben?

Where did this character come from and why was he brought into the story?

While at the beginning there was an outline of this series and it began with a lot of detail, the story had a way of developing itself. Things had to be explained, they had to have reasons for inclusion but some characters showed up insisting on inclusion.

From an author’s standpoint it seemed desirable to have diversity so long as the diversity enhanced the richness and meaning of the story. 

Reuben’s Origins

In the world of this story Reuben had his origins in Project Runway on the Lifetime network. Tim Gunn from the series was the inspiration. In fact, that is him in the picture at the top of this post. He is with Heidi Klum who is also prominent in the series. I suspect she is secretly one of the Tethyans. In the series Tim is a man of impeccable élan and manner. He is ever so talented and supportive of the contestants. The man he is seemed perfect for the book and he would help guide Chantia just as he helps guide and support the contestants on the show.

The one problem is that I am pleased to have the character but I could not do justice to the man who inspired the character Reuben. Nonetheless I wanted his inspiration in the book and I feel he offers diversity to the setting and the people.

One Other Note

Another thing that Reuben brings to the story is that he is gay and has a husband in Milan. There had to be diversity in this series. The core Tethyans are mermaids who live in the sea. They can morph and come to land to form families but they also bond and have children in the cities in the sea. These women can reproduce diversely. Some birth children from heterosexual unions, they also have the capacity to form a union of eggs from other women or can clone themselves. These facets of the story symbolize the underlying diversity of the world of humankind. Too often we are sheltered and deny the diversity of possibility. This author felt the need to open the full possibility of this fantasy world along with underlying realities. And Reuben added to the diversity and wonder of this world. Especially because the inspiration for his character enriches our world as it is.

###

Don’t Miss My Developing Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy

I refer to it as a work of magical realism. It is a series with a strong mythological element and a real world setting in this time when women are being empowered at last. It is a time of wonder and awakening for all of humankind.

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power – Book 1

Avery had dedicated her life to work for the future of third world women. Her life was enhanced when she met the man who became the love of her life. They could not know that they shared a destiny and that a mission set long ago by our Earth Goddess was to be revealed before 

them. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called

—

Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge: The Chosen Rise – Book 2

These people, called Tethyans, live in cities in the sea but can morph into fully human form and come to land to form families. They join with the warrior women called the Andromeda to fight against the forces working to impair the future of humankind. Avery has found her birth name of Chantia and she and Beck find there is soon to be a child of seeming great import just as the world falls into terrible strife with millions already dead. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge

The Work Universe – 1

On By Roger B. BurtIn Struggle, visionLeave a comment

 

Social and Wealth Divisions

The claim is being made that we have a very vibrant economy with very low unemployment. The reality is something else entirely. Yes, a lot of money is being made by some, but others are working more than one job just to get by. This is not the country of opportunity we have always said we must have.

A Complex Set of Issues

Decades ago I took a job serving the impoverished inner city of Baltimore. As I’ve said previously I was guided out into the streets by a woman social worker and gradually I came to see a new complex reality. How naive we can be!

Shortly another staffer showed up and I did not expect it. He was a vocational rehabilitation counselor. I was there to give mental health services – or so I thought. But there was a need to find employment for people in this poverty environment and I could do evaluations to help in making choices.  I pitched in and learned the complexity of the work. Long after I left that particular job I continued doing such evaluations.

The New America

The other day my wife and I boarded a plane to go to the college graduation of a granddaughter. The plane was filled with an unexpected diversity showing us the presence of people of such heritages as African, Asian and Latin in such numbers that we were surprised. At the first stop they all exited and the plane was loaded with almost all white Americans. It was truly puzzling, but showed who we are in this country and our growing complexity.  This is truly a new and complex America and we need to pay attention.

The World of Work

And over the decades I’ve come to see the complexity of job skills. In this series I’m going to address diverse issues. The issues are complex and important. And one of the issues that cannot be separated is the wealth division. It affects education and the development of

available work. Wealth is flowing to the few which is straining our society in terrible ways. It appears the last time this happened was in the late 1920s. Changes were forced by the Great Depression and World War II.  It would be better if we now faced what lies before us in all its complexity.

###

Don’t Miss My Developing Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy

I refer to it as a work of magical realism. It is a series with a strong mythological element and a real world setting in this time when women are being empowered at last. It is a time of wonder and awakening for all of humankind.

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power – Book 1

Avery had dedicated her life to work for the future of third world women. Her life was enhanced when she met the man who became the love of her life. They could not know that they shared a destiny and that a mission set long ago by our Earth Goddess was to be revealed before 

them. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called

—

Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge: The Chosen Rise – Book 2

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

These people, called Tethyans, live in cities in the sea but can morph into fully human form and come to land to form families. They join with the warrior women called the Andromeda to fight against the forces working to impair the future of humankind. Avery has found her birth name of Chantia and she and Beck find there is soon to be a child of seeming great import just as the world falls into terrible strife with millions already dead. 

Available Now in Kindle and Paperback on Amazon

Gaia’s Majesty-Challenge

Men, Women and …

On By Roger B. BurtIn Struggle, visionLeave a comment

 

But There’s More

Men, Women and …

In recent posts there was a discussion asking when men will begin to truly examine themselves as we move into a rapidly changing future, in a time when women are clearly becoming empowered. But it is a time of complex challenges.

Raising An Important Question

In the second book of my Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy-Challenge one of the major characters, Beck, has an intriguing interaction. In the undersea world that he and his wife Chantia have entered there are the Tethyan people. These people are predominantly female but there are a few men. Beck knows men are there because the mission of the Tethyans is to guard the future in case of a catastrophic failure among humankind.

Beck is intrigued and asks to speak with some of the men. The first two don’t seem to be able to give him much information. Then comes Lucas who is of the Illuminata, the clarifiers. Lucas points out that there are numerous questions regarding the men and that they are yet to be answered.

We, In Our World, Have Numerous Questions

What Lucas says reflects the developing picture in their rapidly developing world. In our current world we have a similar problem. Earlier posts talked about the changing roles of women and the need for men at last to begin to probe themselves and their future because they have to change as well.

The Third Force

I struggled to come up with an appropriate term for another issue. It is becoming apparent that humankind is not merely made up of men and women clear in their images and identity. (Duh!) We have struggled for a long time to believe in a simple dichotomy which is an untruth. But in recent decades we have truly discovered the LGBTQ community. 

Again I struggle with terminology. The diversity involved does not quite seem like an integrated “community”. But I think you get my drift. At last we are going to have to deal with our real diversity. We are not seamless and do not merely have two partners who come together for reproduction. 

Rich Complexity

When I look at programs about animals it seems they are all about food and reproduction. There are the predators and the prey, males and females. It seems primates have some forms of culture but nothing approaching our language and depth of culture. And while their world may change, rapid development is unlikely. We are quite different.

Challenge

Yes, we are challenged and need to step back, control our prejudices and take a look at our diversity as a precious gift, not something to be feared. Again we come to the theme of transformation. In Gaia’s Majesty I address the challenge and the possibilities for our future. Our rapidly changing human culture presents us with  moments of opportunity to be seized. There is much more to come as the cascade seems to be intensifying.

Gaia’s Majesty-Mission Called: Women in Power by Roger B. Burt

Roger B. Burt’s Amazon home page

Creating Characters and Plots by Roger B. Burt

Stepfamilies: Professionals and Stepcouples in Partnership

Whatever Happened to Community Mental Health by Roger B. Burt