Tag: women’s march

The Importance of Women Marching Is Being Overlooked

On By Roger B. BurtIn Struggle, vision, Women RisingLeave a comment

 

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Time to Pay Attention

We have just had a second large and important women’s march. The coverage and analysis has not done it justice. The import needs to be writ large. It is time to look in depth on the public stage.

There’s Something Fundamental – Attention!

Much focus of news is on Trump and dreadful political dysfunction in Washington but something much more fundamental is happening. We can begin to see special importance when we ask, Why are women marching? There are some notes about equality and health care rights but there is clearly insufficient attention to the depth and meaning of this movement. The coverage is dreadfully superficial.

Time to Probe

I have to be insistent. Stop and ask why women are marching. Surely it is more than one focused issue or restlessness. I hear very little in terms of in depth questions. is it the young (millenials) or is there more to it? There has been a groundswell of a wave coming for decades now. Superficial attachment to one issue is common but surely there is depth and complexity. We may be surprised at what we find.

What Do Men Think?

And then there is the matter of men. What do men think about what women are doing now that they are on the streets? There are some men visible among the women but I hear no coverage or only a minuscule amount off coverage of what men think. Do they support women? Or what part of women’s demands? Why or why not?

Write Our Questions Large

I can’t emphasize enough the import of what is happening with women and it is not just in the United States. Honestly I’m not even sure if all the women know why they are in the streets. It doesn’t seem political. And I suspect it goes beyond ending subjugation. We may focus on visible issues but surely there are many others lurking.

Or if it is called political, why are we letting people get away with that because fundamentally that means the true meaning of the movement is being dismissed. We are throwing everything in the trash hopper of politics these days.

And What of Men

And with what is coming out we have a lot of questions of men. Who are these sexual abusers? Who are these power hungry men? We have to step back and ask in depth why they are doing these things. It is often dismissed as a matter of power. Yes for some. But that is insufficient. And does abusing women really satisfy a sexual need. The psychologist here is jumping up and down because he doesn’t believe those simplicities tell us what is happening or why it is happening. There is often a matter of compensatory functioning for felt inadequacies. People who have deep feelings of inadequacy or view the self as trash will often drive for power and abuse others. I can’t begin to open the depth of issues in this format but there are questions which must be asked. Things are often not what they seem.

And, of course, there is the matter of what the male culture has often done to men. Those set of issues need exploration.

Potential and More

Beyond issues of rectifying abuses there is the matter of potential. I’ve said it before and I’m going to say it over and over…we are missing the potential of half of our population and men are missing out on the full potential of women, of part of their own potential and the intriguing benefits of in depth partnership with women.

I’ve been following the women’s movement since the 1960s and we are seeing a deeply rooted cultural change. Women and men alike are struggling with it. And part of the reason is that we aren’t truly probing these changes. Some of it seems to be related to effective birth control coming under the control of women. And there are men who are working hard to snatch control back from them.

Benefits For Men and All of Us

In earlier posts I’ve said there is a lot about the male culture that I find offensive and ineffective if not stultifying. And so now women are offering us alternatives and new blending. This is an exciting opportunity to be seized. Can we take off our blinders and fight back against our denial? This is a fight to benefit every single one of us even those who would crush the women’s movement. Right now we need to probe what is happening and giving it true in depth coverage.

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

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Speculative Fiction

On By Roger B. BurtIn Origins of Gaia's Majesty, Women Rising, WritingLeave a comment

Finding a Category

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What is your favorite category of fiction?

I’m frustrated. My Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy has come to life. The characters have clarified and paraded before me richly displaying themselves. And I can perceive the forces of the universe which drive them and give life to the future of humankind.

But I have to place this work in what is called a real context. That means, in part, I have to say what type of fiction it is. I can tell you what it is not and run into a road block when I must say what it is. A concise description has been alluding me. I want to call it speculative fiction but Amazon has no such category.

Encompassing

It seems that speculative fiction is a broad category with elements, settings and characters which are derived from imagination and speculation. I created the blog cuspofreality.com because I don’t believe in a hard edged reality. Everything is far more nuanced. Evidently speculative fiction encompasses science fiction, horror, fantasy, science fantasy, magic realism and something called alternative history. I have to say that I believe those terms do not well describe Gaia’s Majesty.

My Personality

I know exactly what’s going on and why I’m having trouble with terminology. And it has to do with my personality. Other blog posts on cuspofreality,com will relate to the full array of personality types but I know mine and I know what’s happening. I’m what’s called an introverted intuitive thinking type. That means my perspective comes from deep inside of me (introversion) and my intuition means I’m intrigued by possibilities and forever ask “what if”. Then comes my auxiliary function which is thinking. That means after generating the possibility I turn to refining and organizing.

Possibilities and Our Future

In terms of fiction there are specific consequences. I don’t write literature. I find the turn of the phrase is something I stumble over as if the area in which I’m working is strewn with boulders in my way. I want the image and the possibility.

Out there is a world of changing possibilities and they invite social commentary. Certainly there is a history and what composes the history. For me, under the guidance of Carl Jung, history has deep mythological roots. And then there are the images. One image which has always intrigued me is the image of that darling mermaid. She is not an isolated image, but is found in almost every society which has significant water. Who is she and why does she exist?

Threat and Conflict
I believe she represents the mystery and threat of women. Yes, both of those things. Is love concrete? I think not. Is a man being enraptured by a woman something which can be taken lightly? I think not. The mermaids in myth are beguiling, but also may bring a man to his death. We can see the conflict and the ambivalence. Those things are not fictional. They exist in our world as it is and are often not discussed or recognized.

And then there is the fact of human conflict and what much of the rule of men has brought us. Again there is a reality, but behind it there is the myth and the varying truths. How could I not explore all this. There are deeply hidden elements in humankind which include deeply beguiling forces and fearful destructive forces. But look at the maelstrom in the universe and see the creativity that comes out of the clash of galaxies and forces. Out of it comes new planets, suns, stardust, of which we are made, and all manner of creative life. How can we not explore these things.

An Emerging Future

And then there is the matter of blending history with emerging themes. The power of women is not seen in the image off a women with a sword. It is seen in so many other elements bewitching and beautiful but powerful in their own right as well. And now, in our world we have the movement to empower women. I must wonder at the possibility (that word again) and where it may lead us and what are the deeper meanings.

Realities Budding Before Us

These books are not just adventures. They ask us to look at the possibilities before us and what the stirrings in the world may indicate about our potential and our future.

And so I created a world of speculative fiction which is not full of multi headed creatures or strange science. It is not meant to horrify nor be pure fantasy because there is a reality there. I see human cultures as waves of change and we are in a fundamental one right now I’m convinced. And so—what if—our earth goddess set aside a movement of women to guard our future and they live safely in the sea and are seen from time to time as mermaids. And what if they are now coming to power and the empowerment of women is indicative. And as they come to power they come into true partnership with men. Surely there is a struggle ahead but quite possibly a glorious future.

And suddenly emerges Saturday January 21, 2017 and the Women’s March!

What struggles and futures do you see?

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The Promise of the Women’s March

On By Roger B. BurtIn Stewardship, StruggleLeave a comment

 

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(Sorry about the picture. Something about peace would have been better but I couldn’t help myself given the theme of empowerment.)

What possibilities would you welcome?

At the risk of seeming political I have to comment on the events of this past weekend. What we have seen were events which were not actually partisan, but display two conflicting realities in our country at this time.

Alternative Realities

The events of this weekend underscored one of the basic themes of this blog. Reality is ephemeral and will depend upon what defines your viewpoint. One view is that inauguration day was dark and unpromising in so many ways. The turnout was stunted, enthusiasm low and Trump’s speech dark and uninspiring. It looked like a disheartening display of our future.

Then dawned Saturday. It should be apparent in my posts that I am a strong supporter of the empowerment of women and it is an essential part of my Gaia’s Majesty Trilogy. I spent much of the day fascinated and often choked up with the unexpected outpouring not just in the United States but in so much of the world.

A Building Wave Disrupted?

It has been one of my perceptions that this time looks very much like the time of world crisis just before World War I and we had reason to fear for the future of the world. It seemed possible that the growing array of crises might lead to a much larger conflagration.

It is my belief that the rise of women to power could well be what will save us. The outpouring on the streets of our cities is a welcome sight and brings not just hope for our future, but the indication of action in the service of all the people of our country. The focus or foci there will be may not be clear yet but a multigenerational surge of activism (of the most positive kind) is strongly suggested.

Resistance and Activism
Certainly there will be profound resistance, but the campaign for our future in the election of 2018 starts today. But activism need not begin or end at the ballot box. Reform, the engagement of vision, and committed endeavors for all our people can be at hand at many levels.

At the end of World War II America, as the only major power standing, led the world and we have worked for stability for decades now. Sustainability and smart energy policies are developing nicely. We have a growing elderly population, but also a strong and vibrant population of immigrants who will be essential for our future when we fully engage and support them.

I could go on at length but I think I have made my point. The movement of women to power and partnership is flowering and requires our welcome and wholehearted support.

What projects would you like to support?

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