After my uncharacteristic political binge over the past few months, I've been going through a week of elated recovery, enjoying all the news (well, except some of the obvious poisons like talk-radio and Fox). It seems my adverse reaction to the media (which was the whole impetus for starting HumanKind Media) has dissipated. Now, (it's only taken a couple of years) I realize that my search for hope and possibility media, was really a search for hope and possibility, period.
Things have changed. Now, hope and possibility IS (are) the story du jour (or, hopefully, des toujours--all our days). For me, the most amazing part of the US election was the use of the media, particularly the internet, to galvanize, energize, and connect people toward a common goal in a way that hasn't been seen since the 60's. Many of us felt so galvanized and energized that we're now looking for something to do with all that galvanization and energy.
My new president even put up a website already where I can provide ideas, sign up to help, and eventually provide input to my government. People all over the internet, my media, are engaged and inspiring others to engage. (Check out this DailyKos diarist's lessons on the constitution). I'm jazzed. I'm starting to think of ways I can contribute that I never imagined before.
I decided my post-election post would be a "Yes we can" motivational piece, but the day after the election, Linda Bergthold, in the Huffington Post wrote this piece, and a day later Liz, my favorite accomplice, wrote this wonderful essay (below). So, yeah, I meant to say that...but they said it better (and faster).
So, I'll just say this about the mole attack. Yesterday--a beautiful, warm fall day in California--I finally approached my ravaged garden where the mole had had a free-for-all. Plants were uprooted, holes were everywhere, and though we had dis-invited the mole, the place was still a shambles. Once I got started, with my hands in the earth, a few packs of ground cover and some hardy annuals to spread around, I had transformed the devastation to something prettier than it was before, and possibly more easy to sustain in the future. Now, I feel better prepared to prevent moles in the future, and also infinitely satisfied at creating something beautiful out of a mess.
Those few hours of work in the garden made me realize that, though I would have preferred that the past 8 years had not unfolded as they did in the US and the world, I truly believe that we'll see how the devastation and the mess created possibilities we couldn't have envisioned otherwise. These are the stories I'm looking forward to writing about.
Here's Liz:
The 5% possibility shift Obama gave us
On election night, I was in a packed concert hall in Brooklyn, every single one of us nervous and excited, watching a gigantic screen tuned to CNN. When the polls closed on the West Coast, and CNN flashed the words "Barack Obama elected president," the room just exploded. Tupac's "California Love" blasted from the speakers, twenty-somethings jumped on stage and danced like crazy in front of a screenful of talking heads, and the rest of us jumped up and down shouting in absolute jubilation. Then CNN went live to people celebrating in the streets in Times Square, Harlem, Chicago, Kenya, Berlin -- literally, we were all celebrating together.
During Obama's acceptance speech, I wiped tears off my cheeks, but they kept coming. Over the next few days, I heard friends and media asking, Okay, so what happens next? What's Obama going to do for us now that we've elected him? What if he doesn't live up to all his promises?
I see it a little differently: We have a huge promise to live up to. Obama inspired a huge shift in what's possible. He did what we're always talking about here at HumanKind: He talked so much about hope and connection and possibility that almost everyone who heard him started believing in it, and then we all started living like we believe it. And then in the ultimate show of commitment, we elected him president. Not a day goes by now that I don't hear someone saying, with a smile or a laugh, "Yes, we can."
By electing Obama, WE made a promise. While we all have high expectations of Obama, we now also have much higher expectations of ourselves. It's scary to think Obama might falter, or might disappoint us in some way. But I think what's really scaring us is the fear that we might falter in our own promise, in our commitment to hope and change. We're human. We probably will falter. But we will get up faster and with more optimism than ever. That's a change Obama has given us already. And from now on it's not about what he'll do for us next -- it's about what we will do with all the hope and confidence and joy he inspired in us.
Yes, WE can.
Stumble It!
Hi guys! Good to see you are still at it. I too was thrilled on election night, and I still think there is much reason for optimism. Take care! Chris
Posted by: Chris | December 15, 2008 at 09:26 PM