stever@tektronix.UUCP (Steve Rogers) (02/19/84)
alpha...
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The Communications Era Task Force is now seeking signatures for
the paper "At the Crossroads" that was done by Robert Theoblald,
Glen Heimstra, Robert Gilman and over a dozen others. Since the
paper is about 10,000 words (90K on my IBM PC), I hesitate to
upload it, unless there is a demand for it. Copies can be
obtained through U.S. Mail from the address below. I understand
that it has been uploaded to The Source. I have included the
first few pages and the ending signatory page.
********************---Steven D. Rogers
AT THE CROSSROADS
A PUBLICATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS ERA TASK FORCE
FOR SIGNATURE ONLY: NOT FOR PUBLICATION
(c) 1983: The Communications Era Task Force
THIS DOCUMENT IS FOR YOUR SIGNATURE. Information on how to sign
is on page 31.
This document will be available for general distribution in April
1984. The format will be designed to be as compelling as
possible. Signers will be asked to distribute it at that time to
decision-makers, friends and colleagues, and the media.
Translations into French, Hebrew, and Spanish are being prepared
as well as a slide-tape show and a study guide to the document.
AT THE CROSSROADS cannot be reprinted until mid-April 1984 and
then only with the permission of the Communications Era Task
Force. The introduction (on pages 3-4) can be reprinted in part
or in whole to provide people with a sense of our direction. If
you wish to reprint the introduction, please include the
following note:
"This is the introduction to AT THE CROSSROADS a
document created by the Communications Era Task Force,
P.O. Box 3623, Spokane, Washington 99220. The task
force is collecting signatures for the document which
will be distributed nationally and internationally in
in mid-April 1984. Write to them for a copy, enclosing
$2.00 (U.S.). If you are unable to send $2.00, but
still want a copy please send what you can.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTEXT 2
INTRODUCTION 3
THE MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE 4
Electronic Communication and Rapid Travel
Biotechnological Revolution
Microelectronics
Physical and Ecological Limits
Nuclear and other Weapons
Gap Between Rich and Poor
Roles of Women and the Family
THE NEW REALITIES 11
PATHS IN THE JOURNEY 13
Toward Interconnection and Cooperation
Toward Balance and Personal Commitment
INTERLUDE 18
NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE JOURNEY 19
From Schooling to Learning to Learn
From Jobs to Creative Living
New Decision-Making Styles
WHAT WE CAN DO 27
RESOURCES 29
SIGNATURE INFORMATION,
HOW TO ORDER 31
CONTEXT
AT THE CROSSROADS is published 20 years after the appearance of
THE TRIPLE REVOLUTION. That document called for a fundamental
reexamination of existing values and institutions in light of
three separate and mutually reinforcing "revolutions." They were
the "Cybernetic Revolution," signaling the development of
computers and robots and a new era of production; the "Weaponry
Revolution," signaling an era of weapons which cannot be used;
and the "Human Rights Revolution," a worldwide movement for
social and political rights. It was signed by a wide variety of
public figures and opinion leaders. Observations made in THE
TRIPLE REVOLUTION were controversial 20 years ago; today they
are self-evident to many in the world.
Those who have signed AT THE CROSSROADS agree that we can now
clearly state the new reality which is emerging and examine the
new directions, ideas, and models which we can adopt. The last
section of this document suggests ways in which you can become
involved with the new directions.
Many people are making personal changes in expectations,
attitudes, values and lifestyles. We are, however, changing
faster and more smoothly as individuals than as a society. While
people are aware of their own shifts in perceptions they believe
their friends, neighbors and co-workers have not made these
shifts. Few of us have yet found the way to publicly acknowledge
and act on our new perceptions. We hope to break through this
taboo.
In June 1983 a group of some 30 people involved in community
renewal efforts in the northwestern United States and
southwestern Canada met at Whistlin' Jacks Lodge on the slopes of
Mt. Rainier in Washington State. People came because they sensed
a need to meet with others who were struggling with the kinds of
issues and ideas represented in this document. The document grew
from that meeting because many of those present felt that a new
set of commonly held hopes, values and visions were emerging and
the time had come to articulate those ideas.
In July this group began to share the idea with others. The
response has been overwhelming. Within five months, more than
1000 people responded to the belief that we need a short, concise
document which speaks to today's needs and to tomorrow's hopes.
One indication of their support is that they contributed $5, $10
or more to help finance this effort.
It is our hope that you will share this document with your
mother, your neighbor, your favorite elected official, and your
best friend because it summarizes and responds to many of your
concerns about the time in which we live. We have written this
document because we believe there is a very large number of
people who share these ideas and because it is time for us to
begin to draw upon the strength of our numbers to solve seemingly
overwhelming problems and to act upon seemingly endless
opportunities.
Those who gave input to the writing of the document were: Nancy
Bell Coe, Spokane, Washington: Cathy Burton, Seattle,
Washington; Eric Clough, Winlaw, B.C.; Mary Devlin-Willis,
Portland, Oregon; Diane Gilman, Sequim, Washington; Bill
Hainer, Cathy Hainer, Bellevue, Washington; Sara Hiemstra,
Kirkland, Washington; William Houff, Spokane, Washington;
Gerrie Lindaman, Spokane, Washington; David Lee Myers, Rosburg,
Washington; Burke Raymond, Portland, Oregon; Betty Schedeen,
Gresham, Oregon; Martha Shannon, Spokane, Washington; Carl
Townsend, Portland, Oregon; Fritz van Gent, Gresham, Oregon.
The bulk of the writing was done by Robert Gilman, Sequim,
Washington; Glen Hiemstra, Kirkland, Washington; and Robert
Theobald, Wickenburg, Arizona. Susan Grobman, Robert Stilger and
Susan Virnig of Spokane, Washington provided editorial
assistance.
INTRODUCTION
This document is about ourselves, our planet and our future. It
traces a journey out of the industrial era and into the
communications era.
Those who have signed the document are convinced that each crisis
we face brings us to a crossroads, with paths of extraordinary
opportunity as well as of great danger. Our culture currently
concentrates on the dangers of our situation. Strong, creative
leadership is needed at all levels of our society to shift our
focus away from the negative and toward the more positive future
which is within our grasp.
Our images of reality and our visions of the future determine our
priorities. As we see our future, so we act. As we act, so we
become. We can bring about desirable changes when we see new
directions and act to achieve them.
* Rising unemployment rates proclaim that human beings can be
freed from repetitive physical and mental toil. We can
develop social systems which provide real opportunities for
meaningful work and adequate economic support for all.
* Rapidly growing medical costs, combined with growing
knowledge of how to stay healthy, provide the opportunity to
enhance personal well-being through changes in life style.
* Environmental stress and limited physical resources, coupled
with climatic shifts, provide the opportunity to concentrate
on improving the quality of life through cooperation with
natural systems.
* Nuclear weaponry, and the revulsion against the possibility
of total destruction, provide the opportunity to move beyond
war as a means of settling international disputes.
Each crisis we face is both a problem and a hope, a challenge and
an opportunity. As we leave today's crossroads, we can rush down
the path to breakdown or turn the corner toward breakthrough. A
growing worldwide desire for more creative and humane directions
can be realized.
* We can enable people to learn throughout their lifetimes in
order to keep up with ever-changing realities.
* We can search for alternative "win-win" methods of resolving
disputes, rather than merely determining guilt and innocence.
* We can realize that the needs of the nation-state are less
vital than those of the planet.
* We can heal the tensions between different nations, different
races, different sexes and different classes by recognizing,
finally, that we on this planet are all one family, living in
the same house, and divorce is not an option.
There is strong evidence that people throughout the world
recognize the need for fundamental change. It is now time to
move these issues into the mainstream of personal, political,
academic and media debate. By beginning this discussion each of
us has the opportunity to create a genuinely positive future.
In this document, as in our lives, we embark on a journey. It
is a journey toward interconnection and cooperation, toward
balance and personal commitment. We travel from schooling to
learning to learn, from jobs to creative living. We travel
toward new decision-making styles and structures. It is a
journey toward personal action.
We journey together between the lightning and the thunder. We
journey between the flash of recognition of what is happening to
us and the reverberations of what we are willing to do about it.
In the first section we look for the lightning, in the magnitude
of the changes through which we are living.
SIGNATURE & ORDER INFORMATION
PLEASE COPY THIS FORM IF POSSIBLE.
You are invited to sign this document. By signing, you are
expressing agreement with the following statement:
"I am signing AT THE CROSSROADS because I believe that we need to
make fundamental changes in the way we see the world, to move in
new directions, and to adopt new strategies and models. While I
may not agree with every point in the document, I am convinced
that fundamental change is required in the ways we think and act,
and that we must move beyond the current stale debate into a
profoundly new context."
Please sign here: _____________________________________________
Print or type Name:_____________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Telephone Number(s):(hm)__________________(wk)__________________
There is no grant support for this
effort, nor are we requiring money
from those who sign. To meet our
costs, however, we hope to average
$10.00 per signature. Amount Enclosed_________
You can send out copies of the
document for signature with a covering
letter and feedback sheet so more Send______Sets Materials
people can be involved. If you can
send $1.00 minimum for each set, this
would be helpful. Amount Enclosed_________
We will send 5 copies of the signed
document to each person who has
signed, in April 1984. Do you want
more? Special price to signers:
1-20 Copies - $1.00 each Send_______Signed Copies
21-100 Copies - $ .80 each
101-1000 Copies - $ .60 each
1000 + Copies - $ .50 each Amount Enclosed_________
TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED_________
To "sign" this electronic form, send a statement of interest to
CETF, Box 3623, Spokane, WA 99220. Please send in $10 to support
the distribution if you can afford it, less if they cannot and
more if money is not a primary problem.ducha@ihuxu.UUCP (D.K.Nguyen) (02/20/84)
This "give-me-your-money-now-while-you-are-still-alive" propaganda leaves a bad taste in my mouth. What is the net coming to these days ? It sounded like now that we have this world-wide net, one should abuse it to "con" people out of some bucks !!! This reminded me a lot of the stuff I get in the mail saying: "sending your $2 in now for 1/2-carat diamond set in 14-karat gold ring". Please (to those who like to play this game) have the decency to send this kind of junk through the U.S. mail and save the net resources for more constructive input. (Bulk rate might save you some money) -- Duc Kim Nguyen ihnp4!ihuxu!ducha