Article: Alternatives to Extinction*

Two, when you experience hostile or less than pleasant social situations, try to imagine alternative interactions amongst the people involved, particularly if you're one of them. When I review unpleasant situations in the classroom, I try to replay other possibilities, and I see in my imagination other modes of response I could have had. I load these up my sleeve and try to remember them for future reference.

For example: I once subbed for a week in a junior high and was at the end of my rope with an out-of-control girl. One morning I talked to the school counselor and worked out a plan""I'd hand this girl a note saying the counselor wanted to see her, next time she acted up. She acted up on cue and in a few more seconds was reading the note, with great curiosity, and then was out the door, to the astonishment of the rest of the class. Can you imagine if we elected a president who considered different responses, besides punching folks in the nose or kicking them in the cahunas? But I'm sure you get the idea.

Three, try to imagine alternative scenarios for what passes now as "news," scenarios which incorporate the fundamental principles of justice, long term thinking, and respect for nature. And perhaps even the understanding one gets in Biology 101, that we are all one species on a rather small planet. (If you have trouble imagining such things, and even if you don't, I suggest visiting Kucinich's "issues" website. I didn't set out to advocate for this guy here, but I have to admit he speaks my mind. In fact, I nominate him as our best antidote to the stink bug problem.)

Am I a childish idiot, no brighter than the elementary students I purport to teach? Are alternate scenarios that one might imagine best kept to oneself, so one does not appear out of touch with reality? Can we realistically expect any person "in the real world" to lay out visions that makes any sense, beyond some wayward, vegetarian congressperson? Does anyone think that some real leader, say, in the United Nations might harbor a better vision for the world, and actually articulate it for the rest of us?

Well, ok then, call me a fool. But please read just a few more paragraphs before you do" http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0612-32.htm

[Rob Kall willing, my next article will be on the highly animated DNA in a multi-cultural classroom, and why it ought to give hope to any right-minded person. After that, I would like to outline the brightest vision I've come across for continuing our genetic line, proposed by the brightest people I've come across.]

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