Ideas
- expanding our peacemaking activities beyond the struggle against militarism and overt violence
- an increasing acknowledgement and focus on the sources and systemic issues that contribute to violence
- an acknowledgment of the intersections and interconnectedness between many of those issues
- an increasing understanding of ways we have been complicit in those systems
- struggles with strategizing or building effective coalitions when there are so many fronts in the struggle
- placing great value in relationship-building and local peacemaking partnerships
- Blog (or RSS)
- Social Media (which?)
- Podcast
- Email/Newsletter
- In-Person Discussion groups
- Carrier Pigeon
- Luke 13:34-35
- To better understand what technologies and practices are worthwhile and valuable for me.
- To focus more on high-value activities
- To spend more time reflecting, thinking, and praying.
- To spend more time reading, creating, repairing.
- To spend more time in nature.
- To reset my habits and routines.
- To help fight the attention economy and the harmful effects it has for discourse, complex thought, and mental health.
- Is this absolutely necessary?
- Could this wait?
- Does this align with my highest values? (Mutuality, Learning, Resilience)
- Can I mitigate the harmful effects?
- Is there another way to accomplish this, even if it would be inconvenient?
- I can listen to audiobooks, but only with my family
- On the weekend, I can watch a movie or couple episodes, but only with family or friends
- I have direct links to Facebook Group/Event pages that I need to check periodically, and will check those once a week
Have any of you already played [Bloc by Bloc](https://outofordergames.com/blocbybloc/)?
#MennoCon19 Delegate Report Day 1
Day 5, Day 4, Day 3, Day 2, Day 1
I arrived early (very early) to Kansas City, with plenty of time to get registered and reacquainted with the KC Convention Center before the begin of our Journey Forward: Peacemaking workshop.
The workshop started with singing Longing for Light and My Soul Cries Out/Canticle of Turning. A beautiful way to begin a peacemaking gathering!
We engaged in “speed networking” to meet a few other participants and share what organization(s) we were representing, what peacemaking activities we are involved in, and what we were excited about for the gathering.
Our facilitator (the same who helped facilitate our denominational discernment at #MennoCon17) worked with us through several methods for examining and discussing what we are experiencing with peacemaking. These included introspection, paired discussions, small group discussions, and various all-room activities.
Some of the peacemaking topics our communities and organizations have been engaging in: 
Some of our local peacemaking partnerships: 
Some of our worldwide peacemaking partnerships: 
Several themes emerged multiple times or in multiple groups throughout the day, including:
During Open Space Technology time, I hosted a group to discuss the idea of aligning our church body by watersheds, instead of governmental boundaries (and our current Districts and Conferences).
Watershed discipleship breaks down barriers between urban and rural people. It also highlights the many ties among ecology, economy, politics, and other factors affecting those people whose well-being and fates are tied together. While we know there are potential challenges (such as practical implementation issues and avoiding exclusionary “local nationalism”), looking at peacemaking through this lens yielded fruitful conversation and many ideas. We also discussed that church communities can start partnering in their watersheds, regardless of denominational structural changes.
The peacemaking gathering shared many options for initiatives we could take after the gathering, and there was resounding agreement to have further engagement and sharing on these topics.
We closed the gathering with communion and blessing.
Later, the whole convention had our first worship. This year, adult and youth worship are combined. There’s nothing like 3000+ Mennonites singing together. “How can I keep from singing?” 🎶 (Worship sessions will be streamed live all week, if you want to follow along.)
I appreciated the “land acknowledgment”, with respect shown to the place we are inhabiting and the First Nations that stewarded it. I also appreciated that the worship team brought a variety of instruments and music, and that prayers were heard in many languages, including American Sign.
Executive Director Glen Guyton reminded us that we are a diverse group, but that he hopes “we are unified in our desire to bring healing and hope to the world.” May it be so.
It’s often frustrating to try to figure out the direct flight options from a city. Not anymore. Flights From
As I read this post about “Calm Technology”, an annoying subscribe popup happened right as I got to the “annoying notifications” spot on the chart. There’s also an obnoxious banner running through the whole article. Unacceptable. Change has to start with oneself.
Happy Juneteenth. May we never give up on freedom and justice.
Confronted with the reality of a monitored world, people make the rational decision to make the best of it. That is not consent.
Another great essay from Maciej #resilient
As precipitation increases in the Midwest, will we see farmers shifting to different crops? Rice, other? #resilient
Today’s quote:
Highly successful HPB run 📚 Bonus: that’s a signed edition of Fall
for Resilient, I interviewed Curtis Brazzell for his Kickstarter project “M is for Malware”. Check it out!
My latest Resilient newsletter is out: Links for Resilience, where I share articles, quotes, and comments about security, society, and self.
Quick Poll: Where would you prefer I discuss what I’m learning, considering, sharing?
“If I were wrong, what would I see?”
Great question from Margaret Heffernan on the Knowledge Project.
I also like the distinction between “power as orchestration” and “power as domination”. Lots of good items on this episode.
“countering consumerism must start from more robust secular (or religious) theodicy: the building of meaning structures, communities of meaning, that lie outside the realm of the market; and that offer credible answers to the deep foundational questions that continue to haunt us”
“A tech movement spurred by visions of libertarian empowerment and progressive uplift has instead fanned a global resurgence of populism and authoritarianism.”
You kill the prophets, and stone the people sent to you
Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets, and stone the people sent to you! How many times did I want to collect your children, like a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would have none of it! Look, your house has been abandoned. Let me tell you this: you will never see me until you are prepared to say, “A blessing upon you! Welcome in the name of the Lord!”
Join us tonight at OWASP Indianapolis! I am reprising my talk about about Big Data and AI Security. #owasp #ai #security #bigdata #indianapolis
Digital Declutter: the Plan
If you read my review of Digital Minimalism, you’re aware of the Digital Declutter process. If not, head over to read it and then come back here.
(Note: I did a podcast on my experiment from this book, over at Resilient)
Why
What
I am avoiding any unnecessary technologies, and using these questions to help me consider whether a technology is truly critical:
I am blocking off time twice a day to check email (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), and letting it buffer in between.
I have eliminated most applications from my phone and blocked social & news sites in my browsers. The only alerts I get from my phone will be for direct people connections (texting, work chat, phone calls, video calls, etc.) or travel (rides, flights, directions, etc.), and my phone will be in “Do Not Disturb” except for core work hours (7-6). My DND is set to allow calls from numbers that are in my contacts.
I will do all my (professional and personal) work from the computer and not my phone.
I will not play video games, read ebooks, or play music & podcasts.
I will do my shopping in stores and I will use the library.
I am establishing operating procedures for my chosen special cases:
When
I’m beginning tonight, with the start of our Ash Wednesday service and the beginning of Lent.
I’m ending on Easter Sunday (April 21st on this calendar) and the end of Lent.
I am holding “conversation office hours” every day between 4:30 and 5:30 Eastern. You can call me any day during those times.
You can follow along here: #DigitalMinimalism