First for the quote:
“Don’t just do something– sit there!”

Second for the source:
Daniel Berrigan, activist extraordinaire
http://j.mp/9Y0HmW

Six years later, as I started to “follow” him,
when only a few people did, I got involved in what started as a movement of a few hundred, and later became a movement of tens of millions– the movement to reverse the cold war nuclear rivalry. How telling that it was this man who would help transform history. And how interesting that the majority of the others involved in early 1977 in this movement were Quakers– whose form of worship is based around listening to silence.

* OK, 39 years ago

There is absolutely a link between the ‘filter failure’ we experience as individuals [information overload and fighting the losing battle with time management] and the collective cultural ‘filter failure’ in that we don’t have a filter which tells us ‘that’s enough’.

We find it difficult to individually and collectively filter the constant ‘noise’ that prevents stillness and deeper reflection/thought on the important questions – say, for example, why we are systematically degrading planetary life support systems as if we believe this is normal!

But what was on the front page of your local paper and what was lead story on the evening news? Not the big ideas, the long term thinking, the connection between what is going on around us.

Here’s another link to those of you concerned with filter management:

http://www.changethis.com/61.03.ManageAttention

And by the way, I felt a great deal of empathy reading about your information overload. Two hours minimum for me every day getting through my in-box, most of it related to our culture of growth.

Dave Gardner
Producing the documentary
Hooked on Growth: Our Misguided Quest for Prosperity
http://www.growthbusters.com