Gestalt of the Dialogue

Posted on January 11, 2013 by Amy Lenzo

by David Sparenberg, author of Life in the Age of Extinctions

We cannot talk about greening
without talking about peace
We cannot talk about peace
without talking about justice
We cannot talk about justice
without addressing injustice
We cannot speak of injustice with integrity
without talking about the problems of injustice
such as race and poverty, exploitation
and so on.

We cannot talk about the problems
without talking about indifference to suffering
We cannot talk about indifference to suffering
without examining the labyrinth of violence
We cannot speak of violence
without talking about hatred
We cannot talk about hatred
without talking about fear
We cannot talk about fear
without addressing the mutuality of vulnerability
and the given condition of relatedness.
We cannot talk about greening of the planet
without talking about egocentricity and greed
We cannot speak honestly of this awareness
without acknowledging the bitter fruit of arrogance
without recognizing the healing significance of humility
and compassion.

No talking of self
without talking with otherness
No speaking of where we should be
without embracing where we are
No words about the play upon the world stage
without coming to terms
with the global village players
No emotional exchange with our players
without an emotional attachment
to the playing field
No meeting here with our masks on
no falling into the fatality of silence
For it is paramount that we speak of greening
and short of extinction
that we talk of peace.