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I have been
uncomfortable ever since Donna asked me to do this testimonial.
It’s not so much that I have
a fear of giving a testimonial….I have done so at least three times over
the past 8 years of being a member of this congregation.
I gave one probably in about
1994/5 on “Why I became a Unitarian”.
I gave one a few years later
when we were deciding on whether or not to become a Welcoming Congregation.
And as the former Finance
Convenor, I gave at least one on why I contribute financially to the church.
……So why was I so
uncomfortable about giving a testimonial on Globalization?
The issue, I have come
to realize, is that at heart, I am basically what I would term “an answer
guy”.
Our fifth principle, “Our
belief in the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process”
works for me, as long as at the end of the debate, meeting, sermon or
whatever, some sort of “answer” is achieved.
In my first three
testimonials, I could stand here and provide answers.
I gave answers on why I became
a Unitarian Universalist and why I hold our values and beliefs dear to my
heart.
I could provide answers on why
I thought it was a wonderful idea that we were formally going to make this
place a congregation that actively welcomed and embraced gay, lesbian and
transgendered members of our society.
And finally, it was easy for
me to provide answers on why each and every one of us needs to support this
congregation financially.
But a testimonial on
“Globalization”?
I didn’t feel I had any
answers to provide on such a complex subject.
I was additionally
uncomfortable because I thought Donna had asked me because she thought I had
to be in favour of it.
I was after all, an employee
of a Major Multinational and am here today because that large Multinational
transferred me here from my native United States way back in 1990.
She knew that I loved Toronto
and Canada and therefore, I deduced, thought that I would surely paint a
positive picture of globalization….I was after all, a living, breathing
example of globalization leading to a positive conclusion.
But the truth of the
matter is that I harboured many negative feelings about the subject.
As I thought through it, I
uncovered that I actually associated the word Globalization with other words
with the same ending…..words such as “Commercialization”,
“Exploitation” and “Eradication”.
I felt hypocritical that my
own Multinational employer has undoubtedly contributed through its own
“globalization” efforts to certainly add to the world’s
Commercialization, and probably over its 100 year history,
participated in some forms of
Exploitation and Eradication (of, for example, some smaller, less powerful
competitors).
So how am I going to
tackle such complex issues in a very short period of time.
Well, being an “answer
guy”, I’ll have to make an attempt….so here goes.
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In thinking about this
subject whenever I have had a free moment over the past several
weeks, I have come to the conclusion that there seems to exist a
“dual reality” in the human condition…..or at least in my
human condition, to on the one hand push for progress and change
while at the same time, long for the things we have left behind.
Computers, ATM’s, Cell Phones…….have in my opinion, made our
lives easier or at least provided the possibility for a greater
level of convenience…….but have also caused me to long for and
seek simpler and less stressful activities to escape from the noise
and clutter that these new “convenience producing creations”
have brought on as well.
It’s a catch
22……at least in my world, you can’t live without them….but
at some level, I long for a simpler time when life was undoubtedly
less convenient, but seemingly more peaceful as well. |
The answer for me at
least is to separate the “ation” words as I have come to think of them.
Globalization is not, in my
opinion a good nor bad thing in and of itself.
It’s more of an inevitable
extension of our constant need to change, grow and develop.
The world is getting smaller
whether we like it or not.
We all can however, do
something about the other “ation” words…In our family to fight off
commercialization, we limit our exposure to the that slave master the
Television…..and we shop only as a means to get necessities rather than
just as an activity.
We try to stay aware and vote
with our voices or chequebooks to avoid companies or organizations that
exploit either people or the environment.
And though it seems
insignificant, we try to support our local shops and businesses rather than
running to the big guy’s superstores for things we do need to buy.
Hopefully, if enough of us do
this, the balance of power will keep in check the growth of a few large
competitors at the expense of small independent businesses.
In closing, I have
uncovered an additional and more surprising “answer” than the one I
originally intended to find.
I have discovered that even
though I am a self proclaimed, “answer guy”, the process of writing out
this testimonial has still left me with more questions than actual
answers……but I still feel OK about that.
Maybe after some eight years
around this place, I am actually beginning to believe that as song # 354 in
our hymnal concludes, “ Even to question truly is an answer”…
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