Making Conscious Choices

I try, I really do, to be rational and not rant too often. But this is just too much. We all complain so much about how politicians spin the truth. What makes me crazy, though, is how easy it usually is to get past the spin -- and how we don't even bother.

Let's take a current example - and we can find examples like this by candidates from all parties. I'm just picking on the one right in front of me. As far as I can discern, it is understood by our government leaders and oil industry executives that no amount of domestic drilling is going to bring down oil prices in the US. First, it takes years for new oil fields to be opened up and for the oil to be brought up and refined and ready to market. Second, we are now in a global market. China is adding 20,000 new cars each month to its economy. Where will the oil go when it is processed? To the highest price markets of China and Europe. Do we have any restrictions on where domestically produced oil is shipped once it is produced? No. Do we know of any reasons why oil companies shouldn't ship their oil to the highest priced markets? No.

I just sat at a luncheon where the former head of the CIA under the Bush Administration said loud and clear "We can't drill our way out of this problem. Developing alternative energy sources is the only solution." The oil men on either side of me agreed. The speaker is currently driving a hybrid that's been engineered to give him 50 mpg with his car and he listed a raft of other alternatives that are already possible. So tell me, why are the candidates campaigning that by opening up drilling in protected areas they can bring down oil prices? Because we tell them so! Because 64% of the electorate polled believes this to be true. Therefore our candidates are telling us what we want to hear.

This happens among democrats and republicans alike. We get the government we deserve. Let's stop being led around by our own knee jerk reactions to challenges we face. Let's make conscious, informed decisions. Let's improve the level of dialogue in our community by working to talk with people from different backgrounds and beliefs. My parents went out of their way to register one as a democrat and one as a republican because, as they said "We want to know the whole story, and no one side will tell us more than their own perspective. " Of all people, I know how hard this is. In my family, I'm well known for talking first and listening last, for having strong opinions and biases. These are traits that are being beaten out of me by this job!!! It takes effort. But together, we can do it. I promise to take the time to hear your perspective and ideas if you'll do the same for me.

Dealing with Turbulent Times

I’ve been reading a lot lately about how we pamper our kids too much – that in the US we don’t have the problems of scarcity and need that forge the drive and character needed to produce champions. At some point, though, we all experience tough times - whether it is circumstances that hold our feet to the fire or something within ourselves. I know that in launching the Insight Speaker Series, I am putting my own feet to the fire. I’m risking a lot to throw myself into something I believe in. In my case, I’ve made a choice. But rapid changes in the economy, in world affairs, in the environment are driving a lot of us into risk that we hadn’t anticipated. Lost jobs, a threatening world, our resources disappearing – how can we come together to create the innovative solutions we need to not only survive, but to thrive through these tough times?
Archbishop Desmond Tutu was simply a teacher who wanted to live a quiet life with his family. But the revolution against apartheid in South Africa did not allow him that fate. Instead, when faced with violence from all sides, he chose to stand up and make a difference. Isabel Allende was a mother and part time journalist in Chile when her uncle, Salvador Allende, died in the overthrow of his government and she was forced to go into exile. This experience lit the flame that inspired a lifetime of writing about men and women of ideals, adventure and passion that illustrate for us how people of courage face uncertain times.
The speakers of the Insight Series were all chosen because they come from the center of major change. Their stories of courage, of inspiration and of leading edge discovery provide for Denver audiences the opportunity to engage with critical ideas and to create a forum for dialogue with each other.
What causes some people to have the courage and conviction to create positive solutions in difficult situations? For some it is the search for truth. Bob Woodward has been opening our eyes to our government’s critical decision-making processes since he broke the story of Watergate. After over 30 years of writing bestselling books and Pulitzer prize winning articles, he can open our eyes to current movements in the political sphere. A new voice, Reza Aslan, speaks out to audiences with an informed and fresh perspective that we need to hear about the struggle within Islam and our policies in the Middle East. Charles Barkley, celebrated basketball star, says of his idea to run for Republican Governor of Alabama “"I really believe I was put on Earth to do more than play basketball and stockpile money. I really want to help people improve their lives, and what's left is for me to decide how best to do that." Carole Baldwin brings her stories and a multi-media presentation of her explorations and discovery in the deep ocean and talks about changes in the ocean that affect our planet. And we end with Dave Barry because really, in these challenging times, we all need to able to laugh for a bit about ourselves.
By taking one evening each month to learn something new, to hear from speakers of courage and conviction, to discover new ideas from speakers on the leading edge of research, you will gain critical insights on what is going on in our world and be motivated by those who lead the forces of change. As the team at TEDTalks says ““Every so often it makes sense to emerge from the trenches we dig for a living, and ascend to a 30,000 foot view, where we see, to our astonishment, an intricately interconnected whole.”
We all hit times when our feet are held to the fire – when change and uncertainty give us the choice to either stand up and make a difference, to stand to the side and watch the world change in front of you, or to be trampled in its wake. Which group will you be in? As Steve Jobs says in his 12 Rules of Success, “Learn continually. There’s always ‘one more thing’ to learn! Cross-pollinate ideas with others both within and outside your company.” By bringing together corporate, political, and community leaders of Denver for this ongoing cross-pollination of ideas, we are creating an important foundation for all of us to find innovative solutions to the challenges of our rapidly changing world.
To me, being able to create that 30,000 foot view is what inspires me to risk everything. I’m not a media mogul or a large corporation. It’s just me – a single mom with a passion and a team that I’ve gathered around the idea of this Series.
If you share my vision and passion for these ideas, please pass this on to everyone you know who will be interested

The Challenge of Diversity

The interesting thing about running a speaker series is how very often I run into biases - mine as well as everyone else's. Everyone says they are open to a diversity of opinions. But frequently that means only as long as those opinions or interests are close to their own. It can be something simple. Like when someone suggested a famous football player as a speaker, I thought "what do I have to learn from a football player?" Then I did my research and learned what an amazing story this man has in his life. In our speaker's committee we often have heated debates about whose perspective is something to be valued and presented - and which are not.