TED Community » Joanne Donovan

More About Me

I'm passionate about

A bio-centric world view.

An idea worth spreading

'The world is a bridge, cross it but build no house upon it. For the world lasts but a moment, and the rest is unknown' - Fatipur Sikri. 'A discriminating irreverence is the creator and protector of human liberty.' - Mark Twain.

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Global issues, equality, human rights, planetary boundaries, biocentrism, population reduction, holistic economies, woman's rights, conflict resolution, meditation, bhuddism, ethics, matriarchies.

People don't know that I'm good at

Writing stories

My TED Story

It's an ongoing love affair....

Comments

• TEDCred score: +42.90 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: Lol. Craig! 'Capital is the currency of comfort and leisure'??? So a chimp in the wild never knows comfort or leisure? Are you trying to say,you think exploitation is the only means by which we can attain happiness? I think we could find many communities on the planet, even today, who would provide witness to the fact, your statement is a sad testiment to the propaganda fed to you by the control group in your own society.

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: Think 'premis'. Question 'premis' . Then maybe you can see the flaw.

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: There are OBVIOUS flaws in this 'reasoning' I am surprised you cannot see them!

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: Sean, leave out please, if they disturb you, words like cronyism and capitalism, (please again! you will attract Pat! and I say that lovingly Pat :)). These words only illustrate, and poorly too, what is essentially the condensation of capital or labour through a process of limited choice aka exploitation, into a small section or elite of society. We can easily observe the negative consequences of this phenomenom, you have mentioned some incidents yourself. There are those who would argue the benefits of this, the INVISIBLE benefits, lol but we can really only argue this if we present the alternative. I present the alternative now. The Nordic Model. Iceland. I have my ticket booked.
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  A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: I must say Robert, this is a social value that is extremely parochial. Its may be true in the U.S.A but in other parts of the globe the social perception of the value of a certain kind of labour varies tremendously. In France for example, many forms of manual labour have artisan status and there are other examples. In the U.S the janitor and the shoe salesman are virtual untouchables, but that is not the case here in New Zealand. I am a Lecturer in a Tertiery Institute, the woman who cleans my classroom and I are friends. If my daughter was to bring home her son as a boyfriend, I would not have a problem with it.

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 15 2013: Well obviously I view it with sorrow and dismay Ken. I see it as the first stage in what will inevitably be the demise of all that I hold precious; a stable, relatively equal, humane, safe, comfortably well off, society.
  
  Firstly, please do not be under the illusion that we are looking at a demorcratically led transition. Quite the contrary. White colonial New Zealand was a country founded on the egalitatrian Socialist principles of a people escaping a cruel class system. That socio political legacy is still firmly entrenched in the hearts and minds of most Kiwis. In tandem with that, the Tangatawhenua or 'People of the Land' or original people, the Maori, follow a communtiy principle of whanaungataugna .
  
  This translates to a concept of togetherness, family, belonging to community and the land. These two ethos combined mean that there is a great deal of active and strong opposition to privatisation here in New Zealand. This has not stopped it proceeding however. Although there are protests and petitions each week and last week a large hikoi or 'meeting' produced nearly half a million signatures on one petition alone (a significant result in a country only four million strong.) it will not change much.
  
  The process of turning over the democratic system, and placing paid employees in key decision making roles is complete. The people who wait to harvest this market just sit back and wait for their patsy's to deliver.

• A reply on Conversation: The modern-day job market is a modern-day slave market.

  Mar 14 2013: THAT is too much to ask Krisztian, but some of us might consider your deal if you alter your perecption of what constitutes 'understanding' :).
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  A comment on Conversation: The modern-day job market is a modern-day slave market.

  Mar 13 2013: Hey Orlando, this IS so nice. But coming to your dilemma. How to engage in a political process that you know is fundamentally rigged and corrupt? I would say, your actions outside that process are FAR more significant and important. Your speech, your daily interactions and your integrity probably do more work than your single vote ever could. Nga mihi and arohanui.
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  A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 13 2013: No Julie, the alternatives are not tyrannies or worse. Now you are listening to the opposite line of propaganda to the one that you were brought up with. Recognise both for what they are: a method for enslaving us. In fact we can strike a balance between the forces of economy and our humanity.

• A reply on Conversation: Is capitalism sustainable?

  Mar 13 2013: Wrong Shaun. Capitalism is a tremendous wealth POLARISER. The capital, as a factor of human labour, exist anyway.