What are the common elements of humanity?

<p>Sorry I couldn't get to my computer yesterday! Wow, I must confess that this thread has me utterly exhausted. I'll do my best to keep up with it, because I think it is important.</p>

<p>Mike and a couple of others have suggested this project will be "preaching to the choir" (an expression used a few times in this thread that means trying to persuade people who are already persuaded). This is a very valid concern -- one that I frankly have considered, not only with respect to this project, but with regard to many other causes for which I have played some role as an activist/leader. I'll address the issue in this post:</p>

<p>First, does it do any good to preach to the choir? Many would argue it does not -- that the message recipients are already persuaded. I would argue differently, though. There may be be varying degrees of commitment to the "choir," so to speak. Let's consider the citizens of the nation of Grand Fenwick as subject matter. (I don't want to make this an "American" thing, since it is not.) Let's also consider three possible message recipients:</p>

<p>Person A: This person once studied abroad in Grand Fenwick and loved the people there. He is always singing the praises of the Fenwickites to people he encounters. Person A is definitely an enthusiastic member of the "choir."</p>

<p>Person B: This person believes as I do that most people in the world are basically good as individuals, so the people of Grand Fenwick must, in principle, be of reasonable good character too. Person B expects that he would like a Fenwickite if he met one on the street. Otherwise, Person B has very little specific knowledge about Fenwickites, and whatever he does know is second- and third-hand knowledge. Recipient B is a member of the "choir" unless given a reason not to be. In political terms, Person B might be similar to a "swing voter."</p>

<p>Person C: This person hates Fenwickians, because he's heard they are awful people. They eat their babies and are bent on the destruction of his people. He's definitely not a "choir" member or a "swing voter."</p>

<p>Now let's offer A, B, and C access to our exhibit about the people of Grand Fenwick, which portrays Fenwickians and people of other cultures in an empathetic light, drawing out common elements of their human experience (both good and bad).</p>

<p>Person A is already sold on the idea that Fenwickians are wonderful people. He hears of the exhibit and wants to see the wonderful photos about the Fenwickians he grew to love. He goes to his computer, accesses the web site, and sees lots of wonderful photos of Fenwickians... and people from the US, Canada, India, Pakistan, China, and Italy, along with other countries. Have we changed or improved his opinion of Fenwickians? No. Will he have learned anything about anybody else in the world? Maybe. Hopefully.</p>

<p>Person B has heard Grand Fenwick discussed in the evening news and feels Fenwickians are surely decent people at some level. He hears of the exhibit and is curious. OR his coworker, Person A, shows him bits and pieces of this cool exhibit that shows the country where he used to study, and he thinks it would be interesting to explore the photography. Either way, he goes to the site and views the exhibit. For the first time, he gets a pretty good glimpse into the everyday lives of Fenwickians. He learns a few things, like that Fenwickians dote over their children, just like his people -- that they love hiking and have pretty good senses of humor -- that they're rather industrious -- that they have quite a number of Muslims and Christians living side by side -- whatever.</p>

<p>Person B just happens to get into a conversation with Person C a month later. C tells B that Fenwickians are lazy bums. They're backwards and barbaric. They hate Muslims and are bent on their destruction. Person B retorts that he saw a really interesting exhibit, and that from what he could tell, Fenwickians are pretty industrious, they seem pretty much like Person C, and there are lots of Muslims apparently living peaceful existences in Grand Fenwick.</p>

<p>What if Person B had not seen the exhibit before talking with Person C? Might he have been persuaded that Fenwickians are awful and evil? Maybe, or maybe not. However, his seeing the exhibit beforehand certainly would have affected his willingness to be persuaded by Person C. Right? Is Person C going to be persuaded by Person B that Fenwickians are good people? Probably not, but his opinions might become a bit more tempered -- or might not. He might look at the exhibit, so that he can argue with Person B what is wrong with it or so that he can see how Person B might come away with the absurd notion that Fenwickians aren't evil. The exhibit might not convince him, but it might again temper his views. He might at the same time catch a glimpse into the lives of people in a few other countries about whom he had not formed opinions.</p>

<p>Finally, seeing the exhibit will put the nation of Grand Fenwick more in the thoughts of A, B, and C. They are more likely to talk about Grand Fenwick (and other countries) with their friends and might even be likely to point people to the exhibit. That is obviously of value too.</p>

<p>These are just a few scenarios that might play out that could draw in a larger, not necessarily sympathetic, audience, and then improve the cultural awareness and beneficent outlook of people towards other cultures. There are certainly other scenarios too. For instance, how many of us can claim that we never had any sort of school assignment in which we were to find material about and discuss the people from another country? These assignments came up routinely throughout my education and also throughout my children's educations. I doubt our school children have stopped studying other cultures in the last few years. So would this exhibit be useful to them? Of course! After all, they'll need a good photo or two to print out for their reports. They might find the site by googling "photo Grand Fenwick" Also, children being children, they might spend some time browsing around in the exhibit, rather than industriously completing their assignment with the one or two photos in hand. Children are curious and are teachable. The earlier in life they stumble onto material such as the exhibit will present, the more open they will be to foreign cultures.</p>

<p>In the end, I can't account for every possible scenario of how one might come to view the exhibit. All I know is that there are many billions of people in the world, many of whom have computers, and countless people will find and view the exhibit. As someone who has done a lot of web authoring and web site administration, this is something I know very well.</p>

<p>With apoloties, I'm afraid I have to break from my computer now. I have some work to do, but I'll be back to address a couple of other points. BTW, Wouter, thanks! I'll be back with you too. I just don't have any time right now. ;-)</p>

<p>Sorry to be a naysayer, Sarah, but you are attempting the impossible. I doubt that anyone could today explain America to Americans given the degree of polarization that exists at present. I don't like Americans very much anymore. My father came to the US as a 12 year old from Scotland and started in the WV coal mines, before moving north to Niagara Falls to gain employment in the city that gave birth to me, the electrochemical industry, and also the Love Canal. I appreciate the lack of a rigid class structure in the US of my youth, and also the really good public schools of New York state in that era. Aided by a New York state regents scholarship awarded via competitive exam, I was able to graduate from college and engage in my first career as a military officer, retiring as a colonel 30 years ago. One of my first assignments was to the segregated south, and I will never understand how that awful crime could have been perpetrated by the most overtly religious segment and region of the US, namely Dixie. But it doesn't take much reflection to realize all fundamentalist religions have a basis of ignorance, hate, and bigotry.</p>

<p>I had hoped that the US had turned a corner and was entering a period of enlightenment with the election of a very bright, articulate and well meaning President Obama, but it seems to have just energized the haters. I can't begin to understand the ranting on whether President Obama is really an American citizen, and the actions of what was once was a respectable major political party to be a purely unthinking obstructionist wall. The recent law in Arizona to suspect everyone of being an illegal alien just deepens my depression. I wonder if the US is inits death spiral, accelerated by greed and hatred.</p>

<p>But I wish you luck in your efforts.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sorry to be a naysayer, Sarah, but you are attempting the impossible. I doubt that anyone could today explain America to Americans given the degree of polarization that exists at present. I don't like Americans very much anymore. My father came to the US as a 12 year old from Scotland and started in the WV coal mines, before moving north to Niagara Falls to gain employment in the city that gave birth to me, the electrochemical industry, and also the Love Canal. I appreciate the lack of a rigid class structure in the US of my youth, and also the really good public schools of New York state in that era. Aided by a New York state regents scholarship awarded via competitive exam, I was able to graduate from college and engage in my first career as a military officer, retiring as a colonel 30 years ago. One of my first assignments was to the segregated south, and I will never understand how that awful crime could have been perpetrated by the most overtly religious segment and region of the US, namely Dixie. But it doesn't take much reflection to realize all fundamentalist religions have a basis of ignorance, hate, and bigotry.</p>

<p>I had hoped that the US had turned a corner and was entering a period of enlightenment with the election of a very bright, articulate and well meaning President Obama, but it seems to have just energized the haters. I can't begin to understand the ranting on whether President Obama is really an American citizen, and the actions of what was once was a respectable major political party to be a purely unthinking obstructionist wall. The recent law in Arizona to suspect everyone of being an illegal alien just deepens my depression. I wonder if the US is inits death spiral, accelerated by greed and hatred.</p>

<p>But I wish you luck in your efforts.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Sarah, I just read this thread top-to-bottom, and simply want to comment that I <em>really</em> like your goals and attitude, including your response to critics. (<em>Especially</em> your response to critics.)</p>

<p>Who knows whether such a project--idealistic, broad-scale, with such amorphous goals--could possibly succeed? Or for that matter, even how "success" might be defined?</p>

<p>Who knows in advance whether anything will succeed?</p>

<p>Who can foresee what you, and any who participate with you, might learn along the way...or how the shape of your collective project might evolve in response to connections you make, and insights you gain, as you go forward?</p>

<p>You seem to have an open mind, a good heart, energy to spare, a measured response to doubters, and a track record of overcoming obstacles. Taken together, they're a good indicator that something worthwhile could very well grow out of your initial concept, even if it's different from your originally-envisioned outcome.</p>

<p>My background (very different from yours) has given me plenty of experience with many of the reasons for the cynicism and pessimism expressed by doubters above. But risk-averse people are seldom the ones initiating and advancing and (occasionally) succeeding in idealistic causes, because...they are risk-averse people.</p>

<p>Your idealism and energy fairly pop out of the screen. Given that you've sustained those qualities into mid-life, they are even more striking. If you go forward with this, I wish you every success.</p>

<p>Back at my computer, still trying to keep up, but falling behind...</p>

<p>Joe, you brought up the difficulty that one society can dislike another society because of its higher standard of living. So true! I've been thinking about this subject and would value your feedback. As I mentioned somewhere way back in this thread, America has a very heterogeneous society, with homeless people living in cardboard boxes, just a stone's throw from very wealthy people whose spending habits I can't even begin to understand. I'm not saying the standard of living is similar between our two countries. I understand there are clear differences, particularly with regard to the level of socioeconomic disparity. I'm just saying the overall range of socioeconomic conditions may not be all that different (aside from being distributed a lot differently).</p>

<p>What I'm wondering is this: I see so many references to the US being a wealthy country. Is our poverty also visible to other countries? Are people elsewhere aware of our crumbling economy (now perhaps somewhat on the mend), our state and local governments on the verge of bankruptcy, our problems with homelessness, and lack of access to health care (hopefully also on the mend)? Are people of other countries aware of our unemployment and underemployment problems, particularly with regard to some classes of people (including gay people and even women!) who perpetually face employment discrimination with little or no protection from the law? We love to think of ourselves as a wealthy country and might portray ourselves as such, but I don't think our self-image quite bears out the truth of our situation -- well, at least not from where I'm sitting.</p>

<p>I'm also wondering whether seeing the poor of our country in the exhibit I propose (along with the other socioeconomic classes, of course) would break this envy/resentment dynamic you mention. What do you think? In general I feel representation of diversity will be key, so that the people of a given society cannot be lumped all together and objectified. Deciding to hate the people of a given country will beg the question, "Which people of that country shall I hate?"</p>

<p>Joe, you also asked another very important question: How will the exhibit be promoted. In the past, in raising awareness of any given political cause, I've had an opportunistic approach. Search rankings are a very important place to start, and establishing quality links to the site are of key importance. I and my collaborators must actively court links to make this happen. However, search ranking only draw a small amount of baseline activity. The nice thing about search engine visibility, though, is that it grows and builds on itself and pays dividends, so to speak, over the long haul. Moreover, the exhibit can remain on the web indefinitely (very inexpensive to keep it there), so this baseline activity can result in enormous numbers of people eventually streaming through the site over the years.</p>

<p>How to get the links, though? One way obviously is to ask -- simply to seek out other prominent web sites (e.g. organizations) with related causes and requesting they link to the exhibit. Another way is to work the various publicity angles. Getting a human interest story in the paper or on the local news in a major city will result in a short term gush of activity and at least a few prominent links. Of course if *I* work the angles to get this to happen, most of the visibility I create will be to Americans. That is why it will take collaborators internationally to promote the exhibit in their own countries.</p>

<p>Equally important to the links is the structure of the web site. It's important to feed the web crawlers the diet they like best. They love text with content pertaining appropriately to the direction of the web site -- text that generates the right click-through traffic. So designing a web site is a strategic sort of thing. I don't claim to have the best majic juice for making this happen, but I do an OK job.</p>

<p>Finally, I'll hope for something very powerful: the involvement of youth. It's not something I can predict or entirely count on, but I can tell you from personal experience that when young people get involved, mountains get moved! There are of course many youth groups oriented around world peace and cultural awareness, and it is a simple matter to make them aware of what we are doing. If the project hits a groove with them, word will spread. It might also be possible to appeal to what I would call their "tiny contributions" ethic. While earlier generations would contribute infrequently to a cause, but in larger amounts, this generation contributes regularly and in tiny amounts. For instance, while a relatively small number of people from my generation were making larger donations to the Red Cross for disaster relief in Haiti, the youth were texting $10 at a time in large numbers. Pres. Obama's fundraising was another example of the power of tiny contributions. Anyway we could ask for a tiny "contribution" at the end of the exhibit, and that tiny "contribution" could be the act of telling at least two other people about the exhibit.</p>

<p>It probably bears mentioning that my last strategy is time. I've authored and administered maybe 20 small web sites over a span of about 13 years now, and in my experience a trickle of web traffic initially grows to a tiny stream in about a year's time, and then to a much bigger river in 5 years time. A web page works like a Monopoly game: Grab all the real estate you can as soon as you can in the game, and the rent money will just keep streaming in throughout the remainder of the game. This not-too-exciting strategy yields very big dividends. I estimate the total number of people visiting my sites over these years (not hits, but people) has surpassed 10 million. That's extraordinary when you consider that my biggest site is http://www.graphic-fusion.com (i.e. no big commercial accounts).</p>

<p>Anyway, those are only a few ideas. I hope my collaborators will have more. If anyone reading this thread has a suggestion, I'm all ears.</p>

<p>Al, I think you're absolutely right! I live in rural Virginia, so I don't ordinarily see a lot of diversity, but I'm currently visiting LA, where cultural diversity is all around me. The neighbors next door are Greek. There's a Polish immigrant family behind us. Across the street is a Middle Eastern gentleman, there's a large Latino representation at the park a block away on any given day, had lunch today at a Korean restaurant, will try to catch this Russian restaurant before we leave. Dim sum is definitely on our itinerary while we're here! This is really a fascinating place, especially for a foodie like me! Anyway, your point is well taken. I think that is indeed something important to show about this country -- our cultural diversity. I'm certainly in the place to photograph it (and have been doing so). I hope to break away from my (nonphotographic) work here long enough get more photography in.</p>

<p>-----------------------------------</p>

<p>James: Thanks for writing your thoughtful post. However, I don't share your perceptions of this society. Yes, there is bigotry and prejudice still in our country, as in any country; however, that is a trait of a minority of our people. The vast majority of our people are, I believe, rather good at heart and rise above our historical prejudices. I saw that as someone who was half of an interracial marriage for 13 years (divorced now -- nothing to do with race). I don't deny that bigots exist. In fact my poor older son, who looks Middle Eastern, is frequently "profiled" at airports. Even so, my son is very well liked by almost everyone he meets.</p>

<p>I grant you that bigots have come out of the woodwork over Pres. Obama's election, but this is still a fringe element in our society. Remember that a majority elected the man, and his initial approval numbers came from a lot of Republicans too. I think you will find that the South (where I live) is a very different place than it was 30 years ago.</p>

<p>Anyway, acceptance of diversity within American society is a different project from mine. In fact it's Robert K's project, of sorts. I think one thing is for certain, though: Most Americans speak with pride of our cultural and ethnic diversity, and it is perhaps when we hold ourselves out to the world as a cultural melting pot when we hold in our hearts the most acceptance for those in our society who are different.</p>

<p>-----------------------</p>

<p>Ernest B: Thanks for the encouraging words! Yeah, I guess I'm sort of unique. Sometimes I don't know whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. ;-)</p>

<p>-----------------------</p>

<p>Sorry I haven't caught up with emails. I'm sort of email crippled right now, being on vacation. I'll try to catch up tomorrow. Many thanks for the contributions on this list and behind the scenes! Time for bed... G'nite folks!</p>

<p>Sarah in response to your two questions:<br>

1. You are correct, the existence of poverty in America is largely unknown in Africa, the majority of citizens here (even the affluent ) are often unaware that there are any other than wealthy Americans. To "expose" the diversity of your country will certainly aid your cause.<br>

2. As an experienced website administrator you will realize that the access to the internet in Africa and many other underdeveloped parts of the world is very low (vast numbers are still struggling for access to clean water). In America and Europe Internet access is more than 70% where in Africa the average is 6,5% and in some areas like Afghanistan less than 2%. Does that not imply that your message cannot reach those who need to see it?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>What has always amazed me about America is that every culture is represented. More so in the cultural sense rather than the political. Why not show typically foreign cultural practices in an American background?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That is exactly what my project is about (see my earlier post in this thread). Sadly, many Americans choose to ignore/forget the fact, and I have no expectation that viewing my photos will change their mind. Perhaps the rest of the world may learn that "Americans" are not all Caucasian Christians, and the country is built by immigrants from all over the world, and will continue to rely upon them.</p>

<p>Joe, I think Africa as a continent has more internet cafes than anywhere else. So you might be getting the same locales but not the same people.</p>

<p>As for the poverty issue, even some Americans don't know about it.</p>

<p>Sarah, you sound like your schedule is fully packed but if you get a chance to go on a road-trip then I strongly recommend it. Not just a day trip but take a few weeks or months to go through and take America as it comes. I guarantee it'll help you with your project. Of course my guarantees are not legally binding or recognized. :) Good luck!</p>

<p>Joe, thanks for your feedback regarding my questions! Your perspective is very helpful! </p>

<p>You ask some very good and important questions! Let me try to address the last one you pose:</p>

<p>The project's message arguably will not reach many to whom I would like to deliver it. That would be correct. However, I'm reminded of a situation many years back when I was advocating for action by US citizens (through the US State Dept.) in a very troubling situation in Argentina. I'll spare the details, except to say that the impacted community there had zero Internet access. Their link to the outside world was a single, sympathetic person on the margin of that community with a computer and Internet connection and enough bravado to take some risks. So when you talk of 2% internet access, I suspect that 2% shares a lot of information with the other 98% and is regarded by their local communities as a valuable information resource. So reaching that 2% certainly means far more than reaching any given 2% in a country where almost everyone is on the Internet anyway.</p>

<p>Besides that, I have to think that this project will do good wherever it is seen. There is often an attitude or expectation that advances need to be made bilaterally. Indeed bilateral advancements are the best. However I'm of the opinion that unilateral changes, while clumsy, are also very powerful. One example might be the civil disobedience and passive resistance campaigns waged by Ghandi and our own Martin Luther King, Jr.</p>

<p>I hope I've not stretched this comparison too far. Let me speak more directly to the project. It is obvious that photographers from less developed nations have something to gain by collaborating with me on this project. If through my actions on my end I can find an American audience to build empathy for the people of those nations, we will not be as inclined to act out aggressively towards those nations. As I told one of my collaborators long ago, if the people of the US don't see or think about the civilian casualties in his country, they will keep sending in their tax dollars without a complaint, to fund continued hostilities against his country. But when there's a human face on the situation, when we have come to empathize with that face because it is not so dissimilar from our own, and when we are causing misery to those people with whom we have built empathy, we will be inclined to rethink our agenda.</p>

<p>But what is in this project for me, as an American photographer, who hopes to bring about more peaceful relations between the US and Afghanistan, for instance? What if internet access in Afghanistan were zero, and not merely 2%? This is obviously a more difficult issue, but there is still benefit to my involvement. First of all, as above, I do attract the collaboration of others, who will generate material that will persuade my countrymen. This is a unilateral approach. </p>

<p><strong>Furthermore, there is a comparative aspect to this project.</strong> I bold-faced that because it is a major point. Part of what will make it work, as I see it, is that it will show that people from other lands are not so different from our own. It will give me the ability to address negative subject matter head-on. One obvious sentimental sort of theme that the project might address is birthday parties. Everyone has them. That's something very universal that we all can relate to and feel good about. So when the exhibit is sorted for a slideshow on birthday parties, everyone can smile and feel good.</p>

<p>However, what of issues such as poverty and violence? We are often quick to judge other countries without also judging ourselves. As Al has pointed out, many Americans are unaware of poverty in America, and yet they are quick to criticize other countries for their poverty. I contend it would be sobering for such an American to see American poverty right alongside Afghan poverty, to remind us that we must criticize ourselves too, if we are to criticize the Afghans. Thus my contribution to the project would provide a calibration point for my countrymen against which the people of other lands can be viewed. </p>

<p>This is, again, a unilateral sort of approach, aimed at reducing US hostilities abroad. I believe in my heart of hearts that one country can wage peace on another and that <strong>eventually peace will be met with peace</strong>. Others may disagree with me on this point, but this is probably my most important core belief as a human being. It is the foundation of what one might loosely term my "personal religion" (maybe a self-styled sort of Buddhism), and it is a thread running through many mainstream religions.</p>

<p>Finally, let's not forget that there is a healthy Internet access in many countries where Americans are objectified and stereotyped and where anti-American sentiment is commonplace. Even though most Afghans won't have the resources to view the America I know and love, many people from more developed countries will. It bears emphasizing here that this is a very broad effort. I'm not seeking to address any particular issue or population with surgical precision. Rather, I'm trying to build some good karma throughout the various societies of the world. I'm trying to make a very tiny difference on a very large scale. Exactly where that difference is made is somewhat irrelevant to me, as long as it works towards the greater good.</p>

<p>Anyway, in a nut-shell, that's what this project holds for me as an American photographer. ;-)</p>

 

<p>Al, my schedule is indeed fully packed at this very moment, but I will soon have the opportunity to do exactly as you suggest! I'm very excited about it. :-)</p>

<p>Excellent! Try to go to a Rainbow Gathering if you can. It'll blow your mind. I think it's gonna be somewhere's around the east coast and the pinnacle is around July 4th.</p>

<p>http://www.welcomehere.org/gathering_of_the_tribes/annual/</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Al, COOL! I didn't know about this! I'll definitely attend one of these gatherings if I'm anywhere in the region. (I expect to be.) Meanwhile I've subscribed to the newsletter. I appreciate the referral! Thanks! :-)</p>

<p>Good! Welcome! Hopefully it'll help you with your project.</p>

<p>Anyone still here? Here's my view: Since all the world's religions and all humans aspire to have a homeostatic relationship with the environment (in other words, to be at one with the universe), photograph subjects doing things or just plain being that seem to exude this quality.</p>