Quo Vadamis?

Zion National Park, August 2015 Photo Dave Carsten

A powerful meeting, we started with a discussion of “Quo vadamis?”, where are we headed?  
We discussed the content of the upcoming Cannabis Symposium and the Tanaka Program. 
Very recently published science was reviewed, as is our custom.  We also began receptor pharmacology.  The real power was in our Skype with Dr. Jim Hutt from Menlo, California.  We talked about the mass shooting at Umqua Community College in Roseberg, Oregon.  It is the hometown of Dr. Burkhart and very similar to my hometown, Centralia, Washington.  We shared in a way that happens rarely.  Later, after a continued discussion on email, Jim shared the following with me.  It was in response to exploring why these events happen.  This struck me as having a deep truth to behavior in our society.

“In my opinion this persists because the global failure at empathy and compassion has left
people feeling helpless and terribly afraid. That helplessness leads to profound fear in the 99%, who then either give up, or respond with overpowering behavior, bombs, etc., (vs powerful behavior, i.e., empathy).  The one tenth of one percent who are the leaders, in addition to those who acquire at the expense of the 99%, also experience helplessness. 

But, they, unlike the 99%, also respond with overpowering behavior, but of a different variety: they squash the 99% because they can!  They manage their fear by acquisition of stuff and misguided power. It is of no utility to any one group in particular, at least that’s my impression. The failure at empathy cuts across all socio-economic strata, and reinforces fear. Fear subverts empathy and compassion regardless of status.  I don’t know that I am making sense right now because I am still reeling from the sadness that I feel from connecting with the Coors group, as well as deepening my awareness of the broken state the world is in.  Mind you, this is a new experience for me—the experience of truly feeling the the pain of those I do not know,  knowing they suffer, and realizing that in some way I am part of it.  Bear with me as I learn. “

Jim then connected with our Facebook page and shared the following.

“I sat with the COORS group today in a Skype meeting and had one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  The sharing of pain connected to Roseberg, OR began to restore my faith in humanity.  Their vulnerability, compassion, and authenticity were electrifying.  I thank them for inviting me into the warmth of their womb.”

Dave