’Idál, 14 ‘Izzat (Might), 179 B.E

Seen

There are a number of river grape vines (Vitis riparia) growing along the fence bordering a greenway through the subdivision:

Their fruit is ripening just in time to give the birds a treat as fall begins to set in.

Done

Exchanged messages today with a colleague in the Raising the Value of Learning group on Slack about the evolving role of timebanks. Here’s an excerpt:

How do we account for ALL our time on the planet and the human value we generate? A timebank system (like hOurworld and / or TimeBanks.org) is integral to the answer, but a few things have to change:

  1. The timebank system permits time entries for unspecified activities (not dependent on requests and offers)
  2. The timebank system measures total human value by time accumulated in categories and services which includes time for unspecified activities
  3. The timebank system applies a member-defined “portfolio” of daily, unspecified activities (thinking, communicating, doing whether awake or asleep) as a 24-hour “credit for living” for each day the member answers the bell. This documents the human value generated by each member without exception.
  4. The timebank system facilitates transfer of timebank member data from interactions on other platforms in order to further substantiate the value generated by members. BTW, this is where the Seva Exchange could be helpful if it can be separated from having to dance to the monetary economy’s tune!

My interest is moving the timebank system in this general direction as outlined in the four steps above. It’s definitely a “work-in-progress” but what isn’t ;-)

I’ll conclude with three questions to emphasize my point above:

  1. How much human value do you think we generated through this exchange?
  2. How does it get documented so that others know the potential we have to generate much more?
  3. How do we position this exchange so that the information we covered and the perspectives we shared reach a wider audience for the benefit of whomever sees value in them?

Noted

Astral Prospecting on Instagram | Astral Prospecting on YouTube - Catching River MONSTERS at Sunset! | Astral Prospecting on Facebook

Marc Bosserman on Instagram | Marc Bosserman on Facebook | Marc Bosserman Music and Musings on YouTube

Tab’s Galaxy on YouTube

Quoted

The great question appertaining to humanity is religion. The first condition is that man must intelligently investigate its foundations. The second condition is that he must admit and acknowledge the oneness of the world of humanity. By this means the attainment of true fellowship among mankind is assured, and the alienation of races and individuals is prevented. All must be considered the servants of God; all must recognize God as the one kind Protector and Creator. In proportion to the acknowledgment of the oneness and solidarity of mankind, fellowship is possible, misunderstandings will be removed and reality become apparent. Then will the light of reality shine forth, and when reality illumines the world, the happiness of humankind will become a verity. Man must spiritually perceive that religion has been intended by God to be the means of grace, the source of life and cause of agreement. If it becomes the cause of discord, enmity and hatred, it is better that man should be without it. For in its teachings we seek the spirit of charity and love to bind the hearts of men together. If, on the contrary, we find it alienates and embitters human hearts, we are justified in casting it aside. Therefore, when man through sincere investigation discovers the fundamental reality of religion, his former prejudices disappear, and his new condition of enlightenment is conducive to the development of the world of humanity.

The purport of our subject is that, just as man is in need of outward education, he is likewise in need of ideal refinement; just as the outer sense of sight is necessary to him, he should also possess insight and conscious perception; as he needs hearing, at the same time memory is essential; as a body is indispensable to him, likewise a mind is requisite; one is a material virtue, the other is ideal. As human creatures fitted and qualified with this dual endowment, we must endeavor through the assistance and grace of God and by the exercise of our ideal power of intellect to attain all lofty virtues, that we may witness the effulgence of the Sun of Reality, reflect the spirit of the Kingdom, behold the manifest evidences of the reality of Divinity, comprehend irrefutable proofs of the immortality of the soul, live in conscious atonement with the eternal world and become quickened and awake with the life and love of God. 1

  1. ʻAbduʼl-Bahá. The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ʻAbduʼl-Bahá during His Visit to the United States and Canada in 1912. Edited by Howard MacNutt. 2nd ed. Wilmette, Ill: Baháʼí Publishing Trust, 1982, 327-328. https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/promulgation-universal-peace/24#927538974 [return]