Message-ID: <19991123155723.AAE16046@jubilee.ns.sympatico.ca@LOCALNAME> Date: Tue, 23 Nov 1999 11:57:29 -04 From: Kerry Miller <mailto:kerryo@ns.sympatico.ca> Subject: Re: seeking stories To: mailto:DEVEL-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU
Kelly, > Are either of you Africans?! Who is claiming to speak for whom?
> Getting case stories circulated and seeking to build on best practices
> in development work is useful. It will take all of us working together,
> not just Africans, to create an equitable and peaceful world. Do you
> really think this kind of arguing advances anyone's agenda?
Please don't be misled by the nominal purpose of this list -- many people suppose that 'discussion of international development' is what takes place here. In fact, in this age of direct communication (without middlemen!), that kind of purposeful discussion is no longer relevant. (And even then the style was so top-down that one has to wonder if it ever was.)
Rather, we are gathered here to share stories -- our own stories, and a story called 'Seeking' is just as real and legitimate a life experience as ones called 'Arguing' or 'Equity.' If only we had just a few more souls who could *listen, without parading and masquerading and handwaving, I'm quite sure everyone's 'agenda' would become incredibly advanced (perhaps even developed) but even among 1400 intentional subscribers, you can imagine how difficult it is to reach that goal -- let alone tackle the kind of 'meta-goal' you imagine Nicole and her protagonist (I'm sorry I've forgotten her name) are striving for, simply on the grounds that their stories *say they are striving. Why, if that's all it took, we could say 'New World Developmental Order,' and hey presto! it would be achieved! Not only would discussion be unnecessary, but *learning to discuss would be likewise!
Cheers, kerry