On Being

Activist Majora Carter says she doesn't think of her work at Sustainable South Bronx as a moral endeavor, but a pragmatic one. Nevertheless she looks on this period of economic tumult as a chance for being happy and passing that on to others. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

As the global economic crisis began to unfold this past fall, we wanted to respond immediately, in our way. We began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways.

Our SOF First Person series continues with physician Rachel Naomi Remen, author of "Kitchen Table Wisdom." She sees these fiscally hard times as an opportunity to find our way back to the largeness of our collective story, which is part of the spiritual path we are on as we ask ourselves questions during this economic crisis: What do I trust? What do I really need? Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

As promised, we continue our SOF First Person project by turning to Swiss banking expert, Prabhu Guptara. Several years ago, Krista spoke with Guptara when the fallout of the Enron scandal was wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy and shaking investor confidence in corporate practices and business fundamentals. His message was simple but challenging, and also quite liberating for much of our audience -- bring your personal values into the workplace. For Guptara, doing this is one of the best ways of making ethical decisions that will lead to moral integrity -- and less corruption and scandal. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

Novelist Anchee Min grew up during the Cultural Revolution in Mao's China. Living in the United States for several decades, she offers a challenging assessment of American reactions to these times based on her harsher experiences. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

The Buddhist teacher and author Sharon Salzberg reflects on our current culture and its inability to acknowledge the inevitability of suffering. We hide from it, and hide it from others. She argues that we need not fear this, but look to others for compassion and wisdom and generosity as well as being touch with ourselves. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

The SOF First Person project kicks off with our search for fresh ways to talk about the current economic crisis -- beginning with reflections from an acclaimed historian and theologian. He shares a good deal of his "lived theology" -- the personal, daily acts of faith that preserve sanity and restore trust even at the most uncertain times. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

SOF First Person continues its series on the economic downturn with Dr. Esther Sternberg, a rheumatologist and stress researcher. She doesn't see the financial crisis in moral terms in so much as biological ones. She elaborates on these scientific points and then relates them on a personal level, often by looking inward and exposing the frailty of her own humanity. Last fall we began to conduct an online conversation parallel to but distinct from our culture's more sustained focus on economic scenarios. For in each of our lives, whoever we are, very personal scenarios are unfolding that confront us with core questions of what matters to us and what sustains us. We made a list of our guests across the years who we thought might speak to this in fresh and compelling ways. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-wise-voices-religion-science-industry-and-arts/162

We explore human and spiritual aspects of economic downturn with a wise public intellectual of our time, the Quaker author and educator Parker Palmer. He works with people from all walks of life at the intersection of spiritual, professional, and social change, and stresses the need to acknowledge the inner life of human beings as a source of reality and power.

This unedited conversation with Parker Palmer comes from our produced show "Parker Palmer on Repossessing Virtue: Economic Crisis, Morality, and Meaning." We explore human and spiritual aspects of economic downturn with a wise public intellectual of our time, the Quaker author and educator Parker Palmer. He works with people from all walks of life at the intersection of spiritual, professional, and social change, and stresses the need to acknowledge the inner life of human beings as a source of reality and power. See more at www.onbeing.org/program/repossessing-virtue-parker-palmer-economic-crisis-morality-and-meaning/161