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"The more you learn to act
from the still small voice within you,
the stronger and more pronounced
will be individuality in you"

(H. Emilie Cady, Lesson In Truth)

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Scott, Linda, Pam, Julie, Dave, Roberto, Joan, Kim, Colin, Luella, Jenni, Woodie, Cath, Bob, Micky, Bob, Laura, Ross, Dave, Jill and Mike, welcomed Jonathan, Kathy and Tim to their first meeting.

Pam opened the space with a brief round of introductions (including reasons for attending today's meeting and how long you've been coming to VS Chicago) followed by general announcements.

The group then began posting discussion topics, creating an agenda for the meeting:

Following, is a brief recap of the six discussions:

Getting Through another Hallmark Holiday...
Conversation noted Valentine's Day is geared toward couples -- if you don't' have someone, the ads and commercials kind of make you feel like a loser. Even with someone, you can feel subnormal if you don't buy diamonds, a dozen roses, ... Roberto missed sending Christmas cards out this year, and has instead sent Valentine's Day cards as a simple way of saying hello to friends and family. Joan noted she uses Valentine's Day to tell folks she loves them -- she doesn't need a special day to do so, but uses this made-up "holiday" to make cards, complete with short poems specific to the person she's sending it to. Colin said sending Valentine's cards was a way of getting to know folks better in the U.K.

"Keeping up with" affluent grandparents, sisters, brothers... was also discussed -- how does one compete with $200 kids' gifts for Valentine's Day? Or does one compete?? Talk of simple games, toys, and gifts that can be passed down emerged -- a child using his imagination to transform a simple magic marker into a rocket ship, astronaut, and ray gun -- simple, fun for the child, no fuss, no mess... But well intentioned parents admiring his playfulness through a partially opened door took his actions as a clue to buy him a space ship, action figure and ray gun for his next birthday. Remember how much fun it was to play in a large cardboard box someone had thrown away? Oooooh the imagination that resulted...

Tyranny of Immediacy...
Recent and continual changes at work have raised many questions within Micky. Conversation included some great quotes ("Some days it's peanuts, someday it's the shells") and lots of help in dealing with an ever changing organization, where the voice of tyranny demands, "You must do now... You must, you must, you must..." -- all for not as several months later new managers/owners reorganize, bringing about new demands and immediacies.

Is Genetic Engineering all bad?!?...
Ross raised new questions about genetic engineering. Perhaps environmentalists and groups need to take part in industry discussions rather than flatly reject opportunities to do so -- perhaps this is a way for them to help draw the line on genetic engineering. Conversation included support for labeling products containing GMO (genetically modified organisms). Has there really been enough research into the consequences of GMO?

What is the reason or purpose for choosing a Simple Lifestyle?...
Linda recently has received many questions about, "Why did you choose a simple lifestyle?". She posted this topic to pole VS Chicago participants. John mentioned choosing simplicity is sometimes a matter of human nature => flee, fight, or fall. Sometimes we keep going until we can't take anymore and completely fall down. Sometimes we may be fighting against the norm, or fleeing a situation we sense is going to be trouble. Also mentioned was choosing simplicity to build better relationships with those around you ("One of the victims of our consumer society, of course , is conversation. We simply have little time to gather and hang out.", Cecile Andrews, Seeds of Simplicity, Winter 2001-2002). In conclusion, there was consensus that some "leap of faith" is needed to complete the turn to simplicity. Mike, even though they had planned for 8 years to do so still found it hard to sign separation papers from work -- there was finality in this, and he had to trust that all their planning and data would work out -- there had to be a leap. John had to trust that falling down was the way to restart anew, again another leap that all would be good/better.

"The Divine Right of Capital"...
The Divine Right of Capital is also the title of a recent book. Pam and Woodie saw the author, Marjorie Kelly, speak at the Old St. Pat's Crossroads Center. Roberto also say her at a local bookstore. Ms. Kelly talked about how America does not have royalty, but we do have an aristocracy based on wealth and property ownership. Also our society and our laws protect the rights of shareholders over all other rights, such as the right to have a clean environment or employee rights.

The laws and policies governing corporations are outdated for today's world, and lead to seeing employees as liabilities, and the outsourcing of costs such as environmental cleanup and unemployment costs. What can we do?

Corporations are chartered by states, so some things can be changed at the state level. Also protests and other ways of bringing to the public's attention unethical corporate behavior, can affect their stock prices, insurance premiums, etc. The Enron debacle is a golden opportunity to raise theses issues. We can also "infect" others in the corporation "body" by spreading this information.

Going Car-less, or at least less car. Making the most of biking and being an example...
Dave hosted this topic, exploring ways of "de-glorifying" the automobile. Dave rides a bike at every opportunity. He believes in being an example in hopes of inspiring others to be, "at least less carish". Dave figures if he rides his bike to work everyday, in a year's time, 100,000 people will have seen him. Perhaps a few of those folks will think they too could ride a bike now and then. Dave rides with a Chicago group called Critical Mass. The name is based on a concept from China -- when enough bicyclists gather at an intersection, their "critical mass" concentration pushes into the intersection, stopping traffic long enough for them to pass through. Chicago Critical Mass meets at 1550 N. Milwaukee for critical mass rides though the city.

Why is it important to "save" the planet?...
Kathy raised several great questions with this topic by simply asking, "Why?" Why save the planet -- perhaps in appeal to personal introspection to do so. Or perhaps because of it is an ethical response -- because we can, we should. And maybe because of self interest -- I live here too. Conversation also included maybe our species should just continue on consuming as much of the resources as we possibility can. Perhaps that is our evolutionary path, to go the way of the dinosaur? Or maybe we should use up as much as we can to bring about pending environmental disaster sooner?

Mike said it seems the more he is able to find and listen to this inner direction, and the more he is able to follow its advise, a flowing together of events, occurrences, "the right things at the right time", ... also seem to follow.

A local pastor recently mentioned to Linda and Mike, "... at some point, folks turn toward something that holds more meaning for them -- is that what is happening with simplicity?" A book published by Unity Books (Lessons in Truth, written by H. Emile Cady in 1894-95), literally talks about reducing decisions based on external senses and perceptions (beliefs), with decisions based more on inner direction. Example: mass media/society screams you need an SUV/bigger house/diamonds for Valentine's Day, but internally what do you hear -- do you hear a smaller inner voice directing you otherwise?