Including or Excluding
Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 6:28AM I was talking with a friend the other day about "Google Wave," which is a new technology that I'm evaluating for use in my business and personal life. A part of being given the opportunity to try it out want the ability to offer 20 invitations to others, to build a group of people I could test it with. I decided to offer invites among some of my friends on Twitter and Facebook, including them, but something interesting happened. Most including my friends hadn't heard of it, not knowing what Google Wave is.
I decided to email and send links to a short video that explained it. I figured this would give a thumbnail of what it can do. Despite this, I noticed that some made clear cut judgments about Google Wave without even having received the official invite or or what other people wrote about it. My own Mom, "I not a business person anymore, why would I need it." I asked, "Do you use email?" She said, "all the time." Do you like your email?" She said, "of course I do." I then asked, "Did you know email has not changed in 40 years?" She said, "I hadn't, thought about that." I then told her, "Google Wave is exploring what the Next-Generation communication and collaboration could be. After 40 years, we should be able to improve upon it." My mom softened a bit, laughed and relaxed after that.
After this happened a few times, I was able to (clearly) noticed that we can make hard and fast judgments without ever having tasted, touched, felt or personal experienced something. In fact some of the judgments and decisions seemed almost authoritative. I was very surprised. Don't people like cool gives any more? I actually asked myself at one point, "How can people be so decisive about what they don't know?" It didn't feel open, curious or available.
I've been taking care of digitalZENDO for some time. I have a habit of exploring books, articles and Buddhist teachers. Though iTunes I came across teisho's by Genjo Marinello Osho. As I listened to Genjo Osho, connections were taking place in my heart and mind, moving me forward in my practice. One day, much to my surprise, I received a comment from Genjo Osho on my blog. I was pretty surprised, because I don't feel like people notice me (which is the typical life of a nerd). I often feel like I'm kind of like a waiter, bringing you the food and drinks but hardly noticed (unless the service is really bad).
From that one comment and interaction, much has expanded. Because Genjo Osho was open and being who he is, he had no trouble saying "Hello, I noticed you." I was included and not excluded, from thoughts on that day. It was kind of like receiving an invite. Instead of judging and having all the answers, he was opening opportunities to my own personal growth and development. Had he judged me by my so-called "Cover," my life could very well gone on, unchanged. All it took was not excluding but "Including."
Today my mind is focused on, "Am I including or excluding? Am I judging based on guesses, being perhaps lazy and going by the information of others or taking the time to find out about something or someone for myself?" If I'm excluding and creating possible gaps, between myself and others, I can explore why I'm doing that. The best way to know the self is to study the self. Based on what we learn and experience, I can rethink, revalue and reconsider some of choices, altering the quality of my experiences.
Yours In Zen,
Jaye Seiho Morris, Curator
digitalZENDO
Reader Comments (2)
Good post! But I think it applies more to personal work than to new technology. One can spend a lot of time personally checking out new technology and and new products (the nerd way, definitely!), or one can ask, Why "improve" on something that already works for me? Why upgrade to a new product, even if it does have more features, if my old one fills my needs?
A beloved deceased minister of my UU congregation, Dan O'Neal, became very wary of new technology before his early death from cancer at age 50. He decided he would not mindlessly accept a new technology without anticipating and considering the consequences of said technology to the Earth and to human culture. He debated fiercely with himself over whether or not to use a fax machine, even. His point was that not all that is "new" is good in the long run.
You geeky guys can keep doing the beta testing, though, which saves lazy tech end-users such as myself from that tedium ... and perhaps even gives me 20 minutes more for the cushion -- heh!
The reference to google wave was an observation and insight on human behavior in general. If you don't see now, perhaps in the future. If not that's okay.
Recently I have very much enjoyed reflecting on a teisho John Daido Loori, Roshi once gave when he quoted Throeu saying, "I hear beyond the range of sound,
I see beyond the range of sight." I wish that for You.
In closing I would say, that I've never mindlessly encourage anything. Actually quite the contrary, which was the fundamental point of the post. Stop living on others opinions, thoughts, ideas like a vampire. We can engage in the experience for yourself and see what we get when we put our hands, heart and mind fully into this life.
The issue of mistrusting new things I must say is dubious at best. Traditions such as war, depleting our world of natural resources, patterns of racism, sexism, homophobia, hyper-capitalism and the like have not served us at all. But to understand and own it, You will have to explore those notions more thoroughly.
May Your Life Go Well,
~Seiho