For those interested
in attempting to have actual thoughtful political/social/philosophical discussions stop by over at Thingvellir
In 930 AD, while most of Europe was mired in feudalism and conflict, chieftains in Iceland gathered in a natural amphitheater to the north and west of Reykjavik and formed the world's first parliament, the Althing. The meeting place was called Thingvellir ("“parliament plains"”), and over the next 300 years representatives journeyed here once a year to elect leaders, argue cases, and settle disputes - sometimes peacefully, sometimes not.
There's no promises anything will get settled at the virtual Althing, but not trying something because it might not work always seemed one of the silliest excuses for inaction. Drop by and post a comment or email Bruce the admin of the place for an invite to start your own discussion.
2 Comments:
Thanks, Tom - I will check it out.
The great Icelandic sagas make the value of learning to talk very clear. In Njal's saga, a great feud causes tragedy and leads the poet to an image of the tree of strife; "in all that treeless land, the only tree was the tree of strife, whose trunk and branches were the bones of the dead, whose sap was their blood and whose bark was their flayed skin"
Caspar
I am thinking that I have recently coordinated myself with the Zeitgeist of our times... un-intellectual, un-contemplative, shallow and, in general, disrespectful to all beliefs that are not exactly as mine.
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