Top 10 Questions for 2008… Plus One!
Fifteen hundred people in 39 countries participated in suggesting and selecting the following ten questions as the most important ones in the world today. These are our concerns expressed not as demands but as the questions we must all consider at every level of life to meet the challenges of our times.
Conversation Week 2008 gives us a chance to talk with friends, neighbors and strangers about one or more of these questions – and discover answers that can re-direct our lives and work, while knowing that sincere people on the other side of the planet are doing the same.
Your Conversation Week question is more a conversation starter than a conversation topic. Don’t feel obliged to answer the question. Rather, use it to stimulate your circle to go where their sincere interest lies. As you speak from the heart, listen with respect and follow the thread of meaning, you’ll have one of the best conversations of the year.
Below the question are two assists. First, in parentheses after the question is a brief summary of the topic you can use, if you want, for your publicity. Second, after each question are several additional questions, if needed, to provide you and your guests a variety of doorways into the topic. Rest assured, you’ll find hundreds more facets to these questions.
1. How can we best prepare our children for the future? (Our Children, Our Future)
What knowledge, skills and values and will our children need to flourish in their lifetimes? Do you know an especially gifted parent, caregiver or educator? What can we learn from them? Who are the children in your life and how are you preparing them?
2. What does sustainability look like to you? How do we get there? (Making Sustainability Real)
How can humanity both continue to provide lives of dignity for its billions while concurrently living within the resource-means of the planet? What does sustainability look like in different cultural contexts? What are your most hopeful images of sustainability? What changes can we make, and what must our leaders make?
3. How do humans need to adapt to survive the changes predicted for this century? (Survival in the 21st Century)
Humans survive because we are so good at adapting to changing circumstances. What changes are you predicting? What changes do you hope for? Will the adaptations be technological, social, spiritual, economic – or all of the above? What are the best adaptations you’ve heard of? Where do you see good adaptations happening in your community?
4. How do we shift from “Me” to “We” on both the local and global levels? (From “me” to “we”)
Where do you see a need to shift from “me” to “we”? What can a “we” approach give us that a “me” approach doesn’t, and vice versa? What needs to change to have people used to “me” engaged in “we” solutions? In your family and community, where have you seen collaboration work wonders when competition and confrontation failed? How can 6.6 billion people work together?
5. How can you, as Gandhi said, be the change that you want to see in the world? (Being the change)
Does fighting for peace or making war on terror make sense - or do our goals and means have to match? How have you tried to “be the change” in your work and life? Who inspires you by “walking their talk”? What gaps do you notice between your “walk” and “talk” and what steps can you take towards “being the change”?
What kind of economic structures can best support a shift to sustainable living? (A healthy economy)
What’s the economy for, anyway? How does “the economy” make it hard to make choices for sustainability – a healthy balance between material, social and ecological needs? Where have you seen economic structures that actually contribute to greater sustainability? In a sustainable economy, how would you and your community meet your needs for the basics and also for those things that make life worth living?
7. How should we re-invent the political process so that people feel that they have a voice? (Having a political voice)
When have you felt that your voice mattered in a political process? What contributed to that? Where do you want your voice to matter that it doesn’t, and how has that impacted your political participation? What re-inventions in the political process would inspire you to participate more than you do now? What one change would matter most?
8. What kind of leadership does the world need now? (Who leads now?)
What does leadership mean to you? When has a leader moved, inspired or motivated you and what did you do in response? Is there a new kind of leadership emerging in response to new challenges? What gives this new leadership the power to lead? Are there different kinds of leadership for different times?
9. How can we balance our personal needs with the most pressing needs of our community and the larger world? (Personal Balance in Demanding Times)
How are you doing this balancing act? What would help you balance better? Who do you know who seems to balance well – and what do they know? How does your life touch the life of the larger world and what would allow you to feed your soul and relationships while making a difference “out there”? How can you feel satisfied you’ve given enough – to yourself, your family and your community? If our world is really looking down the barrel of an environmental catastrophe, how do I live my life right now?
10. What can we do to reduce or eliminate violence in the world? (Ending violence everywhere)
What incites people to violence and how can those conditions change? When have you experienced a potentially violent situation transform into a more peaceful resolution and what can we learn from that? Where is violence happening in your community and what would you like to see in its stead? What will it take to not just end violence and war, but wage peace?
11. The eleventh question: What is the most important question in world today – to you?
For Conversation Week 2007 this was the winning question. We add it here to give you a chance to survey the people at your Conversation Week table as we have surveyed the world to suggest and select the ten questions above. What questions do you and your community need to be asking right now? What’s not being talked about that, were it explored, would free us up to have the world we want?
I am terribly concerned that America-my new country still stuggling with race issues. Racism is still pervasive–still hanging on our necks like beads. When are we going to settle down and realize we are all in this thing together. We must take care of each other-let opportunity flow. We must make sure of our children are safe in every area of their lives. Our environment must be taken care of–realizing that the planet is a blessing to us. We must not take it for granted. We must not be abusive to our planet. We must be cognizant that we are part of the global village. We belong to each other. We have been blessed with plenty-so we must share with those less fortunate than we are.
Racism is an abomination. It is evil–every aspect of it. Every where we find stench of racism we must eradicate it with every bone in our body–with every understanding given to us. We must stay together. We are on a temporary journey. Let us help each other out.
Come together. Talk to me.
Great stuff here. Keep the conversation alive.
The problem is that we’re all connected.
Everything we do, affects everything else.
No action is independent, isolated, contained.
The solution is that we’re all connected.
Everything we do, affects everything else.
No action is independent, isolated, contained.
What better way to connect than by starting a conversation and ask a question?
I suppose the majority of us only have answers concerning issues that involve us individually.
On the global level we are constantly affected with religious, politics, power games, world dictators etc, which god is better or my religion is the right one this has nothing to do with the reality of love caring honesty and helping . Power to do act and restrict can only always restrict the people from really recognising themselves and their individual connection to the one god there is and religion is only for me a vehicle to remind us that there is a god. Finding out what you ideal is and recognising who you really are and then ask yourself the questions and you will automatically see the difference if we have a desire to change the world and make it an issue then we have to be truthful to ourselves and have the heart to do something about it not just mentally to discuss the issues and the have no result in the end.
Whoever started up this is so blessed as all the questions are well thought of and so important at bring a change to the world if at all we are blessed to dig far…..
Wonderful project! I want to talk.
The most important question in the world is how to restrain those of our human family who are most cunning, long of fang, fleet of foot from their relentless organizing and exploitation.
It does not come naturally to progressive or spiritual people, to recognize the power elite really exist, and are really the key problem–have always been the key problem- holding back human progress. I say this because so many changes that we recognize as needed, are provably blocked and sabotaged by game theoretic people intent on nothing more than making money or other individual gains. So– we need talk about constitutions, about the arrangement of global governmental power — things like the EU, the UN, emergent global law, world courts.
This is a transformative project. Thank you for creating a catalyst for global understanding. I offer this haiku that came to me after the deep dialogue of a Conversation Cafe.
Look into my eyes
Look into your heart to see
The Truth, we are one
Webale (Ugandan): Thank you for the work.
Rich Henry
Dir. of Learning and Teaching
dotSUB.com
For me the most important question is “What must I (we) do to be saved? ” I firmly believe God’s Word, the No 1 best seller- for a reason, The Bible tells us very clearly time has very nearly run out for this this world. If that is the case, then the question “How can I secure eternal Life, must be the No 1 question for any thinking person. The answer? “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved” “Even though a man dies, he sahll live again.” This is the wonderful Truth of the New Testament scriptures. It’s what we celebrate evey year at Christmas and Easter, He came, He died, He rose again and soon we’ll celebrate when He returns. Please, be ready. Love, love, love from Rosie Australia
Sorry about the spelling. I must spell check first. For more info, check out www. amazingfacts.org or www.whitehorsemedia.com, and or www.3abn.org. You’ll be glad you did
Jesus loves us all so much He died for us - to pay for our sinfulness. He is the True Prince of Peace. Only He can unravel the evil in men - and women’s, heart’s. It is so good to know that ’sin will not rise up a second time’ Nahum. (OT) How good is that? Read Revelation 20-22 on how it will all end. God will do it, not a man-made disaster….The first 3 chapters of the Bible, show how evil began (Genesis) and the last 3 in Revelation show how He will bring it to a close. We need to “Love Truth or we will believe a lie.” Daniel chs. 2, 7-9 and ch 12 are involved also. Read and understand them - they are so crucial for today, Love again, Rosie xxx
Hi Rosemary. It seems apparent to me that you care about people, but your 2 comments read like infomercials for some unnecessary product. There has to be a better, more meaningful way for you to communicate your care for folks (and for the state of our world) rather than insulting them for not choosing “How can I secure eternal life?” as one of the Top 10 questions - and rather than pointing to apocalyptic Biblical passages for them to educate themselves. “Thinking people” did not choose your question as one of the Top 10. I honestly believe you care, but your approach is off-putting to me (and possibly to others). Your view (as stated in your comments) might be helpful and better received in a different context.
Personally, I am a believer in Jesus (beyond that he existed in history, I believe his claims and am trying to understand them both abstractly and practically), and I am asking you to find better and more meaningful ways to love people and to LISTEN to people. You may already be doing this, I don’t want to assume anything, but I am NOT comfortable with your approach here. You may not be able or willing to hear my thoughts on this, and I may be wrong on some counts, but I felt drawn to give a response to your post.
We all have much to offer: we all have value. Listening to others’ ideas and learning from others’ life and faith perspectives is an approach I have adopted, and one which I find aligns with the example Jesus left us. The “good news” Jesus brought can be share in a host of different ways, and most of which do not use any religious jargon - or talk at all. All the best to you on your journey. Peace to you (and to all readers).
The Ocean of Peace Community Forest is 14 months old. We are asking the USFS to donate 110 acres in Waldport, Oregon to protect an intact forest. The trees are 110′-120′ tall, biodiverse and awesome. Our new ecology center, Red Cedar Ecology Center is built and paid for. If people want to support the preservation of a forest on our Oregon coast, we need the support. Come visit Waldport and please visit the Green Salmon Coffee Shop in Yachats, Oregon just 11 miles south of Waldport(best coffee on the coast).
My e-mail is: djcpeltier@yahoo.com David “wolverine” Peltier P.O. Box 2002 Waldport, OR 97394 thank you! 3/11/08
In Sharif Abdullah’s “Creating a World that Works for All” (www.Commonway.org), he acknowledges our essential common-unity (everyone affects, and is effected by, everyone else) and the necessity for inclusivity - including all in the conversation to co-create our solutions. To stimulate our thinking, he suggests that there are three criteria for creating a world that will work for everyone: 1) Enoughness - everyone has enough, even though resources are not shared equally; 2) Exchangeability - trading places would be ok or tolerable, even if not preferred; and 3) Common Benefit - the system is designed and intended to benefit all. Can we do it? I think we can, and must. Peace be with you!
[…] 13, 2008 · No Comments 03.13.08 - Get ready for Conversation Week, March 24-30. The top ten questions that will form thebasis of the conversations to take place in cafés, libraries, schools and living rooms all around the world have already been posted. Check them out and find out how you can get involved in this unique and wonderful initiative. […]
I applaud this project, the realization that we are all one is essential as a base and to know that our thoughts create our individual and mass realities we must examine our everyday thoughts about our world and relationships and begin to think in the direction of our desires for the highest good of all concerned.
I appreciate the idea of opening up in discussions, especially in the World`s most striking problems: Finance ( money ),Sex and politics . As a christian, these are the most stumbling rocks of my Faith to Changing the World for Better.
I think Listeing is the most crucial part of conversation.
I can only wonder how the world would be if we all simply listened instead of talked.
Keep the faith.
[…] ‘fifteen hundred people in 39 countries participated in suggesting and selecting the following ten questions as the most important ones in the world today.’ Published 18 Mar 2008 om none of them were about sex. i checked. […]
[…] So next time you’re with your friends or family, engage them in a conversation. Ask them about their views on the environment or about something you read on the ecokids.ca. If you really want to have a deep conversation, visit http://www.conversationweek.org/top-ten-questions/ to look at some questions you can ask to start a conversation! […]
[…] Top 10 Questions for 2008… Plus One! […]
Don Roberts - it wouldn’t be much of a conversation if everyone merely listened. There have historically been particular voices elevated above others. I think what you, perhaps, meant to say was that those voices should for a time be silent and listen to the quieter voices on the margins.
Don Roberts - it wouldn’t be much of a conversatconversation. Ask them about their views on the environment ion if everyone merely
[…] It’s known as Conversation Week. A group of people from around the globe have gotten together and created a list of what they feel may be the most prominent questions of 2008. This is an opportunity to “celebrate the power of conversation to change the world”. […]
[…] Conversation Week: My Responses March 25, 2008 — Ms. Amanda The 11 questions of Conversation Week that I copied in yesterdays post are supposedly some of the most important questions of the year 2008. So I thought I should share my responses: […]
It seems to me that all the questions are interrelated and if we could as a group (community or global) find the answers we would all be better off. I am going away for a few days, camping in the foothills of Lesotho - no electricity, no telephone… I will be having my conversations there and look forward to giving and receiving feedback.
1. Could include living in staged hutments inside well-regulated and monitored institutes
Make reality shows depicting living in hutments.
2. Solar, wind energy and energy-cooperatives. plain old afforestation.
Afforestation economy driven initially by tax-breaks
3. *Referendums* galore - in everything, for every question, much like this one
4. UMPCs/mobilse-voting + referendum = true democracy
5. Tough question. Convert weapons to useful instruments and chemicals for transport or space travel
6. Barter. Takes the chief instrument of organized crime - paper (or digital) cash - out of the hands of organized criminals.
7. Referendums not representatives.
“Chief Problem Solving Officer” and no aristocratic titles like commander, king or president.
8. Communities instead of individuals - individuals are single points of failure - break them and whole structure is gone.
9. Interlink them and make them interdependent for their mutual survival.
Good technical hacks or good laws. Laws don’t work.
10. Give up meat. More than enough.
11. Do we really want change? I think not.
Holding hands, heart forward & teaching children and our peers to love and respect themselves as miraculous and necessary parts of the greater whole inspires confidence, cohesion and calm. By allowing each individual the freedom to safely and confidently explore their talents and passions, and to develop these within a supportive environment will allow each and every soul to thrive and contribute. Without this fundamental, it’s difficult to tackle other tasks and virtually impossible to realize the potential of the individual or the community! Share your gifts!!
Namaste, thanks and peace.
Danielle Cavallucci, RM
Love is the only truth.
[…] 27, 2008 · No Comments En una interesante página web, encontré las preguntas que trascribo a continuación. Dan comopara mil posts, y más adelante las traduciré porque ahora me quiero ir a dormir. Algunas sugerencias de respuestas? […]
It was New Year’s Day, 2008 and Lena Lees and I had planned to once again meet for a session with Kuan Yin. As it was the first day of a new year, this seemed an opportune moment to inquire of Kuan Yin about world affairs. Turning to the exact protocol we’d always used, the standard ten to one hypnosis countdown, Lena once again witnessed Kuan Yin sitting serenely in the bamboo garden. Unlike other episodes when Kuan Yin was delighted to share Her wisdom, this moment in time found the Goddess utterly absorbed in reciting prayers for the world.
What dictates when and why spirit entities come to earth to share their wisdom? There has been a pattern: that during historical periods of great strife (for instance, now, following 9/11, the Afghanistan and Iraqi Wars and recent earth catastrophes: the Indian Ocean Tsunami and the devastating hurricanes occurring in both the United States gulf coast area as well as in the Pacific during the summer of 2005), the “Elders” once again return to earth to assist humans in our quest for spiritual consciousness by reminding us of our true divinity. Kuan Yin’s guidance provided in The Living Word of Kuan Yin at this seminal moment in time, affords humanity to drink in her timeless wisdom. Reminding us also of former Elder spiritual teachings, Kuan Yin states: “Learn from the Elders, those Speakers who came before me. Come to know the basic universal principles. Be open to new learning opportunities.”
Forty years ago, during the historical period following the J.F.K. assassination and the advent of the Vietnam War, the spiritual entity known as “Seth” began channeling extraordinary spiritual information through Jane Roberts. Throughout a subsequent twenty years of channeling of the Seth material, an impressive body of work was published and archived. Throughout his manuscripts, Seth’s message was plain, that our beliefs create reality.
Preceding Seth, Edgar Cayce inspired readers with his crucial spiritual insights on karma and reincarnation. Lifting the veil of the spirit world, the “sleeping prophet” opened our eyes and hearts to receiving communications and healing from the “other side”. Cayce’s There is a River and Robert’s The Nature of Personal Reality are prime examples of how essential insights for living are imparted from the spirit world.
Worshipped for centuries as the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion, in Tibet as Tara, Japan as Kannon and in India as Kannon Bosatsu, (Avalokitesvara), Kuan Yin’s message of compassion and loving-kindness has resulted in her being the premiere Goddess of the East and, some consider, of the world. Kuan Yin has declared that she has so much love for people that she won’t impose her will. However, when called upon, she will most certainly answer. Reassuring her devotees over and over, she stresses that she is available to whosoever calls upon her for guidance. She’s also explains that she is among many other guides, deities that can help humans gain strength and ingenuity: “To all people everywhere. I’m here and at your service.”
Kuan Yin is traditionally known to assist humanity in achieving its greatest expressions of love and compassion. With the concepts of reincarnation, free will and soul agreements forming Her spiritual bulwark, Kuan Yin precepts are as unique and authentic as they are compelling. Desiring us to understand the powerful forces within us that direct reality, Kuan Yin decrees, “Loving kindness is the most potent energy of all.”
Seeking Kuan Yin’s living presence, many go on pilgrimage to those countries containing Her sacred sites and temples. There they can worship Her, drinking in Her loving and comforting spirit. Visiting temples, shrines and pagodas throughout the East, one can be in Her essence, viewing Her form as both sculpture and temple bass-relief. When viewing these magnificent artifacts, it is helpful to understand Kuan Yin’s spiritual evolution, why She has so many names. Indeed, any intention for spiritual hajj requires an obligatory paradigm shift towards the divine. How else can the pilgrim attain a measurable change in ones mindset, while headed for the consecrated ground?
In transcribing the Kuan Yin material I recognized certain former Elder teachings such as Kuan Yin’s assertion of “the great mix of karma and free will”. This testament, however, is accompanied by an important caveat: that karma does not possess the iron grip on our lives many would suppose. We are not meant to suffer, nor are we are destined to endure endless entrapping, “made-up” realities. Rather, resolving whatever limiting beliefs one might possess, one is to then focus upon the expansive possibilities, one’s greater free will.
Showing us the Crown of Creation, Kuan Yin professes that we are not only here to experience the wonder and beauty of being alive but to also learn about the forces responsible for creating reality. Desiring that we fully experience our humanity through marveling at and participating in all the sights, sounds and smells this earth has to offer, Kuan Yin stresses that one’s earthly incarnation is an opportunity for the divine.
An essential cornerstone of the Deity’s canons is that a realistic life allows for the higher self to pluck divinity from one’s everyday life drama. The embodiment of her universal principles, Kuan Yin declares there exists only eternity, knowledge and bliss and that we, as humans, are constantly dealing with seen and unseen forces: “You are riding the karmic wave and the wind can shift. Everyone must take what they see and deal with that which is unseen.”
Kuan Yin, also spoke of collective (soul) agreements, spiritual contracts comprised of specific mindsets, creating personal as well as global realities. She wants us to understand how limiting collective agreements are responsible for much of humanity’s despair but that we have greater control over our reality than we might believe. With the twin threats of climate devastation and war casting a pall over our precious earth’s very future, Kuan Yin’s Law of Attraction teachings should not be regarded as some frivolous materialistic pursuit but rather as our birthright to be fully explored and mastered: “Kuan Yin is showing me something, a tube, I think. I don’t fully understand this diagram. It’s as if one end is the past, the other the future. The middle of the tube, the present, is our way, our vehicle for changing reality.”
[…] Take a look at the “Top Ten List of Questions” people are discussing around the world and see for how many of them we have the right answer. . . but no relationship in which to share it. […]
we used the question on economic structures supporting sustainability. It was a good conversation. The broad scope of the question is advantageous as it keeps people focused on the larger view where transcendence of polarities is likely to be found. However, a scope this broad also discourages discussion of practical actions available to the participants. One of ours suggested following up the discussion with others focusing on narrower subquestions with this in mind. I thought this to be an idea well worth pursuing.
[…] Nonetheless, people need answers to complex questions. In a recent global survey, respondents were asked to identify the questions that were most important to them. Questions were then ranked in order of the number of respondents who identified them as important. All of the top-ranking questions were deeply complex. What does sustainability look like? How must humans adapt to survive the changes of this century? What economic structures best support a shift to sustainability? How can we re-invent politics so people feel that they have a voice? What kind of leadership does the world need now? […]