The Student Publication of Antioch University Mcgregor

By THERESA THINNES

Humanities major Brooke Bryan didn’t expect to miss her graduation from Antioch McGregor on June 28.
Instead of attending graduation, Bryan will participate in her first academic conference in Washington, D.C.
Bryan moved to Yellow Springs to attend Antioch College in 1999. She took time out to start her family before returning to school in 2007.
At Antioch McGregor, Bryan was active on the student newspaper, the McGregor Voice, and served as editor through 2008.
Bryan is completing the World Classics program, chaired by Jim Malarkey, PhD.
As part of an independent study with former Antioch College Professor Dennie Eagleson and Don Wallis of Nonstop, Bryan developed a community documentation project entitled “Why Here/ Why Now.”
Bryan’s documentation project provided an opportunity to explore mulitple medias. She describes the documentation process as “applied anthropology.”
For her project, Bryan photographed the community of Yellow Springs and combined the images with audio from interviews with Yellow Springs families.
Bryan submitted a proposal to THAT Camp, the Humanities and Technology Camp, of George Mason University Center for History and New Media. Her proposal centered around utilizing the visualization tool, wordle, to “harvest” meaning from spoken word interviews, Bryan explained.
This technique is incorporated into Bryan’s “Why Here/Why Now” documentation project.
While Bryan will miss graduation, she said she is “super excited” to be a participant in an academic conference. And, already she knows it will not be her last.
Bryan also submitted a proposal to the Oral History Association’s Annual Convention. Last week, Bryan was notified that her proposal, “Digital Oral History: Changing Tools, Changing Tides,” was accepted for presentation at this year’s conference, “Moving Beyond the Interview,” to be held in Louisville in October.
Bryan plans to develop a business model to work with the public sector in applied anthropology and plans to attend graduate school next year.
Bryan left the McGregor Voice this quarter to work as a reporter for the Yellow Springs News.

BY THERESA THINNES

Antioch has a tradition of attracting students from many different places.  The same can be said for the people who come to work at Antioch.

For Antioch McGregor’s Academic Librarian, Chris Dasanjh, the opportunity to develop a new library is “every librarian’s dream.”  Dasanjh left his position as a librarian for the New York City Public Library to become Antioch McGregor’s first Academic Librarian.

After growing up in San Francisco, Dasanjh was planning to attend a small liberal arts college and was especially attracted to “Antioch’s values and tradition” as a school dedicated to “social justice.”  While Dasanjh looked at both Oberlin and Antioch, he ended up attending San Francisco State. But, that early exploration of Antioch back in 1996 would eventually lead him to end up here, too.

Knowing Antioch’s reputation as a steward for “social justice and community is really what drew me here, “said Dasaanjh . Having a partner who is an Ohio native added to his decision to apply for the new position.

Since July, Dasanjh has been busy organizing and cataloging two major collections that were given to Antioch McGregor. He is in the process of ordering new books to fill the many empty shelves in the McGregor Library located on the second floor between the computer lab and classrooms.

While the shelves may provide a limited supply of books, the McGregor Library has access to 47.6 million books and other library materials as a member of OhioLINKS, Dasanjh explained.  That means all students attending McGregor may order from millions of books and have the book order sent at no cost to the Antioch McGregor Library. Antioch students may also order books through the Antioch University consortium, WE Deliver.

OhioLinks is a consortium of 88 Ohio college and university libraries, as well as two public library systems, including the State Library of Ohio. Through OhioLINKS, students may order books as well as millions of electronic articles, 12,000 electronic journals, 140 electronic research databases, 40,000 e-books, videos and 17,500 theses and dissertations from Ohio students. Materials are usually received within three to five days. Books that are not reserved may be renewed for up to fifteen weeks.

All current Antioch University students may also order up to ten items per week through We Deliver. This includes books, chapters from books, articles, dissertations, and school related DVDs or videos. Like OhioLINKS, all materials are sent to Antioch McGregor free of charge. Unlike OhioLINKS, library book may not be renewed and may take up to two weeks to receive.

In addition to providing an ever increasing number of shelved books and fulfilling all online requests through OhioLinks and We Deliver, the McGregor Library also provides a quiet sanctuary to study or use a computer. According to Dasanjh, the computers in the library are even newer than the ones in the computer lab.

Previously, Antioch McGregor shared its library with Antioch College. While the rest of the Antioch College campus is closed, the Antioch College Library remains open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays, and  is expected to remain open, Dasanjh said. University students and community members may check out books at the campus library, as well as Antioch McGregor.

By Theresa Thinnes

The power of instant communication via the Internet became evident February 8th when a posted video of flooding at Antioch campus’ Main Building in Yellow Springs received countless hits. The flooding was caught on video by chance by a passerby walking his dog who happened to notice the flooding and got his camera to document it.

Public outcry and concern quickly followed. A press conference was held at noon Monday in front of the Main Building, the castle like structure built in the 1850s and a partial replica of the Smithsonian. At that time, a plan was announced to file willful neglect charges against the University and Trustees. Later the same day, Antioch University announced it had already hired Servpro, a company which specializes in this type of work, to begin the cleanup process.

According to university officials, all campus buildings are walked through three times each week. No flooding was noticed just a few days prior and no alarms went off when the flooding began at the Main Building. By the time the flooding was observed and stopped, a substantial amount of water could be seen on every floor. The apparent cause of the flood was a broken pipe that was part of the sprinkler system on the top floor. Even after the water was shut off, water continued to drip for several more hours. Water damage to the bricks on the outside of the building also seemed to be visible.

This was not the first time since Antioch College was closed last summer that a flood has occurred. Previously, a sprinkler system began leaking at South Hall around Christmas. The leak caused a fire alarm to go off and the flooding was quickly controlled. However, this time, no alarm sounded.
Even before this most recent incident, many Yellow Springs residents have expressed concern about the deteriorating conditions of several campus buildings, including the building which houses Antioch Theatre.

Many buildings on campus, including the Main Building, are part of the National Historical Registry. However, that does not mean the buildings are protected.

According to Glen Harper, preservation specialist for the Ohio Historical Society and an Antioch alumni, it is up to the Yellow Springs Village Council to enact an ordinance to preserve historical structures. Such a model ordinance can be viewed on the Ohio Historical Society’s website. Such an ordinance could be both enforceable and provide punishment for failure to comply, Harper said. While other Ohio communities do have such ordinances, Yellow Springs does not.

Harper said he was invited by the Yellow Springs Village Council in December to give a presentation about such an ordinance and did so at the council’s request. However, no formal action has yet been taken. If Antioch University had not agreed to clean up the water and dry out the building, the Village would have had no recourse without such an ordinance in place.

“It’s never too late. Right now the buildings really are not protected. Significant protection can only be put in place by the local village,” Harper said.

Last Monday, Antioch University Director of Pubic Relations Lynda Sirk said, “the university regrets this happened,” regarding the flood at Main Building.

Harper said he sent a letter to Antioch University last summer explaining in detail the best methods for stabilization and moth balling of the historic buildings. Among the recommendations Harper included was the suggestion that the buildings not be left unheated. “Even minimal heat would help to alleviate potential problems,” he said.

Harper questioned whether any money was spent to properly prepare the buildings to be shut down. The outcome at the Main Building would seem to indicate that things “weren’t done right,” he said.

“The Village obviously has to step up to the plate and do something about this. If they’re not properly dried out, the ramifications could be significant,” Harper said prior to the announcement by the University that the flooding problem would be addressed.

Harper described the situation at Antioch as unique because “you don’t normally see an entire campus closing down,” he said. Harper suggested that in addition to drying the building out, the university could also “put some minimal heat in them.”

An article published in Thursday’s Yellow Springs News reported that the Main Building flooding incident will not affect the ongoing efforts by the ACCC pro tem board to create an independent college, according to ACCC chair Lee Morgan.

Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, is about to make all those campaign promises come true.

We hope.

After all, he gave us the idea to hope, even as we watched the death toll climb in Iraq.

Barack Obama told us to hope and we kept hoping even as more and more of our jobs disappeared. We kept hoping even as those of us fortunate enough to have retirement funds watched them shrink by a third or more. We kept hoping even as nobody seemed to know where the first half of all that bail out money went. We keep hoping even as all those bombs keep dropping on Gaza and all those cease fire agreements mean nothing.

I became a Barack Obama supporter when I realized he shared my concern about the unfairness of the payroll tax system in the United States. After all, if we are ever going to save Social Security, we might want to ask those earning the biggest salaries to contribute their fair share. Or we might want to tell them that after decades of a regressive payroll tax system, it’s time to pay up.

Many Americans are not aware that the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax only applies to the first $106,800 of each individual’s earnings.

That’s right. If you earn a million or two each year, the total amount you owe for your entire annual payroll tax is less than $6,700. That means your favorite American movie star or professional ball player pays less than $6,700 towards Social Security each year.

The few people I know who earn more than $106,800 per year tell me they would be happy to pay more towards Social Security payroll taxes to help make Social Security solvent. My better off friends share my support for Barack Obama and they share my concerns, too.

People who are self-employed may pay up to 12.4 percent towards payroll tax but that amount still only applies to the first $106, 800. So, if you make just over a hundred thousand or a hundred million, Uncle Sam only wants $13,244 per year. I wonder what percentage of Oprah’s income that represents. What if all those very wealthy, very concerned people were to pay Social Security taxes on 100 percent of their income? How soon would Social Security become truly secure?

Will Obama make good on his promise to fix Social Security? Will Obama help to fix the broken healthcare system in America? WIll Obama help to make those who object to healthcare for all Americans understand why American businesses cannot survive without it?

After all, how can American businesses compete in a global economy when healthcare costs for employees are not part of the cost of doing business for all those European corporations?

Will Obama have a chance to address such pressing domestic issues as one world crisis after another continues to erupt?

We hope.

Contact: tthinnes@antioch.edu

Joint statement describes framework for moving towards an independent Antioch College

BY BROOKE BRYAN

The Antioch University Board of Trustees and the Antioch College Continuation Corporation have agreed upon a theoretical framework to negotiate an independent Antioch College which is separate from the Antioch University system.

The Letter of Intent is the product of five months of mediated negotiations, and is not legally binding. It is evidence of general shared goals for the separation and transfer of assets and intellectual property that would result in the establishment of an independent Antioch College.

The letter outlines the transfer of the Antioch College campus (excluding the Kettering Building), the Coretta Scott King Center, Glen Helen Nature Preserve, Antiochiana, and the Antioch Review.

The Olive Kettering Library (and its contents– exclusive of University corporate records and assorted holdings) would also be transferred to the College, with stipulations for the University’s continued involvement in the Ohio Link library system.

Antioch Education Abroad (AEA) and radio station WYSO would remain with the University.
The Letter describes the intent for a number of “Collaborative Use” options which involve dual institutional access to assets which represent “programmatic value,”including WYSO, Olive Kettering Library, AEA, and Glen Helen.

The Antioch College Continuation Corporation would be obligated to present a total consideration of $6,500,000 in cash, and, should the independent College fail to gain accreditation in five years, Antioch University would retain the option to revert all assets back to the University at no cost.

The letter of Intent precedes legally binding documents termed “Definitive Agreements,” which, with the consent of financial, licensing and governmental agencies, should be articulated within 90 days.

Access the full Letter of Intent at www.antiochians.org

Contact editor@mcgregorvoice.com

Twins seek Special Education licenses in pursuit of meaningful careers

BY THERESA THINNES

If you happen into Kristin or Krystal Cole in the halls of Antioch McGregor, it would be easy to think you might be seeing double.

From their shoes to their bracelets, their backpacks to their jackets, chances are, every little detail will be identical.

These days, you are more likely to find the identical twins in the halls of Wayne High School in Huber Heights where Kristen and Krystal are completing their student teaching. The sisters are earning their masters degrees in special education from Antioch McGregor.

By spring, Kristen and Krystal will be licensed to teach. After that, they’ll be back in the halls of Antioch McGregor to complete additional endorsements to qualify as reading specialists and moderate to severe intervention specialists.

Since being born a minute apart on July 15, 1981, to a mom who is also a twin,
Kristin and Krystal can most likely be found within 60 seconds of each other. While some twins head to colleges hundreds or even thousands of miles apart, these two continue to choose to stay together.
After graduating from high school in Akron, Ohio, Kristen and Krystal became roommates at Wright State University, until “we partied our way out,” one sister explained. After that, they both got jobs down the street from Wright State at Meijers. Kristen and Krystal were content with their lives until a concerned cousin got involved.

The twins’ cousin, Terrence Towles, sat them both down at a round table and asked “What are you going to do with your lives?” The sisters took notice.

“He had us in tears,” Krystal said. “He likes people to further their education. He pushes college,” she explained.

It worked.

“We’ve been going to school ever since,” Kristen said.

After their cousin’s life altering intervention, both sisters enrolled at Central State University. In 2005, the twins graduated and began working as chemical dependency counselors at CADAS, a residential drug rehabilitation center. After working in the field for a little while, both sisters were ready for a change and one said to the other, “Oh, let’s go see what Antioch is like.”

They came to Antioch McGregor and talked to Oscar. That’s when Kristen said to Krystal, “Oh, we should get a Master’s degree.”

By that time, both sisters were already Big Sisters to siblings with special needs through the Big Brother, Big Sister program. The opportunity to earn a master’s degree in special education enabled the twins to learn skills they could put to work immediately.

The sisters began attending IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meetings and acting as advocates for their little brother and sister. They also helped the students’ mother, who has MS, to understand her rights and her children’s rights as it pertains to the IEP process.

“Without Antioch our little brother and sister would have been lost,” Kristen said.

The twins also utilized their new found knowledge to help a young cousin with special needs, and his parents, who were not familiar with the topic.

“Thanks to this program, we’ve learned so much, Krystal said.

“They’ve got great teachers here and we’d definitely recommend the program, “ Kristen added.

As for continuing to live and work together, the Cole twins are not expecting that to change any time soon. In fact, being a twin who shares everything seems to run in the family.

Kristen and Krystal explained how their mother had several miscarriages and twin sons who died before they were born. But, during her pregnancies it was her fraternal twin sister who got morning sickness, not their mom. In fact their aunt called to ask if their mom was pregnant when the aunt began getting sick in the mornings. And, sure enough, it happened the other way around, too, the twins explained.

For now, Kristen and Krystal are happy to be together, driving around in their shared car with a license plate that reads “Ctwinz.”

After they accomplish their shared goal of becoming teachers, the sisters with the creative and colorful intricately matching wardrobes cannot be expected to stop there.

“I’m going to talk Kristen into getting her PhD (with me),” says Krystal.

Contact tthinnes@antioch.edu

BY BECKY POTTORF

The story begins with a father and his son together working in the fields of some remote area; one of thousands in our country. The father has spent his life in the fields, working the land, raising his children to uphold the morals and God-fearing spirit his parents had instilled in him. The salary that a farmer makes has allowed the dad to provide an honest living for the family he loves. Now, with traditions that flow as deep as blood, father and son begin the transition:  it is time to train the next generation how to work the land and be groomed to take over the family farm. This story is filled with nostalgic images that drive deep to the root of the American dream: hard work, family traditions and the hope for a better tomorrow.

I love the fact that I am raising my children in a farm community which holds these values steadfastly close to all areas of life.  Living our lives surrounded by beautiful wide open fields, farm animals and close knit family ties has become the only way for us, and I hope that lasts far beyond my existence here on earth through my own children specifically. Farming is the bread and butter of our area.  It is not only a career; it is a life style that weaves through all people in our community.   With all of this being said, there are realities that must not be ignored any longer concerning our responsibility to the land.  Following the theme of responsibility, it is time to face realities about the toxic consequences pesticides are subjecting upon Americans.

Aldo Leopold tells a story about a trip he made through a Midwestern state and his observations of the land.  Illinois Bus Ride has a sincere message to relay to all those that take the time to truly listen to what Leopold is writing about.  It is only natural that I be drawn to this particular entry in A Sand County Almanac. As Leopold takes a bus ride through the farm lands of Illinois, he makes observation about the vegetation that is growing, or at times not growing, out beyond the paved road he travels down. Intertwined with casual sarcasm, Leopold delivers a message that hit me broadside.  I was not expecting to come away from this story with the feelings and emotions that have continued to fester in my head about my own community.

Leopold has an intriguing idea laid out in The Land Ethic that raises much concern for the land that I live on. There is this idea of an energy circuit which creates a balance for the land. The three ideas presented by Leopold relate directly to what is happening to the farm land in the community where I live:
1.  That land is not merely soil
2.  That the native plants and animals kept the energy circuit open:  others may or may not.
3.  Man-made changes are of a different order that evolutionary changes, and have effects more comprehensive that is intended or foreseen.

The questions raised from these three ideas about conventional farming techniques concerns me because of the love I have for my community, the land I live on and the effects that all of this may have on my children. Where I find myself now is trying to decide what I can do with the knowledge that I have obtained.

Organic techniques to farming are one viable solution for our small farm. Since Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring was published in 1962, the amount of pesticides used in America has more then doubled. There is a major industry for the chemicals produced to satisfy conventional farming techniques.  The makers of these pesticides are going to do what need be to keep farmers from changing to other farming techniques that would make these chemicals obsolete.  I predict that companies like Dow and DuPont are fully aware crops that are not chemically dependent are not at risk of invasion by pests and that natural seeds are more resistant to disease and unseasonal weather conditions. “Round up ready” seed is common place for farmers today. This is troubling.

As Americans, we want our food to look pretty. This superficial reality may sound trite, however, this maybe one of the many reasons farmers have turned to using more chemicals on their crops:  pesky insects can cause foods to look blemished. My concern is that Americans are choosing esthetics which carries with it toxic consequences. Organic farming accounts for only 2% of all production in the U.S. today. However, there is a real need in the market for organic products. This is where my farm comes into focus.

With a few simple changes, small farms like ours can become chemical free. I have compiled a few realities that must happen to help small farmers succeed in the transition from conventional methods to organic.

First, there is cost when making the transition from one method to the other.  The vulnerability that a family experiences when making the transition in farming techniques may be the deterrent that keeps change at arms length. For small business farmer like us to embrace changes, there needs to be financial help available so that the threat of jeopardizing our farm is softened some. One large financial responsibility that goes along with becoming an organic farm is becoming certified. The certification process can be costly, and this is one area that the government can help bare the burden.

Secondly, farmers just entering the market for organic products need educated on marketing strategies.  One way to help small farmers succeed in the market today is by establishing agreements with buyers so that there is a vehicle for organic products to get to the consumer. There is a niche for true organic products as people are becoming more and more aware of the adverse effects of chemical products on their health.

Finally, and possibly most importantly, our local and national governments need to make a shift in policy making that encourages more farmers to become organic. It is difficult for self employed farmers to make the decision to go organic when road blocks are in place legislatively. I believe the government has the responsibility to begin making policy decisions that help develop a better land ethic.
Even if these steps toward organic farming were in place, there are still challenges for farmer to over come. There can be a drop in yield production the first year or so as the drained soil needs times to go through the natural process of ridding itself of chemical manipulation. Also, there is a need for patience, along with perseverance, when trying to master the market for these organic products. There are still some questions out on yields, prices and potential problems when changing to completely organic techniques, and this is intimidating for small farmers.

All this being said, we have reached the time in America when new possibilities and change much supersede fear and unknown. To develop the “land ethic” that Leopold is telling us about, we must view land much differently then we have in the past fifty to seventy five years.  Obligation must surpass privilege. Conservation must also be embraced as we proceed down the path towards organic methods of farming. There requires a shift from economical motivations to obligations that run much deeper then money alone. I hope that this is not what ultimately prevents change from happening in my community.

BY STEPHANIE M. ELSASS
The common conceptions that pervade the methods of existence are looking like glass houses on a rock-throwing course. From the comfort of the distance and sense of separation, the rocks appear to be far away and amusing. However, if by some chance one of those rocks is caught by the wind, the integrity of the glass house will be demolished.
Chances like this are bound to happen. Murphy’s Law certainly plays a role in this scenario…as well as the idea that everything that has been made will one day break; nothing is certain except for change. And further, glass houses are bound to break. Similarly, the common conceptions that have been the norm concerning the usage and rank of the material goods that are considered beneficial, necessary and seemingly imperative to the standard of living- particularly in this country- are the walls of the glass house that we have created. Or, to say it another way, the ideas that have been popular in the past are growing into geriatric shoes that are no longer appropriate for the path that must be forged. New boots, made from earth friendly materials, are what is necessary for the traversing of the uncharted territory that lies ahead. Without an upgrade in the mindset of the stuff we use, we will develop painful blisters, searing pains in our legs and we may lose our footing and fall down altogether. The old shoes in which we have been walking and the glass houses that we have felt safe in are, by the nature of evolution, getting worn out.
The unpredictable nature of our evolution has led us to a place where we are facing issues never dreamed of: global warming, natural resource “peaks”, overpopulation of not just humans but also of cattle, industries and machines, all with a focus seemingly on that which we can produce versus what we can become. The distinction here lies within the ideas and mindsets that have been a traditional force behind that which we consider progress and a newfound concept of what progress will look like for the future.
In a land far, far away, there is a little country called Bhutan. In this country, there is an idea that allows for the holistic approach of what progress may mean. The government of Bhutan uses the concept of gross national happiness (GNH) as a sustainable development framework. This concept of progress or development takes into consideration that the development enjoyed is indeed enjoyed by humans and that when talking about people and development, happiness (not only of humankind, but of earth-kind as a whole) must become and remain a vital factor. For it only follows that the stuff we create, progresses made and developments in our capacities should in fact add to the well being of those producing and developing.
To shed more light on this idea of GNH, the Prime Minister of Bhutan was quoted as saying that “GNH is based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other.” Material and spiritual development that hold hands along the path of the future are essential for the true measure of progressive development in this picture. They are quantifiably ensured as there are listed four pillars that help to guide people if and when they feel lost in this concept. The pillars, as listed, “are equity, preservation of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.” All of these four pillars are connective in that they all have a holistic premise with which they reside. They are all also connective in that they are looking toward the bigger picture for gratification rather than a narrow point of view and that the greater the view can become, the more progress can be made. Again, spiritually and materially, when nurtured together can allow for a better program of progress and can permit more happiness in life.
But, here in the land of GDP, or gross domestic product, the common idea of progress and development has been based solely on the ideas of more, more, more stuff produced, sold and acquired. There has been a common (mis)conception that the more stuff one has, the happier one will be. To be fair, more innovations in science regarding healthcare practices, more innovations in the practices of food production and more opportunities for transportation, information exchange, explorations of the seas and the universe are examples of where “more” may be beneficial for humankind as a whole. However, it is when these practices are not regulated by a holistic approach to the earth, to the sanctity of life and without consideration of future generations that the drive for “more” becomes dangerous.
And it is at this threshold that we stand: the threshold of consuming more than what is needed, more than what is available and more, more, more for the sake of more-ness is an example of an unsustainable cycle of dependence on the resources that we have available. And, further we have a choice of whether we continue along the path that we have assumed is the proper course of action, because tradition has suggested that we do so, or we can choose to alter our methods of consumption into those that are more earth friendly and sustainable, so as to avoid going off of the threshold and into the future without so much as a choice as to direction.
So, the focus of the energy that people conjure is for the most part for the sake of acquisition of goods for benign reasons such as care and comfort for ones family, for a better lot in life, for status that material goods can display and for what has commonly been believed as a quicker route to happiness and overall well being. When talking specifically about the USA, the GDP, and what progression looks like and then coupling those ideas with the traditional idea that “The Holy Grail of prosperity was believed to be labor productivity, and indeed still today people believe that increasing labor production will increase well-being…” (Lovins 39), then subtracting the fact that the happiness indicators of both human and earth kind are miserable in places, overweight in both fat and chemicals, and are suffering from exhaustion equals a great need for change in both our conceptions of progress and how we actually progress in the practical world. For it seems senseless to continue along the path that has been laid, seemingly without forethought, and is destructive not only to our physical selves, but also our spiritual, psychic selves.
“In 1906, economist Irving Fisher coined the term “psychic income” to describe the true benefit of all socioeconomic activity.” The impact of such a phrase should resound in all people, particularly those that place value in their stuff. The impact is delivered when the following quote sinks in: “Goods and services
are valued not for themselves…but in proportion to the psychic enjoyment derived from them.” In other words, the point of the stuff has been lost if the owner is not gaining some level of psychic satisfaction, enjoyment, gratification. Or, spiritual satisfaction, for that matter…which seemingly has been lost in the drive to keep up with the Joneses.
This idea of “keeping up with the Joneses” has allowed people to lose the connection to the spiritual or psychic enjoyment of the material goods that are acquired.
The reason for this is that people have the desire for the goods, not for the benefits that are inherent in the item, but for the status factor that is suggested to be the ideal when comparing oneself to that of a neighbor, friend, co-worker, family or society. James S. Duesenberry, who coined the phrase, argued it is the comparisons in lifestyles that has been driving the notion of keeping up with the Joneses.
But, does this make one happier? To have more stuff to care for, to be concerned about, to pay money and attention to things versus personal development, the growth of family and the growth of society, as well as the preservation of the planet and its delicate body seems to be a disorganization of true, holistic values. What is the point of the stuff that we value if we are suffering under the weight of the responsibilities that we accumulate with the further accumulation of our stuff? In a different article written, the author asks primarily the same question and had this to say in response: “The assumption that more and more consumption will deliver more and more well being turns out to be wrong.”
Throughout this endeavor to make oneself better off, happier and more satisfied with life is the genuine desire to make life better. It seems a simple concept when considered; however, it has become a more complicated issue than previously ever thought. The replacement of stuff as the sole source of happiness, in the stead of relationships with loved and liked ones, is showing us that stuff is really distracting us from that which makes people feel more vibrant, happy and well.
One tactic that exists for the masses-immediately- is through the concept of voluntary simplicity. The basic idea of voluntary simplicity is that through lessening the amount of stuff that is owned, desired and accumulated, one has more time and energy for the propagation of energetic connections to the self, to family and friends, to community as a whole and to nature, the essential factor of our survival and sustenance. Duane Elgin, author of “Voluntary Simplicity” first published in 1981,  describes the ideology “as a manner of living that is outwardly more simple and inwardly more rich, a way of being in which our most authentic and alive self is brought into direct and conscious contact with the living.”
When people focus on others, on nature and on connections to these elements, a sense of connection enhances the desire for more contact; the stuff then begins to lose its importance as the value of the stuff lessens when compared to that of the connections with the live and animate.
To shift now to a method that allows for a more solid connection to both society and to the earth is through the concept of permaculture. This method of connectivity is through gardening and that the point and premise is to bring into existence a self supporting agricultural ecosystem.
This method of looking at gardening and agriculture, taking into consideration the need for food, connections to both land and society and also lessening the dependence on imported foods that could be produced locally, is a grand way of allowing the organic nature of humankind to reconnect.
The two simple steps previously listed are only two of the options that are ready for use and immediate implementation. Other options exist and more will be created. However, habit and the tradition that has been passed down from the older generations have made available the situation that we are currently find ourselves in.
Habit has dictated that it is okay to not think beyond that which drives us to repeat the same patterns of yesterday, even if those patterns are destructive. “Just succumb” seems to be the underlying thought, even though no thought is necessary. Maybe this is why it has been so easy to just go with the proverbial flow.

However, habits do not consider the destruction of the planet. Habits do not highlight the facts that people are more unhappy- and not happier- in their pursuit of material goods. Habits do not take with it the consideration that the stuff that we are consuming originally was devised to make life easier, comfortable and soft and that the reality of the situation now is that the stuff, being our sole purpose of energetic output is in fact in pursuit of it/the/them…all to keep up with the neighbors. Habit does not suggest change.
But, the earth is. People are, too, as the veils of habit are starting to come off and people are beginning to see that the habits that have been popular (blind consumerism, materialistic mindsets, etc.) are not enhancing life, but that the habits of old are actually detracting from life’s true origin of enjoyment: connections with life itself.
The glass house is being exposed, rocks are flying around everywhere and the earth is gearing up for windy conditions. To stay inside will become more dangerous, even beyond what can be predicted now. One constant of life is change. The winds are what bring change.
Outside of the glass house, we are wearing our old boots. They are no longer supportive, durable or contemporary for the terrain that lies ahead. A new set of boots/values/mindsets are what is necessary, made from/with/of earth friendly materials. With these new tools/ideas/mindsets we can confidently move forward into a future that allows for more connections to the animals, plants and soils, our great big human family, and to ourselves.
And, we can avoid the destruction inside of the house when we believe that we can move outside again, with the understanding that we are a part of the world outside and that to live harmoniously with the earth is to also live more harmoniously with ourselves.
Contact selsass@mcgregor.edu

BY BROOKE BRYAN

If I have learned anything from the world classics program it is that a) our sense of decline precedes us, and b) that human societies can be seen to cycle through periods of prosperity and growth and periods of decline and stagnation. While this is a simple idea, it is quite contrary to the assumption that we carry around in our minds on a daily basis. We like to think of the world as a constant.
Yet studying Rome can be an uncanny experience for a person who lives in the twenty first century. If Rome, in all her power—her political, economic and cultural systems—fell, what Country today could believe themselves to be everlasting?
Rome seems so similar to America that it is worth pointing out some parallels. Rome came into being on the backs of Greece and other advanced cultures around the Mediterranean World, she did not necessarily invent what she seemed, for a moment, to perfect. America can be seen likewise. We came from European countries and ways, eventually to overtake a new land while embodying what wisdoms we could glean from those we conquered.
We did not invent democracy, or the republic, or any other system we see as so inherently American, but in our hour of stability, we appear to have perfected these ideas and practices as our government shifts hand repeatedly from candidate to candidate, party to party.
Of course, like Rome, we are not without our critics, both from within as from without; those who think our ways as far less from the ideal or even blatantly apathetic in the face of crisis.
We have rooted our culture, like Rome before us, in material things in such a way that there can be no confusion between the have’s and the have not’s. The vast majority of Americans are as un-empowered to make true change in our lives as the non-citizen proportion of Roman civilization. We may call more humans citizens, and we may give them certain “inalienable rights” but your birth, your class, your location, your looks still hold a heavy hand over your access to opportunity.
While the Romans had their societal troubles, I believe they dealt with them more frankly than we know how to do today. I believe they were more mentally prepared to deal with hardship and inequality and suffering than we are today. But before we romanticize them in this way we must consider the other side of the coin. Romans were also prepared to live luxuriously, and it is the decadent lifestyle that we Americans aspire to.
Pictures of the “ideal” are broadcast into our minds daily of the latest color, the new style, the redesign of the luxury car that now has the advantage of “added safety features” and- if you are lucky- good gas mileage. All of us folks strive to keep up—the masses (of which I would consider myself part) go into debt in order to seem as if we are keeping up. Another only barely smaller mass of folks decides to identify with another way (only to establish a sub-cultural hegemony that merely looks different than the dominant one, but which is imbued with the same lines of thinking as what the sub-culturalist thought he discarded). And the few with enough money to do as they please? They find themselves more miserable as the purchases mount up, because their belongings fail to fulfill them.
I believe Roman society had all of these elements as well. I believe Greek society had all these elements before them. Plato called this stumbling block of man the “pursuit” of “perishable things” and thought it the root of human fallibility. Ovid called it “the damned desire of having” and saw us on a motley progression towards unhappiness from the steel age on. The awareness of a steel age and the changes it brought to the structure of society parallels our own awareness of the Industrial Revolution and the changes it has wrought.
If we were to meet with a congregation of Ancient Romans in the underworld, I believe they would all gasp and clutch their stomachs aching with uproarious laughter when we speak of this Industrial Revolution.
I think that, after they calmed down, they would tell us, respectfully, that the word “revolution” means nothing other than the turning of the wheel.
And that all there is, really, is the turning of the wheel. I imagine we Americans, like all stubborn children ignorant of times before them, will have to learn the hard way. Our way.

I was blessed this summer to share in the Classics program class Judaic, Islamic and Christian Heritage. The friendships I made and the insight I gathered are now treasured possessions. Dorothy Hummel’s presence in this bouquet of treasured people is one I cherish. Her incredible compassion and knowledge of Judaism, her words of personal wisdom, and her kindness, reaching out to me during one of the most difficult periods of my life - words cannot express the value of the gifts she so freely gave me. I mourn the loss of a beautiful spirit, an intelligent mind and a generous heart. She will be deeply missed. ~Heather Boehmer

I shared a Classics class with Dorothy and she was also my neighbor. She was a very loving and open person. She had a great spirit and I will miss her deeply. ~Alana Takacs

Plato spent his life looking for “The Nature of Beauty.” It was embodied in a beautiful gracious, bright, interesting, accomplished and loving woman named Dorothy Hummel. Those of us who knew her delighted in her enthusiasm and joy for everything. She is now “transcendent and boundless.” ~Sue Van Allen

I am deeply saddened to learn of Dorothy’s passing. She took my Critical Writing class because, as she said, I have a reputation for being a tough instructor. She felt that because of my theological training I would let her write about how Jesus is not a Republican. For those of you who have taken my class, you know how I stress the importance of the thesis: A thesis is not fact, but rather an argument. Certainly, I joked, we all know that Jesus would vote for Obama! We laughed, and as I asked her to pick another topic Dorothy gave an impassioned argument that Christianity has been co-opted by a right-wing ideology, and she wanted to expose the fallacy of the position. As it is a topic close to my own heart, I demurred to her request.

Dorothy read incessantly, and we had a number of in-depth conversations about the separation of Church and State, the faith of the “founding fathers,” and the role of religion in the public sphere. She produced a paper that was worthy of publication, and I told her as much. Dorothy wrote not out of a desire to destroy, but rather out of a need to support the important separation of Church and State, both of which she held in high regard. I am proud to have been her teacher. I always felt her presence in class; she was one of those students who challenged others to defend their ideas and to listen to her own. I will pay her the highest compliment I can: She was an Antiochian. ~Aaron Saari

I taught a few classes with Sue where Dorothy was present. What an active and enthusiastic mind! In my first meeting with her, I was quite impressed with the questions she asked, with her passion for learning, and with the depth of understanding she brought with her to class. ~Joe Cronin

It is strange to think that Dorothy is gone. She loved her time at McGregor so much and had a lot of hope for the future despite the many tribulations she faced. It will certainly be different without her.
 I am comforted by knowing that she was doing exactly what she wanted while she was at McGregor. It is a testament to her individual courage and will that she chose to pursue her passion for spirituality and life through the study of the Classics.

I remember one class when we watched a film of Martin Luther King Jr. giving his last sermon, and how afterward she spoke of the utter tragedy of his death. She wept for him and for all humanity. She was keenly in tune with the sufferings of human kind.

Her compassion and willingness to empathize with and understand other people was entirely unhindered by any prejudice or judgment and came from a place of boundless love. She was my classmate and a good friend, and it is a great privilege to have been in her presence every Saturday for the last year. She will be remembered and missed. ~David Kemper

I am only certain of one thing, and that is that I will never meet another person quite like Dorothy. She had a peculiar affinity for religious and spiritual understanding. I must admit I was baffled by her at first, because I could not see what was so readily apparent to her.

Where I conceived of religion as population control, she considered it the highest form of congregation, of community. Where I saw dangerous magical thinking she saw the human spark.
And so at first I braced myself against her insights. I was ready to argue the other point. But slowly- was it the way her voice floated across the classroom so lyrically?- I came to understand the roots of her conception.

When we visited a Hindu Temple, she looked as if she had prayed just that way, bowed just that way, kissed and splashed milk just that way- as if she had been a practicing Hindu from birth.

When we visited the Muslim temple, she took great delight in wearing a bright green celtic scarf. To her way of thinking, this was a beautiful manipulation of symbology. She loved the interrelatedness of all traditions as much as she loved to have a good laugh about our errant ways, our idiocracy, our political ineptness. I came to greatly respect her deep view of humanity, and my time spent in discussion with her will influence my own thinking indefinitely. I am blessed to have known her, and will do my best to carry the things I learned from her forward.

While Dorothy’s spirituality defies all boundaries and so cannot be categorized, I have no doubt that she has become the infinite source she knew so well. ~Brooke Bryan

I am so saddened by this sudden loss.  Dorothy’s genuine and passionate love of learning is an example and an inspiration. ~Jim Malarkey

Dorothy Hummel was a true seeker. Perhaps it should be said that Dorothy is a true seeker because she had chosen to exist as a seeker and gave no indication she would abandon that course, in life or whatever may come afterwards. Her death is a shock. Why Dorothy?  Why now?  There are no answers but the assertion that life is uncanny.  I grieve for our loss of the companionship of this wonderful person. One thing we can say is that Dorothy is in a state where she can answer the questions raised by Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Shakespeare, Kant, Marx, Heidegger and Sartre.
~Her classmate and teacher, Robert Obach