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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

ubuntu


Another discussion about the Zeitgeist in Holland. The last chapter of my book I will write.
What will be the next stage? I believe in the concept of UBUNTU. Read about it first in The Volkskrant, in an interview with a South African professor. The concept means "I am what I am because you are who you are". Difficult to grasp at first for our individualist culture, but there are signs the meaning begins to take hold here. We cannot endlessly pursue only our own freedom and needs. At some point we have to notice that everything we do connects to what others do. And the other way around. We live in a system, but have been denying it. Now a lot of trends are about people trying to create their own system together, a new one, or change an old one by joining forces and so gain importance. I love the story about the ex-nun who changed the way businesses dealt with sustainability and human resources by taking hold of the voting rights of large shareholders. She is now spokesperson for pension funds amounting to something like 3 billion dollars and just walks in Coca-Cola's offices to demand better treatment of workers with HIV in Africa. Connecting, growing, connecting some more until she can really change things.
Will write more about Ubuntu later. See also http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KZH/is_1_19/ai_n15928064 It's also a Linux style open source: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/

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