Convener: Chris Peck
Attendees: Karen Toering, Linda (Fetzer Inst), and Peggy Holman
Submitted by: Karen
Chris opened the session noting challenges faced by journalists, many (particularly women) give up. The ongoing question: Am I doing the right thing?
Karen- Perhaps it is not meaning you search for, but more likely feedback
Peggy- Repetitive activity and external noise can be distracting. Discussed the sense of ‘calling’ (inner voice) Time away brings perspective and vision just might come from listening from within
Linda- Is it still working? Perhaps journalists need to take out more time to reflect.
All agreed that a journalist’s world is extremely externalized
Chris- The very best stories carry you away. There is a dynamic tension between journalism and the Story.
Often the question arises- Is it about me or is it about the world?
Karen- I try to intentionally think about me.
Peggy –When I do for me, I do for the world
Linda – I need to keep moving, to keep going. That was in the past. Now I am curious about how journalists become ‘detached observers’
Chris – Journalists aren’t terribly reflective.
Peggy – Perhaps they are- in the “war stories” in the bar over a beer.
Chris felt that overall, there was a lot of ‘toughing it out’ e.g. 30 years of disillusionment
Peggy- Try to awaken that which was lost. Noted the responsibility (what if it works?). There is a lot of hurt
Group then discussed the idea of Lateral Learning- sharing learned experiences (like, sending 2 colleagues to the same workshop)
Other group thoughts- need to engage all aspects of the system to find solutions.
Peggy briefly discussed model of ‘appreciative inquiry’ allowing the journalist to ask powerful, ambitious life-giving questions. Try to move from
Fear, Anger, Despair, Greed ——->Hope, dreams, possibility
Using a system that allows space for individual and collective connections to be created and move towards a pattern of divergence -à emergence à collective action.