Comments on: Nobel Peace Prize winner F.W. de Klerk on global inter-connectedness, the root causes of conflict, and the role of U.S. leadership: What can one person do? http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/ Blog of P. Clint Rogers, PhD: Culture, Training, and Technology Specialist Wed, 08 Sep 2010 03:34:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Jeremy http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2770 Jeremy Sun, 19 Oct 2008 02:11:24 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2770 Um, I'm going to take exception with anyone who claims to identify the root cause(s) of any general social issue. Just yesterday I had dinner with sociologists from NYU, Yale, U Michigan, UC Irvine, and others. One issue that came up was the contemporary usefulness of certain models that had informed discourse for decades. I explained to them that ALL models are generalizations and, therefore, some distortion of reality. The more faith we put into the model, the more danger we're in of missing some key distinctions between what the model expects and what reality provides. Maybe Klerk meant "some of the root causes" or "common root causes," but I have seen far too many in the social science use language that is far too definitive. Um, I’m going to take exception with anyone who claims to identify the root cause(s) of any general social issue. Just yesterday I had dinner with sociologists from NYU, Yale, U Michigan, UC Irvine, and others. One issue that came up was the contemporary usefulness of certain models that had informed discourse for decades.

I explained to them that ALL models are generalizations and, therefore, some distortion of reality. The more faith we put into the model, the more danger we’re in of missing some key distinctions between what the model expects and what reality provides.

Maybe Klerk meant “some of the root causes” or “common root causes,” but I have seen far too many in the social science use language that is far too definitive.

]]> By: Judy http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2775 Judy Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:53:02 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2775 Jeremy, Clint, I think I understand what you are saying. I am not as well versed as you guys. All I know is that there is one sorce of fixing the worlds problems and that is for everyone to see themselves as a person of value and then to view others with the same set of glasses. I have spent so much time in the crime infested, poverty laden streets of inner city Detroit. You give and give and give and your efforts feel like bandaides on Bleeding, gaping, infected wounds. But even as I offer a hug and loving words to a woman who has just endured rape or a sack of groceries to a family with one can of beans in the house I know this is what I can do. It isn't the food or the hug that is changing thier lives (all though they are much needed) It is the love in my heart that teaches them so much more than my actions it teaches them that there is love in this world. At first I thought my efforts were lame now I see that Love is the greatest gift we give. I just wish there was a way to give more love in more ways. I sat in Sunday school yesterday by a sister from the city. Clint you met her when you were here. She is a single mother raising her children and her children's children. She is poor and she has had a brain tumor removed that left her needing to relearn how to speak and to walk. She has trouble expressing herself and gets lost in her words. She is extremely hard to understand. But she loves to participate and share how God has blessed her life. when she raises her had the teacher avoids making eye contact with her pretty much the whole lesson. I have watched this in countless meetings. I ache for the teacher not for my friend. I see the notes my friend jots down, she studies and studies to understand better what she is learning. I can see that she has spent hours during the week trying to learn and internalize what she is taught. My friend is simple but has so much to teach me about patience and love and forgiveness and faith. I have learned more from her than most people I have ever met. She has taught me unconditional love. I hope that my actions reflect what she lives. If we can all be a bit more like my friend Dorothy this world would be an amazing place. Jeremy, Clint, I think I understand what you are saying. I am not as well versed as you guys. All I know is that there is one sorce of fixing the worlds problems and that is for everyone to see themselves as a person of value and then to view others with the same set of glasses. I have spent so much time in the crime infested, poverty laden streets of inner city Detroit. You give and give and give and your efforts feel like bandaides on Bleeding, gaping, infected wounds. But even as I offer a hug and loving words to a woman who has just endured rape or a sack of groceries to a family with one can of beans in the house I know this is what I can do. It isn’t the food or the hug that is changing thier lives (all though they are much needed) It is the love in my heart that teaches them so much more than my actions it teaches them that there is love in this world. At first I thought my efforts were lame now I see that Love is the greatest gift we give. I just wish there was a way to give more love in more ways. I sat in Sunday school yesterday by a sister from the city. Clint you met her when you were here. She is a single mother raising her children and her children’s children. She is poor and she has had a brain tumor removed that left her needing to relearn how to speak and to walk. She has trouble expressing herself and gets lost in her words. She is extremely hard to understand. But she loves to participate and share how God has blessed her life. when she raises her had the teacher avoids making eye contact with her pretty much the whole lesson. I have watched this in countless meetings. I ache for the teacher not for my friend. I see the notes my friend jots down, she studies and studies to understand better what she is learning. I can see that she has spent hours during the week trying to learn and internalize what she is taught. My friend is simple but has so much to teach me about patience and love and forgiveness and faith. I have learned more from her than most people I have ever met. She has taught me unconditional love. I hope that my actions reflect what she lives. If we can all be a bit more like my friend Dorothy this world would be an amazing place.

]]> By: Judy http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2776 Judy Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:55:24 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2776 sorry I didn't proof, I get a bit cought up when I feel these emotions.excuse my run-ons. sorry I didn’t proof, I get a bit cought up when I feel these emotions.excuse my run-ons.

]]> By: Clint http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2779 Clint Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:21:56 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2779 Great thoughts. On somewhat of a side note, here is something interesting from the World Bank * World Bank updates poverty estimates for the developing world New World Bank poverty estimates reveal that 1.4 billion people in the developing world (one in four) were living on less than the revised international poverty line of US$1.25 a day in 2005, down from 1.9 billion (one in two) in 1981. In a new working paper, “The developing world is poorer than we thought, but no less successful in the fight against poverty,” researchers Ravallion and Chen show that poverty has been more widespread over the past 25 years than previously estimated, but also that there has been strong overall progress toward reducing poverty. Looking at the new estimates from the perspective of the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG1), the developing world is still on track to halve extreme poverty from its 1990 levels by 2015. However, performance is uneven among developing regions, with China’s historic poverty reduction accounting for a large share of the global progress. This poverty update is particularly significant because it draws on much improved cost-of-living information resulting from the 2005 round of the International Comparison Program, a global statistical initiative for price data collection and analysis. Working paper ("<a href="http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64165259&piPK=64165421&theSitePK=469372&menuPK=64166093&entityID=000158349_20080826113239&cid=decresearch" rel="nofollow">http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64165259&piPK=64165421&theSitePK=469372&menuPK=64166093&entityID=000158349_20080826113239&cid=decresearch</a>") Country-level data will be available September 16 on PovcalNet ("<a href="http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/jsp/index.jsp" rel="nofollow">http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/jsp/index.jsp</a>"), an interactive research tool, and in early October in a special supplement to World Development Indicators. These papers, and all older papers, are also available using the Document Search ("<a href="http://epublish.worldbank.org/shared/formGenerator/previewNL.jsp?contentMDK=21052980&versionContentMDK=21072330&folderPK=64129626&submitButtonLabel=S&showButton=true&callback=sendForm&topPos=895" rel="nofollow">http://epublish.worldbank.org/shared/formGenerator/previewNL.jsp?contentMDK=21052980&versionContentMDK=21072330&folderPK=64129626&submitButtonLabel=S&showButton=true&callback=sendForm&topPos=895</a>") on the Bank's Development Economics Research website and on the Social Sciences Research Network Great thoughts.

On somewhat of a side note, here is something interesting from the World Bank

* World Bank updates poverty estimates for the developing world

New World Bank poverty estimates reveal that 1.4 billion people in the developing world (one in four) were living on less than the revised international poverty line of US$1.25 a day in 2005, down from 1.9 billion (one in two) in 1981. In a new working paper, “The developing world is poorer than we thought, but no less successful in the fight against poverty,” researchers Ravallion and Chen show that poverty has been more widespread over the past 25 years than previously estimated, but also that there has been strong overall progress toward reducing poverty. Looking at the new estimates from the perspective of the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG1), the developing world is still on track to halve extreme poverty from its 1990 levels by 2015. However, performance is uneven among developing regions, with China’s historic poverty reduction accounting for a large share of the global progress.
This poverty update is particularly significant because it draws on much improved cost-of-living information resulting from the 2005 round of the International Comparison Program, a global statistical initiative for price data collection and analysis.

Working paper
(”http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64165259&piPK=64165421&theSitePK=469372&menuPK=64166093&entityID=000158349_20080826113239&cid=decresearch“)

Country-level data will be available September 16 on PovcalNet
(”http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/jsp/index.jsp“), an interactive research tool, and in early October in a special supplement to World Development Indicators.

These papers, and all older papers, are also available using the Document Search
(”http://epublish.worldbank.org/shared/formGenerator/previewNL.jsp?contentMDK=21052980&versionContentMDK=21072330&folderPK=64129626&submitButtonLabel=S&showButton=true&callback=sendForm&topPos=895“) on the Bank’s Development Economics Research website and on the Social Sciences Research Network

]]> By: Jeremy http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2781 Jeremy Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:09:54 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2781 Judy, I'd say you're more versed than Clint is or I am in these things. The two of us and Klerk represent various levels of the Ivory Tower while you're boots-on-the-ground. I'd say that you summarize it well. Man cannot enumerate the "root causes" of conflict, but there is one solution to all of them: Love. Love your neighbor, and everything else will follow. Judy,

I’d say you’re more versed than Clint is or I am in these things. The two of us and Klerk represent various levels of the Ivory Tower while you’re boots-on-the-ground.

I’d say that you summarize it well. Man cannot enumerate the “root causes” of conflict, but there is one solution to all of them: Love. Love your neighbor, and everything else will follow.

]]> By: Clint http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2818 Clint Tue, 04 Nov 2008 02:47:40 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2818 Thanks for sharing those thoughts Jeremy! I love when academicians (or politicians) recognize things like you expressed. As for what any person can do to make a difference - I think people still want to do even more, if they only knew how. Does anyone know of the best resources to direct people to who fall into this camp? Or is it something that still needs to be created? Thanks for sharing those thoughts Jeremy!

I love when academicians (or politicians) recognize things like you expressed.

As for what any person can do to make a difference - I think people still want to do even more, if they only knew how.

Does anyone know of the best resources to direct people to who fall into this camp?

Or is it something that still needs to be created?

]]> By: Nicky Burgoyne http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2977 Nicky Burgoyne Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:17:55 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-2977 You don't know me, but I'm in the IP&T program at BYU, and have heard about you. Anyway, I am South African and attended this forum. I just wanted to say that I think you have captured the essence of what he spoke about really well. You don’t know me, but I’m in the IP&T program at BYU, and have heard about you. Anyway, I am South African and attended this forum. I just wanted to say that I think you have captured the essence of what he spoke about really well.

]]> By: Alison Bennett http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-3037 Alison Bennett Wed, 28 Jan 2009 01:21:58 +0000 http://www.clintrogersonline.com/blog/2008/10/18/nobel-peace-prize-winner-fw-de-klerk-on-global-inter-connectedness-the-root-causes-of-conflict-and-the-role-of-us-leadership-what-can-one-person-do/#comment-3037 I am trying to track down a copy of this address by de Klerk- any ideas where I might be able to get one? I am trying to track down a copy of this address by de Klerk- any ideas where I might be able to get one?

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