German Chancellor Angela Merkel courtesy Wikipedia
OK, so I’m a bit late with this, but I am a firm believer in thinking before speaking or writing. That doesn’t mean I am always able to reflect before speaking, but it is a goal.
On the world stage, Angela Merkel is one of my People of the Year 2011. She is one strong woman and a role model for young women around the world. She was successful in holding the European Union and the Euro together against dreadful odds. Granted, it is possible that things could still crumble. She is arguably the most powerful person in the world. She presided over the government that made the very intelligent decision to eliminate nuclear power from Germany. Truth be told, I may not agree with all her politics (slowed phase out of nuclear power, for instance) but her success is undeniable.
Related to Chancellor Merkel are the small scale ecological pioneers of Germany, another of my People of the Year 2011. Germany has become a leader in implementation of solar power despite being in a higher latitude (less sunshine) than more likely candidates.
http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/germany-cuts-solar-energy-feed-in-tariff-by-50-in-8-years/
The word ‘ecology‘ was coined in 1866 by the German biologist Ernst Haeckl. Germany is investing heavily in alternative energy sources and they are being embraced by many small entrepreneurs and private citizens. Twenty percent of Germany’s energy came from renewable sources in 2011 and that amount is scheduled to increase. Compare that to only 14.3% renewable in the US.
Biodigester at german pig farm courtesy Reuters
My couple of the year 2011 are also my Americans of the year: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Astronaut Mark Kelly. They represent what is best in America, both incredibly brave in their personal and public lives. Gabrielle Giffords was attacked by a crazed gunman in Tucson Arizon last January. Six other citizens were murdered at the same time. She has made a remarkable recovery from a gunshot to the brain.
Astronauts represent the most publicly brave persons imaginable. Since visiting Kennedy Space Center in Florida, more than ever before I am impressed by the enormous courage it takes to blast into the vast expanses of space in a relatively small metal vehicle.
As I write this I heard on the news that Arizona Congresswoman Giffords is resigning to work on her further recovery. Best wishes and a big thank you to her.
Congrsswoman Giffords and Astronaut Kelly courtesy Village Voice
Sadly now I must name my worst persons of the year. They are the officials at Tepco who presided over the Fukishima nuclear meltdown, the world’s single worst ecological disaster ever. Just thinking about this makes me sick. While these Tepco bigwigs did not cause the earthquake or the tsunami which followed, they were the folks that managed the nuclear plants, who decided to build nuclear power plants in an earthquake and tsunami zone and not maintain them properly, who obfuscated and lied about the severity of the problem. So now we have a radiation polluted Pacific Ocean, millions of sea creatures have died. More people will die as a result of this “accident” than were killed by the regimes of Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot combined. What ever happened to falling on the sword?
January 23, 2012 at 4:0 1
Fahrusha -
It is difficult to disagree with your choices of Merkel, Giffords and Kelly, although there are many, many others who would also qualify, based on their character and behavior in 2011. Such a list is always limited by those we know. We cannot be aware of everyone – the task is too overwhelming. Those we do not know, and whose actions we are unaware of, were as important as those who we followed. What is important, on a personal level, is to have role models, whose behavior and character inspire.
On the other hand, I have an inclination towards predestination, and I have come to the position that all of us are doing our life’s work perfectly. Robert Monroe brought to me the concept of Loosh energy, and its production as an important by-product of physical life. If his model is correct (something which makes sense to me, but which most of the population of the planet are unaware of, and who would disagree with, if they knew about it), then we all have our parts in the great human drama which is unfolding at this time.
The good folks at Tepco, however one thinks of them, were born into their current lives in order to fulfill their life purpose, and I am thankful that I was not tasked in that role.
I am minded of accounts by those who have explored the afterlife via Near Death Experience, or altered states of consciousness. Many report having to re-live their lives in what seems to be ultra-high speed, and experience every moment of that life through the minds of those who were affected by the person in the experience. I have no desire to experience the pain and suffering caused by the Fukushima event as felt by those in charge, when their current physical lives end.
Laurel Phelan, author of the book “Guinivere”, her account of “remembering” a past life as King Arthur’s famous love, Guinivere, maintains that through the cycle of rebirth we all get to play at every role in human life. That means, for me, that somewhere, at sometime, we too have an unpleasant date with being responsible for someone else’s pain. If Monroe is right, one might find solace in knowing that the by-product of strong emotions is important in the non-physical realms.
Thank you for sharing.
Jim
January 23, 2012 at 4:0 1
Dear Jim,
Thank you for your thoughtful answer. I thoroughly agree that some of the finest people are not in the limelight. But because most of them are unknown to me, I cannot name them to my 2011 People of the Year. But thank you for helping me acknowledge them.
While I see the hand of fate in many events that unfold, I also feel that persons have freedom of choice in many ways. Maybe that freedom of choice allows some to grow and learn in their lives and escape the wheel of samsara. I feel a bit of the hypocrite in writing that, as I am neither Buddhist nor Hindu.
Because of free will, those fellows at Tepco could have chosen not to lie, they could have chosen to voice opposition at the building of nuclear plants, or they could have chosen better maintanance. Perhaps there are infinite multiple universes where all the different possibilities are played out.
I’ll put that book “Guinivere” on my reading list. Thanks.
Fahrusha
February 20, 2012 at 4:0 1
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