Jane Goodall
From the jungle music to the hand-made oversize doves, audience members quickly became aware that Jane Goodall’s presentation was not going to be the typical lecture on peace. Dr. Goodall reminisced about her experiences in the African Jungle and her travels on behalf of the United Nations; she told stories about the chimps she studied and the children she has interacted throughout the years. Overall, Dr. Goodall used her own life experiences as evidence of the commitment we each have to bettering the world around us. Listeners were captivated not only by her wealth of stories, but also by her sweet sincerity.
Dr. Goodall was most striking, perhaps, because she made obtaining peace sound so easy. The most fundamental component is “courage of conviction.” She spoke of her program Roots and Shoots, and its mission to empower youth to tackle global problems. Her program, and her thinking, lacks boundaries—that is, they lack concern for an individual’s heritage or appearance. Her main concern is whether a person exemplifies a desire to do good in the world.
Can it be that simple? Can we really rely on our own determination to carry us through to major breakthroughs and success? Dr. Goodall thinks so. Sure, she admitted, there will be plenty of obstacles, but keep going. Sure, there will be naysayers, but show them they’re wrong. Even with her gentle tone of voice, her passion was contagious.
Dr. Goodall not only simplified the concept of peace, but she also humanized it. She did not mention politics; she mentioned only people, and the impact one person can have, regardless of the cynicism that surrounds him or her. Her emphasis on effort empowered her audience, making us feel unlimited in our own aspirations. Her message was simple: you are absolutely capable of bettering this world.
Not just that you can, you must. Dr. Goodall also spoke repeatedly of the urgency that underscores the world’s environmental and humanitarian issues. This urgency, she said, is what keeps her going, and she is determined to use every bit of energy she has left toward the betterment of the planet. We have to approach the problems of today not as if they can be left to the future but as if time is running out. Only then can we become most passionate and most relentlessly committed to our goals.
Dr. Goodall did not lecture her audience; she encouraged us, somewhere between a pep talk and a lullaby. Her ability to strip away all of the layers of peace and reveal its most human core—the desire to do good—was refreshing. Students and scholars were uplifted as a seventy seven year old scientist with a little voice and a big heart brought international relations back to its roots.
Caroline, I thought it was really interesting that Dr. Goodall spoke of peace in terms of people instead of states or interest groups. I think a lot of times the person on the ground isn't really interested in or feels disconnected from the wars that disparate nations invariably end up entangled in. This goes hand-in-hand with her theory that individual effort can really make a difference in obtaining peace. If one person or a group of like-minded individuals would express their feelings about the actions of their governments in a more assertive manner, then warlike government adventurism wouldn't be able to play off of the passive nature of everyday people. I'm not sure if the human element is intrinsically linked to the desire to do good, but it is very likely that if indeed more people did make a stand for peace, governments would have a more difficult time ignoring the call for non-aggression throughout the world.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting to look at Goodall through the lens of idealism and realism, as philosophies rather than IR theories. Realism, in a few words, is focusing on dealing with problems as they are, while Idealism is imagining the world as it should be and working towards that. Goodall is, to me,a clear idealist. Her thought is sure, we have serious problems, but if everyone does their part and chips in we can fix it.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think that Goodall's hope is a bit unrealistic. We live in a messed up world gripped by suffering. At the same time, however, I share her dream. Realists say this is the best we're gonna get, so suck it up and deal with it. The problem, the current state of affairs (or some variation thereof) really does suck. It is better to try for a far superior world and fail than to give up and accept the suffering that exists today. Even if idealism fails, it is better to have tried than to have given up. Plus, if every realist in the world suddenly became an idealist, I feel like most of our problems would vanish.
Sorry if I rambled a bit here, just my thoughts
btw this is Sean, if my account doesnt say that
Adam and Sean, I think it's really interesting that your comments represent very different ways of reacting to Dr. Goodall.
ReplyDeleteAdam, I'm so glad you share my enthusiasm, and I think that Dr. Goodall's emphasis on people was exactly what made her intriguing. But at the same time, I understand Sean's frustration over the idea that no matter how much intriguing dialogue there may be, the facts point to a very troubled future. So the challenge is to keep the "work hard and good things happen" mantra in mind, rather than relying on it. Optimism and realism can both have their places in IR mentality; their interactions can lead to the greatest ideas.
Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't able to go to the talk and your summary of it was inspirational itself. I can't imagine how much more inspirtational it was to be there! I agree with the point of view that we must rely on the people to better the world. So many wonderful things have happened in the world because of the kindness and compassion of an individual that then spread to groups of people.
From what I read, I think that Dr. Goodall was being realistic. She isn't ignoring the problems that exist, she is simply saying that if we focus on fixing these problems as a community of people, then the world can reach peace and happiness more easily. She recognizes our problems, she is simply fiding a solution for them. BUT...I wasn't there so this is simply the impression that I am getting from the paper. :)
Caroline, I was at this talk too, and you've reviewed it beautifully! Thank you! I was touched by Dr. Goodall's passion and gentleness, but also her obvious toughness and determination. I found it interesting how she focused on her work with young people as a key to bettering the world because they are who will be running our world in the future. I think her optimistic outlook and emphasis on looking to the future may make her an idealist, but that does not necessarily mean she is being unrealistic. Sean, I think you summed it up when you said that it's better to reach for something higher, to have a dream and fail to fully achieve it, than to not even try. This is a mindset that I think more people - and states - should adopt. We get so caught up in the terrible things that happen that we forget about the good. We concentrate so much on the prevention of the bad that there is less time and money left for projects for environmental protection, human rights, and other positive changes. If we make these things a priority, they will be possible to carry out.
ReplyDeleteAgain, great job writing this review! I think you highlighted all of the salient points of Jane Goodall's talk, and really captured the tone with which she delivered it.
Alana: Glad you enjoyed her talk as well! I agree when you say that less emphasis is put on moving forward in a positive manner rather than scrambling backwards to fix what's gone wrong. I was also very interested in how she highlighted working with youth, which fits nicely with her "keep working toward a better tomorrow" philosophy.
ReplyDeletehlewis:Your impression is exactly right! Dr. Goodall did not deny there are problems in the world. In fact, she highlighted the urgency that underlies the need to solve them. But her emphasis in terms of finding a solution was working together as passionate individuals.
For anyone who is interested and missed the talk, there's a great article on the National Geographic website about it that includes some great quotes: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2011/09/21/jane-goodall-celebrates-international-day-of-peace/
ReplyDelete