You are browsing archives for

Category: Peace

Empowering women & the role of men

Empowering women has been said to be the “silver bullet” to ending poverty.

Studies have shown that an increase in the income of women directly correlates with increases in the education and nutrition of children. These children will lead longer and more fulfilling lives, and an upward spiral will begin as they can provide better education and nutrition to their children.

Increases in the income of men have no correlation with children’s education and nutrition, but instead correlate with increases in spending on drugs and alcohol. This is a very sad picture to paint… and I wonder why this is the case?

I suppose the unchangeable fact that men can’t physically give birth could have something to do with it however I do not think this means that fathers are innately less caring about their children than mothers. A child is half the father and half the mother so it makes sense that both have a innate biologically desire for their genes to live on. This is what all life forms, from plants to insects to animals to birds want to do: survive. This is the essence of evolution. This is the essence of life.

It makes me consider what kind of societal conditioning may induce the destructive gender issues around our world today.

I once asked a male friend of mine why men get into fights. He told me it comes down to sexual frustration. That silenced me. What can solve this? Only women. And the more empowered women are the more expectations they have of the man they want to be with… I just hope this does not lead to more sexual frustration and more problems than there were to begin with.

Urgh! It’s so hard. Everything has a ripple effect. The best of intentions can lead to the most disastrous consequences.

Does this mean we should not bother empowering women?

Of course not. Empowering women to earn an income, to make their own choices and have an opinion that counts is extremely important. So too is empowering women to be involved in the top-end leadership of our world. But that’s not everything.

Men must be empowered too, but maybe in a different way to the way our society does today. Pressures on men to compete, to “provide for their families”, pressures to prove their masculinity, and to win the woman that will pass on their genes – these factors are evident in the animal world too. But humanity has developed the unique cabability of FORESIGHT. We can analyse our societal pressures and values, and adjust them in whatever way will allow our society to evolve into a better one.

I don’t really know what point I’m trying to make. I have never felt my femininity hold be back from anything… so all of this is a bit foreign to me. I guess as I learn about gender issues for the first time these issues are playing on my mind. You are reading the babble as my mind tries to make sense of it all.
There is one thing I know beyond doubt and that is that both the male and the female genders have intrinsic, inseparable and invaluable roles to play in life. I suppose it’s just now time to contemplate these roles and how we can structure society in a way that fosters both genders to maximize their potential and provide the most benefit for life on earth as a whole.

Unfortunately I’m sure that is much easier said than done…

Featured Posts, Peace Gender, peace, poverty, Structural Violence, women

PEACE: HOW DO WE FIND IT?

24 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

3 Comments

As I go through my studies, learning about the world and the peace and conflict that exists on different levels, and even as travel through my own life’s little challenges, I find I coming back to one question: HOW CAN I FIND PEACE?

Is peace something that CAN be “found”? Does it already exist, sitting there waiting to be uncovered? Or is it, like happiness, A CHOICE we must make? Is it a choice I can make myself, or do we ALL have to make it in order for me to experience it not only inside myself, but in the reality that I live inside?

In less than two months I will apparently be a “MASTER” of this Peace and Conflict stuff – so what next? How am I going to apply the things I’ve learned to help our conflict-ridden world?

One thing I have learned in my studies is that the conflict that occurs between nations is not so dissimilar to the conflict that occurs between individuals. Even the conflicts that occur within an individual: between different sides of our brains, or between our minds and bodies – conflict in itself surrounds us in every aspect of our existence. But is conflict a bad thing? NO – NOT AT ALL. It is actually a matter of conflict resolution that determines this normative aspect. A NON-VIOLENT resolution to conflict is all that really matters – that is, PREVENTING the VIOLENT CONSEQUENCES of conflict, not preventing the conflict itself.

BUT HOW?

My research and contemplation presently points towards a kind-of shift in perspective. A shift from seeing ourselves as beings isolated in our particular point in time – to seeing ourselves as part of a much bigger picture of the history of our universe. I feel like this is the first step to peace because it provides us a deeper level of understanding of ourselves and the purpose for our existence.

When you contemplate your location in the universe: a tiny little spec amongst an infinite space and infinite time, it is both humbling and empowering. We may be small, but we do exist, and we actually have an understanding of this existence. Even if it is a limited understanding, the technology that has allowed us to travel and research in outer space, and deep inside quantum atoms – we have a better understanding than any other species in any other recorded evidence of history.

No matter what your religion, culture, political ideology, job, or values – I think this perspective adds something to your life.

And from this perspective comes a recognition of two things:

1. Your connectedness with ALL OF HUMANITY – no matter how separated by geographical location our ancestors were in the past, and no matter how different the world-views they developed – we all exist today on the same planet and in the same snapshot in time. In the globalised state of our time, our coexistence is even more interdependent than ever before. We have the power to love or hate each other, to appreciate or despise our differences, and to create a world of harmony or blow each other up. I think a macro perspective entices us to comprehend each other’s worldviews in the context of their histories, see where the common roots exist, and how we can learn from each other’s journeys and cherish the evolution of such differences. It allows us to plan our future: what we want to do with our unique consciousness and awareness.

2. Your connectedness with OUR PLANET and OUR UNIVERSE / GOD – no matter what your religion, no matter how you define “God”, and the human characteristics you give “Him”, it is impossible to ignore the intrinsic connection between our existence and all life on earth and all the energies outside our earth from the atmosphere that protects us to our earth’s relationship with our sun, galaxy and universe.

What I think this makes us realise is that:

1. The happier and more peaceful we can help other humans to be, the happier and more peaceful world we will live in, and the happier and more peaceful our own lives will be. Finding a way to avoid a “Clash of Civilisations” is essential to the continuance of our species and for our children to live in a world of peace.

2. The only way to continue existence is to change our lifestyle to one that does not destroy our earth. In the last 100 years we have exploited our planet in horrific ways and created lifestyles that cannot be sustained if we want our children to continue to live on this planet. At the moment the more developed nations continue to live frivolous lifestyles and as China and India follow our example (as they have the right to do) we must realise that if we continue in this way we really are doomed. If we are going to find solutions, it starts with YOU AND ME – finding lifestyles that can be sustained in the future, investing in sustainable sources of energy, and investing all we can to think ahead, solve problems, and stop our destructive ways.

Solar energy may provide us with less energy than what we are used to but is it not possible to work a few less hours, value time instead of money and material consumption. Would it really be so bad to eat a little less and be a little skinnier? Would it be so bad to play guitar and sing songs by candlelight rather than watching so much TV???

THERE ARE SOLUTIONS – WE JUST HAVE TO THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE!

How do we truly grasp this MACRO and MICRO perspective of our existence? I think “BIG HISTORY” is one way – that is, mapping out history in a grand narrative of everything we know put on one time line. Combined with mapping the different perspectives, identifying the gaps, and being aware of the assumptions and limitations of this narrative. It’s kind of a combination of a Post-modernist perspective with the Modernist perspective it rejected. I think both are important. And I think this combination makes history exciting as it encourages us to engage with it – not take anything as a given, but constantly question everything.

Once again I’ve written far too long of a blog entry so probably no one will read it. Apparently we live in a headline society – if you can’t fit it into one line then noone will hear you. Anyway, I need to do this waffle to make it make sense in my own head so I don’t really care. I am thinking about doing a PhD on something to do with this stuff next year. But I also have ideas about “Pan-en-theism” ie “Everything-in-God” and Process Theology / Process Philosophy – which looks at the MEANING of this evolution process in a more spiritual way. But trying to decide whether the spiritual side should actually be my focus, or if I should dedicate my time just to the Big History side of things, working on an argument for why it should be taught in schools, and looking at ways this perspective can filter through into mainstream consciousness. If you read this I would really love your opinion on it and on what I should do…

Let me sum up what has become quite an essay:

PEACE is a CHOICE. And when you see your place in the big picture of the universe you see that peace is a state of being that starts inside EACH ONE OF US, and will filter out from there to create a WORLD AT PEACE.

Peace Conflict, peace

Shopping malls & traffic jams

17 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

What is Beauty?

13 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

5 Comments

“Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”

In Japan, people would look at me and gasp “Kirre!” “SagoiI!” “Chiisai!” (translation: “Beautiful! Wow! Small!”) as they motioned a small circle with their hands and touched the skin on their face. This was followed by broken English “Small head.” “Beeeeaaauuutiful.” The Japanese love small heads and are obsessed with pale skin – the mirror opposite of Hollywood’s chocolate lollypops with big heads and tanned bodies. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.

What makes a person ‘beautiful’?

Is it their body shape: Thin? Curvy? Toned? Tall?

Their facial structure: Symmetrical? Angular jaw? High cheekbones?

Their eyes? Their smile? Their skin color and complexion?

Hair-style? Fashion sense? Grooming?

Or is it their personality? Their confidence? Sex appeal?

When you think about it, it’s really a combination of all of the above, and much more. And it changes – all the time!

I find it interesting to think about how our ideals of beauty and where they came from. Greeks and Romans praised and sculptured tall, muscular, long-legged men with a full head of thick hair, and a high wide forehead (a sign of intelligence), wide-set eyes, a strong brow, a perfect shaped nose, good profile, a smaller mouth, and a strong jaw line. The definition of a beautiful man doesn’t seem to have changed much.

Feminine beauty on the other hand seems to constantly change. From premodern times where large was beautiful (a sign of wealth), to the sylph-like early Victorian woman and later the Victorian hourglass, to the table tennis 20^th century bouncing from voluptuous Marilyn Monroes to ‘boyish’ Twiggys, Glamazons to Kate Mosses, to the Hollywood over-toned bodies to alien-eyed stick-figure fashion models, and now it seems to depend on the mood of magazine editors when they decide the week’s headlines.

“It’s not what’s on the outside, but what’s the inside that counts.”

I do believe this. However I also think there is an intrinsic connection between what is seen on the outside and what is on the inside. I’m not saying just cause someone is beautiful on the outside means they are beautiful on the inside, however I do think that the connection between our outer appearance and our inner self is inseparable and important. We are happy when we look good and when we look good we feel happy – and a happy person is a desirable lover and a desirable friend.

When we are happy, a light shines from our eyes, our skin glows, we smile naturally, we stand taller, walk with confidence and radiate a positive energy. When we’re not happy, our eyes look downward, our face tenses up, and we slouch, and our mind is distracted and anywhere but the present. It is amazing how much your posture and facial expression reflect your state of happiness, and it’s even more amazing what a difference posture and facial expression make to your appearance. Next time you look at models in a photo or on the catwalk, look at the posture and the eyes. These two things models learn to control, and it is these that are the key to a good walk and a good photo.

Apparently there is a new form of discrimination called “lookism” – the better looking you are, the easier it is to get a job, get a raise, etc. It’s probably true – we are judged on our looks right from job interviews or sometimes even job applications (in Japan you send your photo with your resume). I read somewhere that more attractive criminals even get let off with lighter sentences than less attractive ones – it wouldn’t surprise me – no one, not even a judge, can resist a pretty face.

I truly believe everyone is beautiful, and actually I think anyone could be a model if they wanted to. Heck, if I could do it, anyone can… You may not think you are beautiful, but let me tell you something – you are. That’s my little bit of encouragement for those that have the self esteem I once had. I realize now that it’s up to each of us to find our inner and outer beauty – then to bring it out and let it shine.

I think the key to beauty is to feel good. If you don’t feel good, then figure out what will make you feel good, and do it. Take time to figure out who you are and who you want to be. Look at your appearance – does it reflect who you are? Is the person in the mirror who you want to be? If not, then it’s time to change. The major deterrent to becoming beautiful is the poor self-images we have of ourselves.

Grooming, lifestyle, food habits, sleeping habits, fashion, hair, and makeup – are all an indirect reflection of how someone feels inside. People that love themselves love their bodies and look after them: from eating right to exercising, to the little details of hair, nails and skin care. Sure, some things we are born with and can’t change, like our height and cheekbones – although even these things we can improve on with posture improvement and some facial exercises (a model once assured me chewing gum builds up facial muscles in the right places!)

Ok, that’s enough of my rant on beauty. I have so many pieces of writing laying about on my computer that I’m trying to pick one and edit it and post it… this website is a good way to reflect, and get my files organized. And if it is interesting to other people to read, then it’s a bonus. J

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAnRQncZ_uk[/youtube]

Photo: self-portrait

Peace fashion, Health, Potentialism

Is Lindt chocolate slave chocolate?

11 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

21 Comments

This blog on the ethics of Lindt chocolate is a live entry on a live issue, due to the many hits and comments it has attracted. As far as I’m aware there is no short answer to the question “is Lindt chocolate slave chocolate?” While of course Lindt don’t condone child slavery or human trafficking, and they do have some measures in place that decrease the chances of slavery, myself and others hoping for a guarantee have been left hanging.

My dilemma is that I am addicted to chocolate, and I especially love Lindt chocolates, but I am also committed to the principles of universal human rights, ending slavery and trafficking in all its forms, and working toward a more peaceful and just global society. Of course, chocolate is not the only industry involving slave labour, and stopping slave labour is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to addressing the vast injustice built into the world system. Still you have to start somewhere, right?

This blog started out with an email to Lindt in 2008, which never received a reply. It was prompted by a documentary I watched on slave labour in cocoa farms, and learning of estimates that over 100,000 children are working on cocoa farms with more than 10,000 trafficked in the Ivory Coast alone (which produces some 70% of the world’s cocoa). I boycotted my favourite chocolate for a full year.

When I emailed again in 2009, I received the following reply:

Dear Ms. Bennett

Thank you very much for your request concerning cocoa sourcing. It has been forwarded to us at the Lindt & Sprüngli Headquarters in Switzerland because the very important topic of sustainable cocoa sourcing is committing the whole Lindt & Sprüngli group and not only our 100% subsidiary in Australia.

In a general way, as far as our sourcing of raw materials for all our group companies is concerned, we kindly ask you to notice the following points:

Lindt & Sprüngli is one of the few chocolate makers that have complete control over every step of the production chain starting with the precise selection of the finest cocoa varieties from the best growing areas in the world right on through the careful and expert processing until ending with the elegant packaging. To safeguard the uniform and consistently high quality of all our chocolate products, all ingredients are thoroughly tested in our own laboratories before and after purchase, so that we can be sure that their quality constantly meets the highest standards.

While cocoa is currently traded at the commodity stock exchanges, superior grade cocoa beans (so called flavor beans or fine grade cocoa), as we utilize to a great extent for the manufacturing of our premium products, are purchased through traders at a substantial premium price over ordinary bulk cocoa. These finest grade cocoa beans (also called “Criollo” cocoa) can only be grown in specific geographical areas (Central and South America, Caribbean Area). While the fine grade cocoa production is a very small part of the world’s supply, it is exactly those (together with the Trinitario cocoa which is also considered as fine grade cocoa) for which Lindt & Sprüngli’s demand is very high. The remaining part of cocoa beans used by our company mainly for fillings, so called “Forastero” cocoa, are not sourced from Ivory Coast where most of the allegations about child labour originate, but from Ghana, where one of the top quality Forastero beans come from and where a premium price is paid for.

Lindt & Sprüngli is extremely concerned about possible practices of child labour and can assure you that we condemn any abusive practices. This is one of the reasons why we do not source cocoa beans from Ivory Coast. Prudent and conscientious relations with the environment and with the communities in which we live and work are important to us and enshrined in our Company Credo. In the procurement of our raw materials, great importance is therefore attached to compliance with the rules of sustainable conduct. This includes respect for social and societal aspects, such as working conditions and incomes of farmers in the growing countries, support and promotion of environmentally friendly production conditions, and payment of fair prices for raw materials which satisfy our stringent quality criteria.

In our opinion and to our regret, the existing fair trade organizations cannot continually supply us with the essential quality or quantities required. That is the reason why we refrain from the purchasing of cocoas from such organizations and look for other means of advocating responsible and sustainable dealings with our most important raw material, cocoa. As a matter of fact, there are many ways to strive for sustainable and responsible cocoa sourcing practices. This can also include individual projects and purchasing methods.

May we in particular bring the following to your attention:

The control of the overall production process from the selection of the best cocoa beans to the ready-packed product is one of the important aspects for the guarantee of the reliable premium quality of LINDT products. Another very valuable aspect is the traceability of the processed cocoa beans. For this purpose Lindt & Sprüngli subscribed to a new sourcing model in Ghana. This new procurement system contains binding guidelines between local cocoa suppliers and Lindt & Sprüngli. Within the framework of this project, Lindt & Sprüngli not only guarantees stable prices for the farmers involved, but also best quality and traceability of cocoa beans sourced in Ghana. Furthermore, Lindt & Sprüngli pays an extra-fee for those beans, which is partly allocated in favour of a foundation in charge of target-oriented social projects, the development of regional infrastructure and the continuous improvement of cocoa quality (www.sourcetrust.org). The projects supported by this foundation will be controlled by an independent, international audit committee. Lindt & Sprüngli is convinced that this purchasing strategy is a crucial prerequisite to better control the buying process of cocoa beans while at the same time countervailing local grievances in producing regions such as child labour. With this self-contained purchasing concept, which will be fully effective from 2009 onwards, Lindt & Sprüngli makes a solid contribution to the promotion of social compatible and to fair economic conditions for the cocoa farmers in Ghana. Based on the first positive results from the Ghana project, Lindt & Sprüngli is considering to extend this purchasing concept to fine-flavour cocoa beans in Latin America.

Moreover, through membership and active participation in local branch associations or international non-profit organizations such as the WORLD COCOA FOUNDATION www.worldcocoafoundation.org we support the underlying idea of sustainable cocoa growing and provide financial contributions to that end. WCF is a partnership between the cocoa-processing industry and government agencies, international associations, trade organizations, and non-Governmental Organizations. The aim of this cooperation is to safeguard stable and secure cocoa supplies. This is done by taking measures to increase revenues and re-duce harvest losses, while also securing income conditions that enable cocoa farmers in Africa, Latin America, and Asia to lead a viable and worthwhile life.

But Lindt & Sprüngli’s commitment in the areas of cocoa production and sustainability is also strengthened by our direct support of other specific projects that bring direct benefits to the countries of origin. With that aim in mind, we support, for example, the Sustainable Tree Crop Program (STCP) in West Africa as well as research projects to secure and develop cocoa cultivation and processing with a view toward the supply of high-quality raw materials.

With a share of around 70% of world cocoa production, West Africa is the key region in this regard. Yields on the cultivation and sale of cocoa are the key to the survival of a high proportion of the local farming population. The STCP was started as a pilot project primarily to improve the cocoa economy, which is based on small farming structures in the West African countries of the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon. The aim of STCP is to improve the economic and social welfare of small farmers and their communities, accompanied by safeguards for ecological sustainability in agriculture. The main points of action are: promotion of production and distribution of high-quality cocoa, improvement of market access and of the incomes of the small producers, development of environmentally-friendly, socially responsible and economically sustainable systems of cocoa cultivation. The projects concentrate mainly on integrated cultivation and harvest management, control of insect damages, cocoa quality improvement, the development of organizational skills and tools and the awareness of social aspects, such as child labor and diseases like AIDS. This information is passed on to the cocoa farmers primarily at the “Farmer Field Schools”, a participative training and educational scheme.

Support for scientific projects in the area of external applied botanical research is another element in the promotion of a sustainable cocoa economy: Today, the collection of genotypes of the Trinitario plant population, which became known as the “Imperial College Selections”, is among the world’s most important reference collections of genetic cocoa resources. A systematic evaluation of quality features and sensory properties is now being conducted as part of a project of the “Cocoa Research Unit” at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad with a view to future cultivation projects. Lindt & Sprüngli supports this project. The group also participates in further projects concerning applied cocoa research in South America.

It is our hope that the foregoing answers your questions and emphasizes our commitment to help establish sustainable, long-term solutions for cocoa farmers.

Yours sincerely

This email satisfied my ethical concerns at the time, and I returned to buying my average of two Lindt chocolate blocks a week guilt free…

In the years that followed this blog received many-a comments, as you can see below. Fellow concerned consumers and citizens make the important point that the above may just be PR spin. It took me a while but now, as 2015 comes to a close, I am revisiting the issue again.

In a series of comments and discussion on the Lindt Facebook page, the question “how does Lindt ensure no slave labour is on their farms?” is left unanswered: https://www.facebook.com/lindtchocolateworld/posts/174232092638370

After receiving the same spiel as I did above, one of the commenters in this forum said to “Lindt Chocolate World”: ‘You say “our local partner can intervene if there is suspicion of abusive child labour in one of the farming communities” – but “can” is not “will” – there is a big difference; does the mightly Lindt put pressure on the local business people to ENSURE this intervention?’

This was asked in July 2011. The discussion continues to this day, but ‘Lindt Chocolate World” have not answered the question.

The Food Empowerment Project, have Lindt on their ethical chocolate list under “Cannot recommend but at least responded”: http://www.foodispower.org/chocolate-list/ which isn’t good news for my Lindt habit…

So I have decided to email Lindt again, as a follow up to the above, to find out what measures they are taking to ensure that when chocolate-lovers buy their product they are not supporting any kind of human slavery. My email:

23 December 2015

Dear Lindt,

I have been a Lindt chocolate addict for many years, consuming a consistent average of two or three blocks a week. I am also committed to universal human rights, the cessation of slavery in all its forms, and working to build a more socially just world.

I emailed you back in 2008 and 2009 to learn about your ethical policy, and make sure by puchasing Lindt I was no supporting any form of slave labour. You will see from my blog entry: https://julietbennett.com/2009/09/11/chocolate1/#.Vnn_jqI7TwN that I have been sharing the positive information that you provided on your ethical policy, and that a number of people have commented with their concerns that this is PR spin.

I am hoping that now, some six years on, you can provide additional information to concerned Lindt-lovers like myself, on how you monitor, prevent and address slave labour from being used on your Lindt-owned cocoa farms in Ghana? There is a comment on your Facebook pate that has attracted much attention, which leaves this question unanswered: https://www.facebook.com/lindtchocolateworld/posts/174232092638370

The question, as one of the other concerned chocolate-lover citizens asks is: “Ultimately: can you categorically guarantee that the money we spend on your chocolate doesn’t profit people who are using child slavery?” Do you, as this questioner points out, delegate responsibility for preventing slavery to local NGOs, or do you have standards in place to monitor this yourself?

As you can see there are many people who will be happy to buy your products if you can provide a direct answer to this question, and put such mechanisms to guarantee child slavery (and human slavery in general) is not supported when we purchase your products.

I look forward to your reply.

Best regards,

Juliet

I will post their reply as soon as I get it. Hopefully they do reply. Stay tuned…

Peace Chocolate, poverty, slavery

An Ethical Dilemma: Childhood Conversion in Christian Fundamentalism

3 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

Abstract

The rise of religious fundamentalisms and the implications of the dividing polarity are a topic of increasing attention in scholarly literature. The induction of new generations into opposing world-views is a structural violence deeply embedded in widespread education and parenting systems. The implications of this phenomenon and in particular that the childhood conversion into fundamentalists’ paradigms, range from psychological abuse to global threats driven by religious-identity ideologies. This paper approaches the topic as a dilemma: the pure intentions and passionate beliefs of fundamentalists, with violent consequences on individuals, society, and the world.

Extensive religious and secular scholarship and Australian case studies provide a basis for analysis and evaluation of this ethical dilemma. Perspectives of children, parents, fundamentalist leaders, and society, are examined and theoretical and practical solutions explored. A breach of the Convention of the Rights of the Child is identified and ways of increasing education on religion and decreasing incidences of indoctrination are discussed. In order for a child to truly exercise their right to freedom of religion, it is the education of fundamentalist parents and leaders that is crucial. The paper concludes with an introduction to recent United Nations initiatives that look towards such solutions. Spreading awareness of the ethical dilemma is the first step to addressing this structural violence and its significant consequences.

Keywords: fundamentalism; evangelism; fundamentalist Christianity; childhood conversion; religious education; indoctrination; transmission of faith; spiritual abuse; independent Christian schools; interfaith dialogue; Convention of Rights of the Child; UNESCO; peace education; Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilisations; Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy.Emerging Communication Technologies for E-Health and Medicine
ズーム実体顕微鏡　三眼　CP-745T-U （3-6303-02）
5個セット土鍋間取赤絵9号鍋（萬古焼） [ 32.6 x φ28.5 x 16.5cm 身10cm ] 料亭旅館和食器飲食店業務用
 CHANEL　シャネル　スポーツライン　ショルダーバッグ　ホワイト×ブラック　ナイロン　筒型　【トレジャースポット】【中古】
システムキッチンサンウエーブシエラ壁付I型トレーボードプランウォールユニットなし食器洗い乾燥機なし間口270cm×奥行65cm グループ2
www.jobsfindernow.com
カクダイシングルレバー混合栓(シャワ付) 117-120K【カクダイ KAKUDAI 117-120K 水道用品混合栓デザイン水栓】
【羽毛布団の打ち直しリフォーム(打ち直し)[お手軽コース](ダブル掛→シングル掛2枚/ツインキルト仕立)[ミュート]ピンク綿100%】
ユニットデスク(メルシーC MBR) ニトリ【送料無料?配送員設置】【5年保証】
家事用品日本製スーパー砥石(ニューセラミックス) 専用研ぎ桶付き3点セット(S220/S1000/S3000) IN-9000

Peace

A short biography

2 Sep ’09Written by Juliet Bennett

10 Comments

Who we are depends greatly on our biography. This is a short summary of the time I have spent on this planet – providing some background to where my philosophies and theories are coming from.

1982-1984

I spent my first two years in Jakarta, Indonesia and traveling the world. The adventurous nature of my Dutch mum and Aussie dad seeded in me a passion for travel and I think the lovely Indonesian ladies who looked after me as a baby probably seeded in me a love for people and cultures.

1984- 1999

Returning to Sydney my sister was born and I spent the next 15 years in the Northern Beaches attending a small Christian school in the same suburb, working as a kitchen hand in a local retirement village, and enjoyed a somewhat middle class Australian childhood.

1999- 2002

At 17 (the youngest in my grade) I followed my Dad’s advice and went straight to the closest university to my house and for the next three years I completed by Bachelor of Business (Distinction!) but again, with majors in Marketing and IT, I really didn’t feel I learned that much.

2002- 2004

I was 20 when I finished uni and after a couple of years working hard and saving up money to “see the world”.

2004-2005

After a short holiday in Thailand I landed in Japan where I stayed for the year and a half that followed. Here I taught English, “acted” in TV shows, short films & commercials, and did my first on-stage parade – in lingerie!

This was a dream come true. When hairdressers turned my hair yellow, green and purple I shaved it off and was surprised when this opened an opportunity to further my dreams – in Paris!

2006

I modeled in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Majorca, and L.A. And in-between jobs I traveled around London, Barcelona, Hamburg, Munich, to name a few. I met wonderful people and gained a new perspective and appreciation for life.

Feeling homesick for family, mangoes, beaches and everything else that comes with the Australian summer I made a rash decision: I cancelled my plans for Europe, canceled my return trip to Tokyo, and booked a ticket home, turning up on mum’s doorstep on Christmas Eve.

2007

With an apartment in Tokyo and modeling agencies awaiting my return in Europe, I had some decisions to make. My Dad was in my ear with the typical fatherly “time to get a real job” speech and approaching 25 years old I (nearing retirement age for models) I had a quarter-life crisis and thought for a moment he was right. Selling advertising space for fashion magazines sounded like a good job that involved both but at the interviewer it was one little comment the interviewer made that changed my life.

He said, “And you know what the BEST thing about this job is? When you see the digits on your bank statement!!!” He said it with such enthusiasm. My insides curdled and I knew it wasn’t for me. But if not this, then what?

Photography? Fitness instructing? That would be a good life. My Opa (grandfather) at 91 years old had a fall and I offered to move in as I “skilled up” as I called it.

I assisted some fashion photographers, did part-time modeling in Sydney and became a qualified Pilates instructor.

I also got lost on wikipedia and in library books – teaching myself the things I’d either forgotten from my schooling, or never been taught. I was teaching myself a lot about science, history and religion – revisiting my childhood “faith” in the Christian doctrines, trying to reconcile it with my developing understanding and experience with the peoples and cultures of the world.

2008-2009

Realising I was never going to join the corporate world (much to my Dad’s disappointment) I took the time to go back to university and skill up more formally. Then I came across “Peace and Conflict Studies” at Sydney University, applied for a MA which I completed over the two years, making use of uni holidays to travel South America, which I am using to write a book about travel, life, love and contemplating the future.

2010-2011

I love learning so much that I submitted a PhD proposal on Narratology, Panentheism and Peace to start mid-2010. Prior to that I worked on submitting journal articles to get publication “points” and travelled to India to speak at a conference in Mumbai, do a yoga and ayurveda retreat in the hills of Coonoor, check out the Taj Mahal, and hang out in Kathmandu and Pokhara in Nepal.

This sent me on an adventure through Krakow, Poland, to speak at a “What is Life?” conference, and on to North Carolina, United States, to teach Storytelling (in Humanities) and co-teach War and Peace (cross-listed Philosophy and Political Science) at Lenoir Rhyne University in Hickory, for the second half of 2011. Along the way I dedicated a lot of time to editing “My Brazilian… and a kombi named Betty”, for which I am awaiting the right publisher…

2012-2014

On the way home from the United States I spent time visiting friends and hanging out in Vancouver, and teaching Pilates and hanging out at my friend’s bar Encuentros in Granada, Nicaragua.

By the end of this trip I realised my home: Sydney. I moved into a house with the most creative, fun and intelligent people who quickly became some of my best friends and inspirations.

I started part-time work as the Executive Officer of the Sydney Peace Foundation, a small not-for-profit organisation within the University of Sydney who award the annual international Sydney Peace Prize.

I finished my MPhil (a half-size PhD) in March 2014, and finally (on my fifth application) was awarded a scholarship to do a full PhD, beginning mid-2014.

2015 onwards:

Like anything worthwhile it’s a looooong journey, and a lot of work. But that’s what makes it great. As long as I’m enjoying the process I will continue this journey my whole life.

Through this little slice of cyberspace somewhere on the world wide web I offer my story as it unfolds. I share my spiritual, mental and physical adventure in quest of understanding peace, justice and my place in the universe — traveling, researching, thinking and creating.

Academic, Adventure, Beauty, Peace, Random Life Stuff, Truth Modeling