|
|
The more I explored and researched, the more aware I became of what I’ve come to term The New Gullivers. Why “New” you might ask? Well, the original Gulliver, though adventurous and intelligent, was naïve and vulnerable. His travels and experiences burdened him; he didn’t know how to ride the tide and bob with the waves. In the Age of Globalization, upon us now in its many variants of opportunity and challenge, such naivety cannot serve us. Our “Travels” – our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional growth – must be aware; conscious. We must travel – grow – not only through the latitudes and longitudes of “landscapes,” but also through the inviting terrain of “mindscapes and soulscapes.”
New Gullivers are changing – rather “lifting” – the world by first changing themselves. They can be found in every culture, every faith, and every age, income bracket and shoe-size. They’re students and educators. They’re Baby-Boomers, retirees, and Gen X & Y’ers. They’re travelers and explorers. They’re religious/spiritual seekers. They’re merchants and corporate captains. They’re civic leaders and families.
They share a belief, a vision really; that despite all of the immense challenges in the world we’re just a few steps – and ideas and leaders – away from creating “The Best of Times.” Things are not always what they seem, and huge sweeping changes can come quickly. Think about how fast the Berlin Wall came down, followed by Eastern Europe like a row of dominos. Or consider that one man’s vision, that of Oscar Arias, transformed poor backwater Costa Rica into a thriving, educated, healthy country in less than one generation, and is now a role model for economically-sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship.
Or how about Nobel Prize winner Mohammed Yunus, of Bangladesh, who started a micro-credit banking system for Third World loans – and now has floated over 6 million loans with a repayment rate exceeding 90%? There are many examples of “Everyman” – the common, average everyday citizen – leaving his or her mark on the world.
But even all of that, frankly, is beside the point. Most of us would settle for a little more room to roam, perhaps more income, maybe some more friends and hobbies. Or second homes (some, even first homes). Or new progressive service organizations to contribute our time to. Or perhaps, just viscerally, we want to feel more secure and less fearful – and less manipulated or vulnerable – in the chaotic, dynamic world of Globalization. We want a broader context for “meaning,” no matter how we may define it, or what faith we may practice.
The Gulliver Project is committed to exposing people to these possibilities, and the access pathway towards achieving them. We try to navigate away from providing answers or espousing anything that could be considered dogma – besides, questioning answers is way more interesting than answering questions, and there’s certainly more than enough dogma to go around!
We are, however, about connecting people to ideas and resources. People learn or experience things in many different modes; hence, our programs, products, and services are geared towards all modalities – the reader, the listener, the traveler, the workshop attendee, etc. We also believe that a joke or a story is more engaging than a sermon, and a game or a group activity yields more impact than a lecture.
