Glenn’s Pick – Glenn Webb, Director of Programs – Believe it or not, we had already booked the return engagement of BECOMING NOBODY for January 15-18 before the passing of Ram Dass. And back in August of last year we had booked the Toni Morrison documentary before she passed away, as well. This has led some folks to suggest that we book the Steve Bannon documentary, not because they wanted to watch it, but for the apparent curse, and just in case the law-of-threes was in effect.
All kidding aside, regarding Ram Dass, there aren’t many well-regarded people from recent history who have had such a clearly positive effect on the general discourse around being human. I’d say he’s in a class with the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Theresa, Ghandi, and Weird Al Yankovic. I had the good fortune to work a speaking event with Ram Dass some time ago at Chautauqua Auditorium. It was just after a stroke that left him in a wheelchair and with a very halting speech pattern. It was rather interesting how his aphasia made him struggle to find the right words, but also meant that he came at concepts more carefully, and sometimes sideways and slowly, which had the effect of confounding my cynical cognitive filter, which is used to finding the trite or hackneyed phrases and using that to readily dismiss things as trendy Boulder nonsense. But this time Ram Dass really got behind my defenses and won me over. So if you know, you know, but if you don’t, then you simply must do yourself a favor, and step to one side of yourself for a bit to get some useful perspective. I am very happy that this person lived and courageously shared himself, so let’s celebrate that.
All kidding aside, regarding Ram Dass, there aren’t many well-regarded people from recent history who have had such a clearly positive effect on the general discourse around being human. I’d say he’s in a class with the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, Mother Theresa, Ghandi, and Weird Al Yankovic. I had the good fortune to work a speaking event with Ram Dass some time ago at Chautauqua Auditorium. It was just after a stroke that left him in a wheelchair and with a very halting speech pattern. It was rather interesting how his aphasia made him struggle to find the right words, but also meant that he came at concepts more carefully, and sometimes sideways and slowly, which had the effect of confounding my cynical cognitive filter, which is used to finding the trite or hackneyed phrases and using that to readily dismiss things as trendy Boulder nonsense. But this time Ram Dass really got behind my defenses and won me over. So if you know, you know, but if you don’t, then you simply must do yourself a favor, and step to one side of yourself for a bit to get some useful perspective. I am very happy that this person lived and courageously shared himself, so let’s celebrate that.