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Out on the streets of Tehran the opposition is protesting, disputing the June 12 election. The brutality being used against them by the riot police is just horrible. I’ve read that this election and the US election of 2000 are both being discussed as “stolen elections” and being compared, as if they were shades of the same kind of thing. Now, that’s very misguided. Come on. If Americans had taken to the streets in 2000, they would not have been shot down. The stolen US election of 2000 was very, very unfortunate! But the stolen Iranian election of 2009 is a crime against civil society. It’s a real pity when people start comparing apples and oranges.
I don’t pretend to be a great thinker. Going to college didn’t go to my head, but the experience did teach me to use it. So I’d like to ask you: Which thinker taught you to think? For me, one of the most important thinkers was Jürgen Habermas, who turned 80 last Thursday. His belief in our communicative competence and his theory of communicative reason influenced the way I think and live. Let me tell you about him in this week’s podcast.
I’d love to read what you have to say about a person who taught you how to think, and why that person is important to you.
Think! Use your head!
If something goes to your head (in den Kopf steigen) you become arrogant.
A heady experience is one that leaves you excited and high (berauschend). College was a heady experience for me.
6 Responses
Hi Anne,
Although the list of great thinkers who have inspired me to think would be as long as my right leg, I would like to propose someone newer on the scene.
Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, The Dip and Triiibes – also writes a blog – is the person currently reshaping my approach to just about everything I do – whether in terms of running my business, writing my blogs or generally communicating with other people.
He is an out-of-the-box thinker and a huge inspiration.
Karenne
Dear Karenne,
Thanks for sharing, and now I’d like to see your long legs 😉 Just kidding you, you’ve got a great thing going. Sharing your valuable knowledge as a marketing tool is clearly a very savvy approach.
Link for those who don’t know Seth Godin: http://sethgodin.typepad.com.
Keep on keeping on!
Anne
http://helburg.posterous.com/thinkers
Is it always a person? If this is true I think it was my mother but I’m not sure…
Hi guys,
Well, yes. No method, no guru, no teacher. Favorite mantra. Or: Life is your teacher.
It’s great luck if you have or find someone who gives you the necessary freedom (and support) to discover things for yourself.
A