{"id":13035,"date":"2011-07-13T08:05:22","date_gmt":"2011-07-13T14:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.sustainablog.org\/?p=13035"},"modified":"2011-07-13T08:05:22","modified_gmt":"2011-07-13T14:05:22","slug":"imitating-erasmus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sustainablog.org\/articles\/imitating-erasmus\/","title":{"rendered":"Imitating Erasmus"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Desiderius Erasmus<\/a> is a hero of mine. \u00a0He was a 16th century monk from Rotterdam who maintained correspondence with most of the educated world of his day. \u00a0He translated the Hebrew Scriptures to the vernacular language. \u00a0On behalf of the Pope, he wrote grand theological works like “The Freedom of the Will,” which was a long-distance debate with Luther (whom he never met in person). \u00a0But Erasmus was at his best when he wrote satire, \u00a0which he did for a cause – the reformation of the Catholic Church. \u00a0In the process he greatly influenced the direction of the Church, as was seen at the council of Trent. \u00a0He so influenced the other core, Reformation thinkers (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli). \u00a0It is often said that “Erasmus laid the egg that Luther hatched.” \u00a0He also\u00a0provided key ideas to the early Anabaptists<\/a>, the pioneers of modern, freedom of religion.”\u00a0\u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

What Got Me Thinking About Erasmus?<\/h3>\n

A couple of weeks ago, Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central fame, had a hearing with the Federal Election Commission. \u00a0He asked for permission to start a PAC (Political Action Committee<\/a>) to raise unlimited funds for advertising for the new, Rally to Restore Sanity – And\/Or Fear, “Party” that he and, “arch nemesis,” Jon Stewart started last summer.<\/p>\n

Why This Matters<\/h3>\n

Because of several recent Supreme Court Decisions, decades of campaign finance reform have been thrown out of the window. \u00a0Labor unions, wealthy individuals, and large corporations are again free to contribute unrestricted funds with limited transparancy. \u00a0Colbert asked to do the same for moderates with a sense of humor. \u00a0 With those funds, Comedy Central will be able to serve as a counter-balance to those other voices.<\/p>\n

How is This Channeling Erasmus?<\/h3>\n

To the extent that Stewart and Colbert employ witty sarcasm in interviews with opinion makers, they are channeling Erasmus at his best. \u00a0I occasionally try to employ some wit, but I’m not even in the same class as these, now potentially well funded, imitators.<\/p>\n

My Personal Erasmus Project<\/h3>\n

My path to blogging began by posting comments on blogs and news articles. \u00a0When I read something with which I agreed, I would send a supportive comment. \u00a0On articles where I disagreed, I would send a constructive suggestion. \u00a0I discovered that >90% of authors would respond personally by the next day.<\/p>\n

One day I was on the Green Options blog site sustainablog, and saw the tab, “Write for Us” at the upper right hand corner. \u00a0I submitted an application, and a while later, Clayton Cornell, of what was then, Green Options, sent me information about how to blog. \u00a0My learning curve was rather slow, but I eventually learned how to blog.<\/p>\n

I’m imitating more of the Erasmus who communicated with thoughtful people of his age, because the people who visit these sites care a lot about issues such as sustainability, climate change, and feeding the world. \u00a0In these past two years I have written 201 posts on 5 sites and one document posting site. \u00a0In terms of “reads” that I can track, >77,000 folks have at least perused the posts (I hope they are mostly folks).\u00a0I typically get 300-350 reads of each post. \u00a0Erasmus wrote seriously slow, snail mail to one individual at a time. \u00a0Imagine what it would have meant if Erasmus had access to a computer and the internet? \u00a0Imagine if he had been able to have a Comedy Central show?<\/p>\n

Erasmus writing image from Inspiring Cities<\/a>. \u00a0My personal website is Applied Mythology<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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