I want to thank everyone who took the time to comment on my post from last week on how they see the growing opportunity for
Sustainable Health - It's Possible, Let's Get to Work
John Gies, @jrgies pointed to the idea of fostering dialogue.
The dialogue that surrounds health care reform, health and much more has been confusing and reflects a form of discourse that surrounds the Arizona Shootings. If you look at the cover of the NY Times Community Blog, you can see all the elements of conversation and thoughts that come to people's minds when a difficult event or societal issue of scale requires change and is unresolved in the public view.
Joel Yanowitz, @jyanowitz, has pointed out a very good place of examination that is deserving of inquiry in my opinion. I can get behind Joel's statement,
Thanks for giving voice to some important underlying issues. I am saddened by the fact that we are no longer considered citizens as much as we are seen as consumers - measured by what we buy rather than how we participate and contribute. And I am troubled by the growing gap between rich and poor, and the fact that society does not see this as a problem.
Joel, I know you have a lot of valuable input to give this inquiry. I especially would love you to weave your experience with the Uganda community that you have been working with into this dialogue.
I think globally from a precautionary point of view, we have lost sight of the complexity that now stands behind poverty. Poverty for philanthropists, government and business continues to be defined by the view of the "haves and have nots," or the "third world developing countries," versus "the western developed hemisphere."
Dave Wann's activity defining the "new normal," provides definitive insight into changes that occurring around the world that will directly influence how people work and live for health. Dave has been giving this thought for over a decade now with all his writing and television production. He is drawing attention around the world from his home and garden in Harmony Village, Golden Co.
Bernie Kelly offered the distinctions for community versus sustainable health. There is even more complexity with respect to this in Australia where Bernie works and resides where this statement does not recognize the contrast of developed Australia and the Australia where Australian Aboriginies.
I could go on...there are many layers of health that are not defined in the way anyone speaks, so that leaves me thinking how can we finance health, if we don't know understand health and recognize all the cultural aspects of health beyond health care. I addressed this last year in my editorial on Ethical Markets.com.
I want to dig more into the idea of poverty and give that some thought to identifying the hidden assumptions that have grown behind this word. I can describe elements of poverty related to numerous issues right now that tie to employment, downsizing, safety and occupational health, chemical practices. I could go on. I have been journalling about my own growing view as to why the United States health care culture has become a culture of poverty based on deprivation.
Jeff Doemland, @Jdoemland, I honestly believe financing is not the issue. Finance is an exercise of institutions and government. If you read the my editorial on Ethical Markets.com, I think you will see that our economic landscape does not embed within it a thorough understanding of what health is and how it is sustained. I sent you just before Christmas resources from my book that analyze issues of health from a personal and international perspective.
I plan to connect with a few people here and others advising me about will be the best way to build a hub of dialogue that is strategic and generative. I welcome all here to collaborate with me. I am beginning this conversation tonight with someone that did not comment here and then chatting with John Gies tomorrow. I hope to be in touch with Joel Yanowitz very soon.
Rosalinda Sanquiche, @ethicalmarkets has been advising this project six years into its inception and has contributed a lot of good thought and exchange, which led to the publication of my oped last year as a mentor for Ethical Markets Sustainable Research Group for EthicalMarkets.com.
What is really clear now for me is involving people 20, 30 and 40 something from around the world with siginificant cultural diversity is more critical than ever. The advisory group that surrounds me as a respect journalist contributing to CSRWire.com and a member of the #csr community has been my way of learning to work with that voice. I am now designing a strategy of action that will expand on this.
Follow @wecarehealth to watch the journey or more important to participate. The future and the answers are with the new workforce or global citizen. Watch for my next blog post soon.
Best,
