talking about leadership, ethics and choice

Ten Texts

TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP, ETHICS AND CHOICE

sjoerd-jeroen [email protected]

education | storytelling | culture

oRead inspirationaltexts

o Talk about these texts

oWrite about these texts

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?

2

sjoerd-jeroen [email protected] http://moenandar.blogspot.com

o Find one quote per tekst:• A passage you find particularly

inspiring, touching, irritating, striking…

• Why this passage?

o Write a short essay abouteach text (400 words)• What kind of leadership, ethics,

room for choice?• Link to other texts and social

and cultural issues

o Write your own story (whoare you?)• Refer to these texts• Refer to other texts

WHAT TO DO WITH THE TEXTS?

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1. The Epic of Gilgamesh (Tablet I-III)2. The Zhuangzi (Chapter 29)3. Hrafnkels Saga4. William Shakespeare, Julius

Caesar, Act Three, Scene iii5. Raden Ngabehi Yasadipura I, The

Dewa Ruci, Canto III6. Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in

Wonderland, chapter V.; Through the Looking Glass, Chapter III

7. George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 3, Chapter 3-6

8. Albert Camus, “The Guest”9. Malcolm X with Alex Hayley, The

Autobiography of Malcolm X, Chapter 17

10. Pink Floyd, The Wall, lyrics

THE TEXTS

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All texts can be found online, links will be given in the weeklypowerpoint presentations

The Epic of Gilgamesh, Tablet I-III

WEEK 1



http://king-of-heroes.co.uk/the-epic-of-gilgamesh/

o 3000BCEo From nomadism to

agricultureo From agriculture to

villageso From villages to citieso From cities to

civilisationso The Epos of Gilgamesh:

great stress on becoming civilised.

CONTEXT

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o Civilisation• Gilgamesh: king bad boy• Gods create Enkidu to civilise

him• First: Enkidu must be civilised

(by female erotics)

o Friendship• Gilgamesh and Enkidu

become BFFs

o Death• Enkidu dies, leaving

Gilgamesh devestated• Search for eternal life• Acceptance of mortality

THEMES

3


o What does the textteach us about beinga good man?

o What does it say about being a goodking, aboutleadership?

o About friendship andhow it shapes us?

WHEN READING GILGAMESH

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Zhuangzi, Chapter 29

WEEK 2



http://imageupre.tistory.com/category/?page=540

o One of the ‘threeteachings’• Confucianism• Buddhism• Daoism

o The Dao (the Way)o Daoist texts

• Dao De Jing• Zhuangzi• Liezi• Many others

DAOISM

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o Cannot be comprehended• “The Dao is forever

nameless” (Dao De Jing, chapter XXXII)

o The Dao cannot be found in knowledge; it cannot be expressed in language

o Doing nothing is the way• But: this is not the same as

not acting• Going with the flow instead

of swimming upstream (unless swimming upstream is the flow)

THE DAO

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o Not in language• “The Dao begets one;

one begets two; twobegets three; threebegets the myriadcreatures” (Dao De Jing, chapter XLII)

• Language can only beused for the myriadcreatures (i.e. thethings of this world)

WHERE TO FIND THE DAO

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o The Dao can be suggested, it cannot be shown

o The Dao is everything at once and nothing at thesame time (strong andweak; big and small; high and low)

o Even if the Dao is bothpositive and negative it’seasier to find it in thenegative: the weak, thesmall, the low

WHERE TO FIND THE DAO (CONT.)

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o The leader should attempt to be like the Dao

• The Dao is present through its absence

• “The Dao never acts, yet nothing is left undone” (Dao De Jing, chapter XXXVII)

DAOISM AND LEADERSHIP

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o A leader leads by not leading• “Not to honour men of

worth will keep the people from contention” (Dao De Jing, chapter III)

o Always put the happiness of the people first• “He who values his body

more than dominion over the empire can be trusted with the empire” (Dao De Jing, chapter XIII)

DAOISM AND LEADERSHIP (CONT.)

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• Confucionists: honouring men of wortho Knowing the right

behaviour from thewrong

o Active leadership

• Confucius oftenridiculed in Daoist workso The master gets

lecturedo ‘Admits’ the flaws of his

own philosophy

DAOISM AND CONFUSIONISM

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o Book of master Zhuang (Zhuang Zi, ±369 -286BCE)• But not all chapters by

him

o Wrote during the ‘period of the warring states’• Opposed the rigidity of

confucian philosophy (of the ruling class)

• Sympathy for the weak

o No respect for anything

THE ZHUANGZI

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o Confucius speaks with Robber Chih• Chih turns the tables: being a

‘good man’ will only causetrouble

o Tzu-Chang (Confucianist) speakswith Want-It-All (greedy person)• Want-It-All shows: ideas of right

and wrong will only get youkilled and nothing is worth dyingfor

o Never-Enough speaks withSense-of-Harmony• Sense-of-Harmony makes clear:

Status will make you afraid of losing it, riches will make youscared of being robbed

THIS WEEK’S EXCERPT

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Hrafnkels Saga

WEEK 3



http://www.sagadb.org/hrafnkels_saga_freysgoda.en

o Settled by Normen afterthe unification of Norway• Dislike of centralised state• Freemen

o Goði (pl. goðor) • Head of a goðort (region)• Both worldly and religious

authority• Lawmakers and judges

during the parliament(AlÞing) in the summer

MEDIEVAL ICELAND (800-1500)

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o Society of farmers• Vikings

• Self-sustaining

o Egalitarian society

o Free farmers: • Defend and sustain

themselves and family and dependents

SOCIETY

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o Strong ethics• Hospitality and

generosity

• Fierce defence of honour (e.g. blood revenge)

o Importance of family ties, friendships and networks

o Polytheism (but religion not very important)

SOCIETY (CONT.)

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o One of the most magnificent medievalliteratures

• Stories of the Gods

• Stories of famouswarriors from the past

• Viking adventures

• Family stories

• Poetry and prose

ICELANDIC LITERATURE

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o Stories of the settlers

o Oral tradition, written down in 13th century

FAMILY SAGAS

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o Short saga of a chieftain dedicated to the god Freyr• Dedicates half of his

possessions and the horse Freyfaxi to his god

o Kills shepherd boy Einarr• Proposes to settle with

Einarr’s father

• Father refuses, cousin Sámr starts a court case

HRAFNKELS SAGA

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o Hrafnkell looses the case at AlÞing• Sámr is aided by two

brothers• Execution of the verdict:

Sámr and the brothers chase Hrafnkell away

• Sámr takes Hrafnkel’s place, Hrafnkell becomes powerful somewhere else

o After six years: Hrafnkell kills Sámr’s brother• Retakes his former position• Sámr loses everything

HRAFNKELS SAGA (CONT.)

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o What is consideredjustice here?

o Who is right, who is wrong?• Morally

• Pragmatically

o What would you have done?

o What kind of leadershipwhen might is right?

WHEN READING HRAFNKELS SAGA

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William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act Three, Scene II

WEEK 4



http://www.shakespearestudyguide.com/JuliusCaesarText.html

o Ruled by the senate• Aristocrats: senators• Most powerful

institution in the ancient world

o Influence of Roman civilisation• Roads• Latin• Central place of Rome

in Europe

ROMAN REPUBLIC

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o Julius Caesar• Powerful senator• Successful military leader• Popular with the people

(‘bread and games’)

o Growing power of Caesar• Crossing the Rubicon

(49BCE)• Dictator for life (44BCE)• Deification

o Two opinions• Death of a tyrant?• End of a golden age?

DEATH OF CAESAR (44BCE)

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o Context• Chaotic times: battles

for the throne• Elizabeth I: ruled for a

long time, now getting old

• People feared return to chaos

o Issues in the play:• What happens when a

powerful leader dies?• Is it right to kill a tyrant?

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S JULIUS CAESAR (1599)

4


o Julius Caesar• Benevolent leader and

tyrant• Foolish and wise• Powerful and weak

o Brutus• Wise and honourable• Concerned with the

common good

o Mark Anthony• Devoted follower of

Caesar• Cunning

THREE IMPORTANT CHARACTERS

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o How does Brutus try to convince the crowd?

o How does Anthony try to convince the crowd?

o How do their speeches appeal to• Logos

• Pathos

• Ethos

WHEN READING ACT THREE, SCENE III

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Raden Ngabehi Yasadipura I, The Dewa Ruci, Canto III

WEEK 5



http://indonesia-yudha.blogspot.com/2007/11/dewa-ruci-for-soul.html

o From ancient India (between 2500-3000 yearsold)

o Story of a Great War• Kaurevas (evil)• Pandawas (good)

o The Pandawa Five• Yudhistira• Bhima• Arjuna (of the Bhagavad

Gita)• Nakula• Sahadeva

THE MAHABHARATA

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o Embrace presence of God in this life

o Fitrah• Act in line with God’s

will• Act only out of love for

God

o Sheikhs and studentso Attention to the ‘inner

teachings’ of Islam (batin)

SUFISM

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o Originally: animismo Hinduism (from 1st

century onwards)• Local adaptations of the

Mahabharata• Added stories• Wayang kulit

o Islam• Mixed with earlier

religious practices• Sufi missionaries used

wayang kulit stories

RELIGION IN JAVA (INDONESIA)

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVla9xVJo8I

o About Bhima (here: Wêrkudhara )

• One of the Pandawas

• Giant warrior

• Reaches enlightenment (like Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita)

THE DEWA RUCI

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o This version: 18th

Centuryo From The Book of

Cirebon• Collection of mystical

writings (kebatinan)• Javanese syncreticism

(mixing sufism, hinduism and Javanese philosophy)

o Author: RadenYasadipura I (?)

CANTO III

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o Kaurevas want to get rid of Bheema:• Bheema’s guru sends

him on a mission impossible

• Reaches the island of the Dewa Ruci

o Dewa Ruci• The Spirit of Man• Javanese notion of

tripartite man: Man, Spirit, God.

STORY UP UNTIL CANTO III

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o What is ideal behaviour?

o What is said about being a teacher?

o And what about being a student?

WHEN READING THE DEWA RUCI

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Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, chapter V.; Through the

Looking Glass, Chapter III.

WEEK 6



https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/alice/chapter5.html

https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/c/carroll/lewis/looking/chapter3.html

o Age of moralismo Personal morality

• Dignity• Restraint

o Covering up• The body• Strong emotions

o Importance of manners and beingwell-behaved

THE VICTORIAN AGE

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o Clergyman (studying to be a priest)

o Mathematiciano Shy, eccentric bacheloro Love of logic, mathematics

and wordso Wrote two famous books

• Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865)

• Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1871)

LEWIS CARROLL (CHARLES DODGSON, 1832-1898)

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o Rudeness versus manners

o Identity (who am I?)

o Alice remains close to herself

THEMES IN THESE CHAPTERS

4


o Alice: good Victorian girl• Well-mannered• Always polite

o Everybody else: rude• Communication

breakdowns• Contempt• Stupidity• Refusal to understand

and explain

RUDENESS AND MANNERS

5


o If everything’schanged – did I change too?

o If I’ve changed, I amnot I anymore –then who am I?

o If I can’t tell who I am – is there still anI?

IDENTITY: WHO ARE YOU?

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o Alice: remainsconstant• Simply walks out of

fruitless situations

• No lesson learned

o Alice is Alice• Indomitable

• Not intimidated

• Always curious

REMAINING CONSTANT

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George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Part 3, Chapter 3-6

WEEK 7



http://www.mondopolitico.com/library/1984/1984_c21.htm

o Post-war anxiety

o George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair)• Established author

• Past as a colonial civilservant (policeman in Burma)

• Democratic socialist

• Staunchly anti-totalitarian

1949 (YEAR OF PUBLICATION)

2


o Absolute Totalitarianism

o Ruling party: INGSOC

• Led by Big Brother

• Ruled by the Inner Party

• Sustained by theOuter Party

• Ruling over the proles

SOCIETY IN NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR

3


o Total control• Over language

(Newspeak)

• Over thoughts(Thought Police, doublethink, thoughtcrime)

• Over reality (rewritinghistory, decidingwhat’s true andwhat’s not)

SOCIETY IN NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR (CONT.)

4


o Starts keeping a diary (thoughtcrime)

o Starts an affair with Julia (moves outside the control of the party)

WINSTON SMITH

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o Taken to the Ministry of Love• Torture• Betrayal of Julia• Not just submission to

the party, but acceptance of the notion that the party is the truth

o Finally learns to love Big Brother

WINSTON SMITH (CONT.)

6


“Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless. If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.”

Albert Camus, “The Guest”

WEEK 8



https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1HjTXo0ZJvD9Dzvrk_jzDnv1blUMYDmj0RTdu-oKBA_Q&hl=en&authkey=CLbWitUC

o Postwar (WWII)• Absurdism (freedom

of creating ownmeaning in meaninglessuniverse)

o Algerian war forindependence(1954-1962)

1949 (YEAR OF PUBLICATION)

2


o Born in French Algeria, poor background

o Studied philosophy

o Progressive intellectual

o Strongly anti-totalitarian

ALBERT CAMUS (1913-1960)

3


o Presents situation in which there is no right choice• No success• Just different roads to

failure

o Daru• Teacher• French, born in Algeria• Colonial power?

“THE GUEST” (1954)

4


o Balducci

• Policie officer

• Colonial power

o ‘The Arab’

• Stupid?

• Or faced with impossible choice (just like Daru)?

“THE GUEST” (1954) (CONT.)

5


o What is ‘the right thingto do’ here?• Morally

• Pragmatically

o What would you have done?

o What kind of leadershipcan we show in a society based on immoralpremises?

WHEN READING THIS STORY

6


Malcolm X with Alex Hayley, The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Chapter 17

WEEK 9



https://archive.org/stream/EnglishIslamicEbooks/BiographyOfMalcomX_djvu.txt

o From rural USA• Born Malcolm Little• White aggression against

blacks• Son of activists• Racism on daily basis

o Moved to Harlem (New York)

o Imprisoned because of petty crime

o Converted to Nation of Islam

MALCOLM X (1925-1965)

2


o Black nationalist movement

o One of several black pride movements

o “Islam”: not the white man’s religion

o White man is the cause of the black man’s trouble

NATION OF ISLAM (NOI)

3


o Malcolm Little became Malcolm X

o Gave up his old lifestyle

o Started studying relentlessly

o Guided by Elijah Muhammad (NOI leader)

o Became successful preacher

MALCOLM X AND NOI

4


o Based in Harlem, speaking all over thecountry

o White America: a threat

o Followers: source of self-respect and self-improvement

o Civil rights movement: originally critical of his radicalism

MALCOLM X AS NOI PREACHER

5


o Break with NOI

o Hajj

o Reconcilliation with broader civil rights movement

o Assassination

MALCOLM X, FINAL YEARS (1964-1965)

6


• Strongly against oppressiono Always aligned with the

victim of oppression

• Self-improvemento Educationo Knowledge of self

• Need for radicalism• Black pride

o Black nationalismo Black internationalism

• Power of speech

MALCOLM X: LEADER

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvKJpr4Dac4

Pink Floyd, The Wall (lyrics)

WEEK 10



http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/html/the-wall-lyrics.html

o Originally part of the British underground music scene• Psychedelic (The Piper at the

Gates of Dawn)• Drugs

o Needed to reinvent themselves after Syd Barrett left• Experimental (Saucerful of

Secrets, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother)

• Symphonic rock (Meddle, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here)

• Harsher sound (Animals, The Wall)

o Recurrent themes: madness, alienation

PINK FLOYD

2


o 1960s• Loss of respect for

authorities• Need for critical thinking

o Emancipation (of women, of young people)

o Rise of mass consumption(and unease about this)

o Late 1970s• End of postwar optimism• Resurfacing of old demons

(fascism)

CONTEXT

3


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH77ZWPxBkc

o Roger Waters’s frustration with being a rock star• Building a wall between

the performers and the audience

o Wall as a symbol• No emotional connection

between people• Building walls: giving in to

the worms: outside ideas (consumerism, totalitarianism) taking us over

THE WALL

4


1. “In the Flesh”

• Rock star Pink is actingweird: what’s goingon?

2. “The Thin Ice”

3. “Another Brick in theWall part 1”

• Pink’s childhood: father died in the war

THE WALL – SIDE 1

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1. “The Happiest Days of Our Lives”

2. “Another Brick in theWall part 2”

• Bad influence of teachers(authorities make us feel bad about ourselves)

3. “Mother”

• Overprotective mother: undermines our autonomy

THE WALL – SIDE 1

6


1. “Goodbye Blue Sky”• We’re living life as a

war: in a shelter

2. “Empty Spaces”• Not really

communicating

3. “Young Lust”• Pink on tour cheats on

his wife, she cheats on him at home

THE WALL – SIDE 2

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1. “One of My Turns”2. “Don’t Leave Me

Now”3. “Another Brick in the

Wall part 3”• Breakdown of Pink’s

marriage: I don’t need love!

4. “Goodbye”• The wall is complete:

Pink is cut off

THE WALL – SIDE 2

8


1. Hey You”2. “Is There Anybody

Out There?”3. “Nobody Home”

• Total emotionalisolation of Pink, locked in his hotel room on tour

• Worms (television) eating into his brain

MALCOLM X: LEADER

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1. “Vera Lynn”2. “Bring the Boys

Back Home”• Remembering the war

that killed his father

3. “ComfortablyNumb”• Pink is given drugs so

that he can perform his concert

MALCOLM X: LEADER

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1. “The Show Must Go On”

2. “In the Flesh”3. “Run like Hell”4. “Waiting for the

Worms”• A hallucinating Pink

turns his concert into a nazi rally with himself as a fascist dictator

THE WALL – SIDE 2

1


1. “Stop”2. “The Trial”

• Pink puts himself on trial for not being completely without feelings. The Worm sentences him to be ‘exposed’

3. “Outside the Wall”• Is it really so bad to be

exposed to love?

THE WALL – SIDE 2

2


o “Autonomous or isolated?

o Are we all islands, or is (emotional) connectionpossible/desirable?

o Is yesterday’s pain today’sburden?

o Being part of a community:

• Good? Support

• Bad? Exclusion of others

WHEN READING/LISTENING TO THE WALL

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