I L D I N G C O M M U N I T Y T H R O U G H S E R V I C E

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1 Courage to Care Building Community Through Service Touchstones Discussion Project

2 COURAGE TO CARE BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH SERVICE Published by

3 About the Touchstones Discussion Project The Touchstones Discussion Project is a nonprofit organization founded on the belief that all people can benefit from the listening, speaking, thinking, and interpersonal skills gained by engaging in active, focused discussions. Since 1984, Touchstones has helped millions of students and others develop and improve these skills in school, work, and life. For more information about the Touchstones Discussion Project, visit Texts selected, translated, and edited by Stefanie Takacs Howard Zeiderman Touchstones thanks the following contributors for their time: Sapna Gandhi-Rao Linnea Takacs, Ph.D. Cynthia Barry Cover designed by Jeremy Jokell Front cover illustration is Peter Apian s World Map of , 2013 by Touchstones Discussion Project PO Box 2329 Annapolis, Maryland All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior consent from the authors. ISBN TouchsTones Discussion ProjecT

4 Table of Contents Unit I Building Trust Lesson 1 Judging Oneself & Others: The Clever Thief, A Story from Korea Lesson 2 Recognizing Others Contributions: The Cattle and the Crow, A Tale from India Lesson 3 Motivation & Sincerity: On Truthfulness and Sincerity, Al-Ghazali Lesson 4 Qualities of Trust: Fragments, Heraclitus Unit II Respect Lesson 5 What We Admire: The Analects, Confucius Lesson 6 Giving Respect: How Frog Lost His Tail, A Tale from the Sukuma Tribe of Tanzania. 19 Lesson 7 Respect & Trust: From Behind the Scenes, or Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley Lesson 8 Self-Respect & Respect from Others: Shun of Lishan Mountain, A Story from Chinese Mythology Unit III Working Together Lesson 9 Appreciating Difference: The Cat and the Rat, Aesop Lesson 10 Seeing the Whole Picture: Two Excerpts from Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu Lesson 11 Knowing Our Strengths & Weaknesses: Philosophical Writings, Charles Sanders Peirce Lesson 12 Each Person Matters: From Wangari Maathai s Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech.. 41 courage To care, BuilDinG community ThrouGh service 3

5 Unit IV Seeing Ourselves in Others Lesson 13 Learning by Imitation: The Objects of Imitation from The Poetics, Aristotle Lesson 14 Understanding One Another: On Sameness, Democritus Lesson 15 Feelings of Empathy: Acquainted with the Night, Robert Frost Lesson 16 Recognizing Prejudice: We Shall Overcome, President Lyndon B. Johnson Unit V Community Lesson 17 How We Are the Same & How We Are Different: Up-Hill, Christina Rosetti Lesson 18 Individual & Community: The Social Contract, Jean Jacques Rousseau Lesson 19 Change for All: From the Acceptance Speech Given on Receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr Lesson 20 Community Through Service: The Republic, Plato TouchsTones Discussion ProjecT

6 Lesson 3: Motivation & Sincerity On Truthfulness and Sincerity Al-Ghazali A human does not act unless he has three things: knowledge, desire, and power. For example, if a person does not have food, that person does not eat. If a person has food but has no need or no desire to eat, then that person does not eat. One must have some need or interest before eating the food. In this way we see that action comes only from knowledge, desire, and power. These things (knowledge, desire, and power) happen only in a certain order. A person must first know about something in order to desire it. But that knowledge does not have to result in action. And that knowledge does not automatically create desire. A person can know many things but not have desires about them. We can follow a similar path with power. One must first have some knowledge in order to have power. But power does not have to lead to action. Action comes only when there is desire. In this way, knowledge must be the first thing that we acquire. After knowledge comes power or desire (in either order) and then comes action. There are good reasons to consider this order. When we understand the purposes behind our actions, we can better guide ourselves. When we act with a single reason, our actions are pure. But when we have more than purpose, our actions are mixed. An example of a mixed goal is when a person stops eating for religious reasons but also wants to improve health. Or perhaps that person wants to eat less or is tired of preparing food. Another example of a mixed goal is when a person goes on a business trip while also wanting a break from family or office responsibilities. Yet another example of a mixed goal is when someone is kind to a beggar just to make the beggar go away. All of these actions with mixed goals cannot be called sincere. Something is sincere and pure when there is no mixed purpose. In such cases, the person performing the action receives no benefit. When there is no gain or reward for oneself then an action can be said to be sincere. THIS PAGE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISPLAYED IN ANY FORM. courage To care, BuilDinG community ThrouGh service 11

7 Unit I: Building Trust Worksheet for Lesson 3 IndIvIdUaL Work 1. Think of an advertisement for a product that you have seen on television or read about in a magazine or newspaper. Write the name of that product here: 2. Do you trust what that product claims to do or provide as a benefit to the person who buys it? 3. Do you believe the claims? Why or why not? 4. If the product is recommended to you by a doctor or another professional, does it change what you think about it? Why or why not? 12 TouchsTones Discussion ProjecT

8 Unit III: Working Together Lesson 9: Appreciating Difference The Fable of the Rat and the Cat Aesop A long time ago, there was a cat named Rumi. He lived in the large hollow of a great tree. Nearby, a rat named Faridun lived in the bushes. The area was a favorite spot for hunters who came in search of food to catch. One day, a hunter spread his net and quickly captured Rumi. Faridun, who had just come out of his hole, saw Rumi in the hunter s net. Just as he started to take pleasure in the cat being trapped, he noticed that Weasel was behind him. And above him Owl glared down threateningly. Faridun knew that if he backed up, Weasel would eat him. If he tried to escape to either side, Owl would swoop down and snatch him. If he moved forward, he would be close to the net and Rumi would attack him. He didn t know what to do. It seems that I have some bad luck, Faridun said to himself. But I know that if I keep my wits about me and remain alert, I will get out of this mess. In the middle of uncertainty, it is important to remember the important things and not to be distracted by crisis. Within seconds, Faridun knew what to do. He would have to make peace with Rumi, his enemy. Maybe, Faridun thought, we can figure out how to help each other. He is in a bad situation, and so am I. Maybe he is desperate enough to work with me so we can save ourselves. Faridun approached Rumi. How are you? he asked the cat politely. Rumi replied that he was in a mess and warned Faridun not to take pleasure in the situation. Faridun responded that today things were different. Both he and Rumi were facing disaster from their mutual enemies. Their only chance was to pledge to work together THIS PAGE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISPLAYED IN ANY FORM. courage To care, BuilDinG community ThrouGh service 31

9 Unit III: Working Together and to promise they would not harm each other. When Rumi agreed, Faridun started gnawing on the net ropes. We are like a ship and its crew, Rumi, the rat said in between bites. Both need each other to survive. A good crew is useless without a sound ship. And a seaworthy ship is no use without a good crew. He continued chewing until there was only one knot left keeping the cat hostage. Meanwhile, the Owl and the Weasel heard something in the forest and they took off to avoid possible harm. What are you doing, Faridun? asked Rumi. Why have you stopped short of finishing the job and setting me free? I am uncertain that you will honor our agreement. You see, there are two types of friendship. One type comes out of choice and the other out of necessity. Both come from personal interest, but a friend who is made by choice can always be trusted. The friend who is made in a time of need can sometimes be trusted and sometimes not. Faridun spoke slowly. Suddenly, there was a noise in the bushes. The hunter had returned. Rumi urgently told Faridun to cut him free and promised he would always uphold their agreement. Faridun chewed through the last knot, the cat escaped the net, and both creatures fled for cover. The hunter arrived to an empty and dismantled net. With a puzzled face, he picked it up and left the scene. Some time later, as Rumi was lying in the sun, Faridun cautiously poked his head out from his nest. Come here, my friend, Rumi called to the rat. Come and sit with me and enjoy this glorious sunshine. Faridun was not convinced that he would be safe in Rumi s company. I know what you promised, and I also know that many friendships mask anger and hostility. You know you have been my most feared and harmful enemy. Our friendship was made only because of the bad situation we were both in. I trust you will keep your promise, but I am more comfortable keeping my distance. I like you best from afar. Farewell, Rumi. THIS PAGE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED OR DISPLAYED IN ANY FORM. 32 TouchsTones Discussion ProjecT

10 Lesson 9: Appreciating Difference Worksheet for Lesson 9 IndIvIdUaL Work Read the following questions and answer them each in two or three sentences. 1. Do you treat all of your friends the same? Explain why or why not. 2. Are all of your friends also friends with each other? Explain why or why not. 3. Some people believe that they have enemies and some don t. What is the most likely way that a person would become your enemy? 4. After two people become enemies, can they ever become friends? Explain why or why not. courage To care, BuilDinG community ThrouGh service 33

11 Unit III: Working Together SmaLL GroUp Work/paIr Work In your small group, consider the following situation: A scientist thinks that she has discovered a cure for human blindness. She has already done some tests on some human patients that show tremendous promise. But in order to know for certain that her cure will work, she must first test it on a large number of non-human subjects if she wants results sooner than later. She knows that she can get a shipment of laboratory rats for her experiment and that within six months she will have reliable results one way or the other. However, all of the rats will die in the process of her experiment. If she doesn t use the rats, she will have to wait for human volunteers to be in her scientific study. It could take more than 10 years to have enough human subjects for a conclusive answer to her experiment. Should the scientist order the rats. Why or why not? Come to agreement as a group and prepare to present your reasons to the entire class. 34 TouchsTones Discussion ProjecT