While I'm interested in aliens, nukes, ring of fire, e-cology, and psy-chology of y2k in the abstract, in practice I'm trying to get my TV-drugged neighbors out of their stupor. I mean stupor with regard to the whole fragile domino set, not just y2k. I really have to dial down my brain after reading/talking on this NG in order to smooth the impedance when interfacing to their reality. In that regard, after many half-baked attempts at SSLLOWLLLY, GGGEEENTTTLLY, CCCCAAAALLLMMLLYYY, nudging them towards thinking about something besides chem-nuking their lawns, I have just had a very small success with the Utne Reader Y2K Citizen's Action Guide . Looks respectable and non-scary, but works on the unconscious I guess with some pretty strong statements. The 12-year-old son of a total DGI neighbor of mine to whom I gave this guide several weeks ago just yesterday began asking me all kinds of questions about y2k, and why are people moving to cabins in the woods, etc. A teachable moment. Now if only his Dad and Mom were anywhere near as perceptive.

Anyway, if there's a TV-marinated DGI in your life, that you don't want to shy away from the lasso, you might try this Utne reader thing.

-RC

-- Runway Cat (runway_cat@hotmail.com), January 25, 1999

Answers

We Grok, RC. I ordered 50 at 1.00 a piece. Leave em around town, mailboxes, barbershops to plant the Y2k meme before calling a meeting.

It can be read as a .ODF file at:

http://www.utne.com/y2k/Y2KBookMain.pdf

"It isn't the fall that kills you; it's the sudden stop at the end" -?

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), January 25, 1999.

That's .PDF format.

-- Lewis (aslanshow@yahoo.com), January 25, 1999.

--"kill your television"

-- (anon@aa.com), January 25, 1999.

I know what you're talking about, RC. I make it a point to say "You're probably right about that..." as many times as possible when DGI's say REALLY stupid things. I find that if I let them control the pace of the conversation, that I can slip a few zingers in after they've gotten everything they think they know out into the open. After taking this approach, I've actually seen the wheels spining and heard the gears churning in their brains when confronted with information they don't have. A couple of people I've taken this approach with have radically altered their perspectives, and even started prepping.

If you tell someone they're just wrong about a thing, they'll never listen.

Ordering 50 copies of the Utne Action Guide is a GREAT idea.I'm going to do just that...

-- pshannon (pshannon@inch.com), January 25, 1999.

pshannon, you've got a good psychology technique.
With an issue as provocative emotionally as Y2K, it's important to let each person talk about what they do know. Thanks for the reminder. :)

Ashton & Leska in Cascadia, who want only to type, not talk

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 25, 1999.

My most recent success with a DGI is hitting him where he lived. In other words, find out what his/her profession is and then put together information specific to that business/profession. In addition, give examples of other business failures affecting theirs and the failures of their specific business affecting others.

MoVe Immediate

-- MVI (vtoc@aol.com), January 25, 1999.