Peacemakers Needed

Each semester this blog focuses on a theme. Last semester's theme was focused on identity. For the Fall 2023 semester, the theme will be "PEACEMAKERS." The draft for this entry was started on 9/11/23, which marked 22nd years since the devastating events in New York City and near the Pentagon. I reflected on the ultimate cause of such terrible acts and believe that the world then and now needs more peacemakers. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. imagined a world "that one day. . . the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood." If in 2001 there were peacemakers who could reach across the gulf between some extreme religious factions and the US, the tragedies of 9/11 might have been prevented. Many would assume that history should have taught us to be more understanding of one another regardless of our differences. Contrary to that assumption, the world today seems to have ignored the desperate need to have peacemakers and for individuals to be peacemakers. 

Have you ever been attacked online out of the blue? This is especially prevalent on social media where many people appear to believe that fault-finding, insult-throwing, and evil-speaking of those whose beliefs do not agree with them are completely acceptable. How often do you find that politicians, celebrities, and so called "influencers" fill their social media presence with nothing but vitriol. This kind of behavior suggests that we value diversity in all areas, but NOT in others' opinions. That is, the ones who scream the loudest, regardless of whether that's a common belief, insist that they hold the only correct and true opinions. Condemning, maligning, and vilifying anyone who does not agree with one's opinions seems completely acceptable in person and on digital platforms. But after all the shouting and name-calling, do people who hold different opinions come together and agree on an issue?

Russell Nelson, a former cardiothoracic surgeon (who helped develop the heart-lung machine that aided in the first human open-heart surgery) gave a talk about peacemakers and made this statement: "Anger never persuades, Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions." He urged each person, especially in today's environment, to choose wisely between contention and reconciliation. He also took his counsel one step further and asked his listeners to contemplate this statement: "If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report, or praiseworthy that we can say about another person-whether to his face or behind her back-that should be our standard of communication." I believe both Dr. King's famous speech and this wise surgeon's words take on the vital need to strive to be a peacemaker in today's toxic tone of communication. I look forward with hope that one day people of different backgrounds in the US and across the world can all be peacemakers in their own capacity. To quote the song "Imagine" by John Lennon, I imagine a future of "all the people livin' life in peace."

Travel Vlog 1: Espoo and Helsinki Finland

In the summer of 2023, I went to Espoo and Helsinki Finland to present a research paper on "How do accountants rank skills: a comparative study between accounting students and alumni practitioners" at the 45th European Accounting Association Annual Congress. I got to know other business practitioners, university administrators, and scholars in accounting. I enjoy getting to know other cultures and people. The more I get to know others who are different from me, the more I learn how to minimize the pitfall of judging others without knowing who they really are. Finland is beautiful and the people, while at first encounter seemed aloof, are friendly once you take the initiative to speak with them. A very beautiful student with a major in science (hence the GE patch) showed off her unique uniform and her freedom of thought displayed by the many patches she collected and placed on her clothes in the following pictures.

I found that the technology is quite advanced as the video below shows a robot delivering goods on the campus of Aalto university where the conference took place.

The mixed landscape of old and new was amazing as I got to see two of the top five famous cathedrals in Helsinki. The white one was the Helsinki Cathedral and the one with bricks and green/gold tops was the Uspenski Cathedral.

On my way to the the famous Helsinki archipelago with my two (very tall) Polynesian coauthors, I noticed the old and new buildings meshed together to show the love for both traditions and contemporary innovations.

The next travel vlog will feature Tel Aviv, Israel. For those who wold like to follow my blog/vlog, you are welcome to do so. I hope you have a peacemaking day!

Jason Chen, PhD.