Inner-life questions are the kind everyone asks, with or without benefit of God-talk: 'Does my life have meaning and purpose?' 'Do I have gifts that the world wants and needs?' 'Whom and what shall I serve?' 'Whom and what can I trust?' 'How can I rise above my fears?' Parker Palmer askbenefitfear share on social
Whether we're Democrats or Republicans or independents, we have to learn to hang together or we're gonna hang separately. Parker Palmer democratgonnahang Change image and share on social
What passes for political realism may make for lively academic debates. But it often functions, ironically, as a tool of social control, rendering us passive with an analysis that overwhelms and paralyzes us. Parker Palmer academicanalysiscontrol share on social
When I was depressed, nobody expected anything of me, nor did I expect anything of myself. I was exempt from life's demands and risks. But if I were to find new life, who knows what daunting tasks I might be required to take on? Parker Palmer dauntdemanddepress share on social
We are a profoundly interconnected species, as the global economic and ecological crises reveal in vivid and frightening detail. We must embrace the simple fact that we are dependent on and accountable to one another. Parker Palmer accountablecrisisdependent share on social
I think there's a lot of anesthesia being - that's been pumped into American culture, the mass media television, various forms of entertainment, and the illusion of wealth that we now understand to be an illusion as well as the illusion that America is a world power. Parker Palmer americaamericananesthesia share on social
Every religious tradition is rooted in mysteries I don't pretend to understand, including claims about what happens after we die. But this I know for sure: as long as we're alive, choosing resurrection is always worth the risk. Parker Palmer alivechooseclaim share on social
Fascist movements kill off their critics, literally or metaphorically, while democratic movements value, invite and even welcome criticism. Parker Palmer criticcriticismdemocratic Change image and share on social
I think the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of reality because illusion never leaves us ultimately happy. Parker Palmer happinesshappyillusion Change image and share on social
We have been deformed by educational and religious institutions that treat us as members of an audience instead of actors in a drama, so we become adults who treat democracy as a spectator sport. Parker Palmer actoradultaudience Change image and share on social
