Abreu and Purposefulness

I am often asked, these days, to summarize the perspective I am trying to offer with "posi-genesis". Many people understand the basic concept, but do not see how to apply it. The perspective, of course, is to recognize that you cannot eliminate negatives: you can only add positives. For example, if you walk into a dark room and want to read a book, you have to add light; you cannot remove the darkness.

Light is a positive quality that exists. Darkness has no existence. It is the absence of light.

By the same token, if you are cold, you have to warm up. Cold does not exist. You cannot remove the cold. Of course, a lack of heat has an effect. You can suffer frostbite or even die from a lack of heat.

This basic principal can also be applied to great effect with social issues. If we are looking at the issue of poverty, we need to first understand that poverty is a "lack of wealth". Once we see this, then we can address issues of distribution or rights of labour, to name but two, and see the solutions more readily.

With this as a basic summary, and more written below, I would like to off an example that has recently come to my attention, that of Abreau and Il Sistema in Venezuela. I have spent years trying to understand why various programs are successful, and have consistently found that it is because they identify a spiritual principal, or virtue, and try to develop it.

In the case of Abreu, it is "purposefulness"

Abreu is a musician who developed a program for school children in Venezuela. It overcomes the traditional boundaries in that country based upon skin colour and financial standing. For a marvelous interview, please click on the following:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/jose_abreu_on_kids_transformed_by_music.html

After being captivated by a performance of the Youth Orchestra, conducted by his protege, Dudamel, (http://www.ted.com/talks/astonishing_performance_by_a_venezuelan_youth_orchestra_1.html),
who is also music director for the LA Philharmonic, I was moved to check out this talk by Abreu.

I naturally led to the question "Why is it so successful?" There are, of course, many reasons, but one that stands out is "Purposefulness". By giving the children a marvelous prupose in their lives, and the support to achieve that purpose, he has transformed their lives, as well as producing what is being considered one of the top five orchestras in the world. And they're a high school orchestra!