Fast Forward: Arthur Dobrin

 

Arthur Dobrin

A new year seems like a time to shift activities a bit and, for me, to look a little closer to the current century.  I decided to reach out to two Ethical Culture Leaders with whom I have already discussed the Bibliography to see if they would be willing to provide me with lists of their publications.  I wrote to Arthur Dobrin, Leader Emeritus for the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island and Professor Emeritus of Management, Entrepreneurship, and General Business at Hofstra University, and to Joseph Chuman, a Leader at the New York Society for Ethical Culture and Professor of Human Rights at Columbia University.  Both responded positively.  

I have begun documenting Arthur Dobrin's publications, simply because his list(s) hit my inbox first.  In a long academic career, Dobrin has many publications.  As an Ethical Culture Leader he has taken an active role in public discussions that need "ethical clarification."  His lists include books, scholarly articles, opinion editorials for newspapers, human interest articles for newspapers, and more.  His books have been translated into Chinese, Japanese, and Dutch.  His publishers span three continents.  He has also published fiction, poetry, and plays.

Dobrin is well-known in the Movement for his introduction of the style of meeting called "colloquy" in his book Spelling God with Two O's.  Most Ethical Culture Societies have now colloquies as one form of meeting.  As described on the AEU website:

A colloquy is a place to explore ethical values on a personal level. It is not: a discussion group, a political forum, a place to vent about the ills of society, a therapy group, an advice-giving or -seeking forum, a class. It is an opportunity to better understand and deepen your lived ethics through self-reflection and careful listening.

In his book, Dobrin lists a number of concepts as discussion prompts and elaborates on the Ethical issues with anecdotes and a central question.  Happily, he still continues to contribute to the Movement with monthly sessions demonstrating colloquy and providing a cross-Movement forum for individual members to meet and grow together.  

Dobrin also continues to write, with a monthly column in Psychology Today:  "Am I Right? How to Live Ethically."

Soon Dobrin will expand his service to our Movement with an online seminar based on his book:  The Lost Art of Happiness.  I have to confess that I have signed up for the seminar and have enjoyed reading this book.  It reminds us of the foundations of happiness (Hint:  not fun, money, or adult beverages) and shows how living Ethically is good for our well-being.  The seminar begins on the first Tuesday in February.

A couple of bibliographic issues arise from Dobrin's work.  He no longer writes an online blog it seems, but the blog is still available for reading and reference.  Joe Chuman and Hugh Taft-Morales are leaders who also have (active) blogs.  I am now thinking I need to create a new section for blogs (and maybe columns in periodicals?).  Another set of issues arises with translations.  And still another with the newspaper and magazine contributions that are not directly related to Ethical Culture but do reflect the viewpoints and interests of an active Ethical Culture leader.  Considering these issues and possibilities, it does seem reasonable also to consider that what was once a more or less simple list might need some additional structure to make it easier to use.  Or I could be overthinking it.  I am hopeful that there will be some relevant conversations about organization on my upcoming visit to NYSEC.