October 20, 2022 | "Celebrate What's Right with the World"

This week's presentation was a TEDx talk originally given in 2017 by National Geographic photographer Dewitt Jones, urging people to "celebrate what's right with the world, rather than wallowing in what's wrong."

 

The October 20, 2022 meeting of the Rotary Club of Chickasha was called to order by President Lewis Knisley. Rot. Mitch Williams led the club in singing "I Love the Mountains (Boom-de-a-da)".

 

Counselor Dawnshaye Davis from Chickasha Middle School announced the Students of the Month, who were in attendance: Aedyn Hoffman, Zoe VanEss, Yasmin Deluna, and Harvey Morris.

 

Pres. Knisley delivered announcements:

Rotarian of the Day Jay Epperson introduced the program—a motivational talk given at TEDxSouthLakeTahoe in 2017, by Dewitt Jones. Jones is a photographer for National Geographic magazine. The full program can be viewed below.

 

 

Jones said that when he started work for Nat Geo, he found they had an "extraordinary vision"—to "celebrate what's right with the world, rather than wallowing in what's wrong". He said that the vision we have controls our perception, and our perception becomes our reality. 

 

He acknowledged that this worldview is at odds with the one we hear as children—we are told that we live in a dog-eat-dog world; that nature is brutal and unforgiving. He found that celebrating what's right is "a more compassionate view" of the world. One perspective sees scarcity and fear, the other sees possibility. 

 

Jones clarified that this view is not one that ignores what is wrong, but rather one that puts that in its proper context. Jones gave examples from his work of finding "more than one right answer" as a part of finding joy in a situation. He said that by viewing circumstances in this way, we can better reframe obstacles into opportunities.