TRAC
Interview Transcript

Joseph V. Montville   (cont)

I'll just conclude this by saying that, when you sum up the values of intellectual curiosity buttressed by caring, by the capacity to value the preciousness of the Russian people as a people, as well as every other people as a people (because this is a universal value), what it calls for is staying the course, that this continuing nourishment--this umbilicus between this program, this people, and the Russian people, although it seems very, very small--a small group of people have come here--it has a history of a powerful impact simply because of the values that inspired it and keep it alive.  In fact, I think Dulce really has clearly internalized all those values, and she probably has single-handedly kept communicating them to keeping to her loyalty and keeping the Russians constantly ready to come back.

Certainly the human and humanistic and uterine environment of Big Sur up in Esalen is a major contribution also.  But that only just emphasizes how enduring our human needs are and what that place symbolizes.  And we got some very uptight Protestants from the East Coast to come to Esalen to talk about U.S.-Soviet relations in ways they never would have conceived of if they hadn't been invited.  So stay the course, keep the faith, literally, nourish this Esalen-inspired value based organic connection to this loyal band of friends, and I think ultimately keep the funding for this program going because this is a philanthropy.  There is no direct market value.

 This, the effort, has to come out of a sense of people who have wealth and are seeking to turn that wealth into value.  There is a very important role, especially in America, but also it'll grow in Russia too, of philanthropy as being a very important instrument of individuals being able to act out and act inspired by values.  The market doesn't immediately reward that; it takes a special alliance between people who have accumulated wealth, or institutions and foundations, and see the value of supporting this nourishing of the relationship.  In the end, I see Russia and America as two great powers, each struggling to justify this adjective "great," and also being more than just great powers; I think I see Russia, with eleven time zones and the U.S.--great continental masses and collections of aggregate ethnic groups and civilizations, as having really a co-stewardship responsibility that exceeds the importance of any other bilateral relationship that America has.  So I see it as even written that we have a responsibility, joint responsibility, for the rest of the world, and that we have to organize ourselves, support Russia during the transition, and exercise that responsibility.

END of interview.