It is nice to have something to mull over, some commentary by someone to think about, respond to or just think about. That is what ‘Thought For The Day’ should be. I guess it is, but it has been limit bound by the editorial team at the Radio 4 Today Programme to not include ‘thinkers’ who are athiest.
So, if we were to have a proper ‘Thought for the day’ what would it be. I was imagining a short 3 – 5 minute podcast that gets sent out each morning, together with a small space to discuss the thought, ideas etc.
Currently the thought is one that is informed by current events and our proper one should be as well, so whoever is invited to speak each day needs to do a bit of thinking and writing early in the morning. Maybe a better thought for the day is one that sums up a day, in the evening. Yes, I am assuming a GMT based timezone here.
So, given 5 minutes to ponder the day, events, and anything else who would you have speak?
Thinking about this a bit more, its not that I mind people having their beliefs or even attempting to put forward a thought, idea that stems from those beliefs. I do have a problem with an intellectual community being denied a voice in this slot as it currently exists on radio 4 and I also want a critical space for all the ideas to be, well critiqued.
That said, beliefs are notoriously difficult to challenge in a robust way that the initiator will take on board, presenting an idea from that dogmatic background brings with it a whole load of pre-existing challenge that either has to be worked through before the idea can be critiqued or, well it ends up taking a lot of repeated time and energy.