Communities in Control 2014 "Speakers in Focus" series.

Dr Simon Longstaff,
Ethicist and philosopher;
Director, St James Ethics Centre

The Luck of Fools 
Communities in Control: May 26

It's 50 years since Donald Horne dubbed Australia "the lucky country". They were words designed as a searing criticism that have instead been adopted as a nationalistic boast.

It's not that Australia isn't lucky - we are. While there are persistent pockets of misery, mostly we live in peace and prosperity. The average Australian is the wealthiest person in the world, and amongst the most long-lived.

But as a country our luck is a millstone around our neck. We take it for granted, and we don't ask why. If all that we are and all that we do is just dumb luck then there's no point focusing or reflecting or striving - all we can do is roll the dice again.

Of course, that's only half the story. For while it's true that one is lucky if born in Australia, it's not true that this fortunate position is itself merely a product of luck. Rather, modern Australia has been at its best when shaped by Fools - those courageous, subtle souls who speak truth to power.

At Communities in Control 2014, pre-eminent Australian ethicist and philosopher Dr Simon Longstaff will be reminding us of how, as individuals and communities, we can bring our values to bear in creating and shaping our own luck.

Simon is an Our Community board member and Executive Director of St James Ethics Centre, being selected as the inaugural leader of the centre in 1991. With a PhD in Philosophy from Cambridge, Simon has been named one of AFR Boss Magazine's 'True Leaders for the 21st Century'. His book, 'Hard Cases, Tough Choices', was published in 1997.

Simon will be a keynote speaker during the first day of Communities in Control 2014 (Moonee Ponds, Melbourne, May 26 and 27).

Bookings are closing soon - find out more reserve your spot at: www.ourcommunity.com.au/cic2014