With special guest:
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Dr Arne Rubinstein
…in conversation with Bill Kable, Ken Thompson, and Glen Poole
“If we don’t initiate our boys they will burn down the village to feel the heat.” This is an African proverb quoted by our guest today Dr Arne Rubinstein that could describe the situation for young men today in Australia and other societies far from Africa.
The Making of Men is a book that Dr Arne Rubinstein has written after seeing first-hand in his medical practice the disasters that can befall boys who are not initiated into life as a man in the community. Arne recognises the qualities valued in young boys when they are naturally loving, energetic, funny, creative and sensitive. What happens then, when so many kids get into trouble as teenagers?
In this program we talk about one of the most important ways in which the community or village can play a role in bringing the boy through to being a valuable man in the community.
Arne studied a number of Indigenous communities to find a common thread. In these Indigenous communities boys are not expected to become men simply as a function of ageing. And boys in those communities do not have to work out for themselves their growing responsibilities. By engaging in a rite of passage involving the boys’ fathers and other elders the boys can find a sense of purpose and an ethos for life. They can recognise their spirit, what their real strengths are and be valued for these by the most important people in their lives.
Dr Arne Rubinstein provides us with the benefit of his wisdom gained in over thirty years’ practice as a doctor, counsellor, mentor, speaker and workshop facilitator. We learn the essentials for structuring a rite of passage and the tips for making it successful. It is a journey that is emotional, inspiring, educational and most importantly there is a fun element. Considering the upside of making the men in our community happy and successful while recognising the awful consequences of failing on this account makes this topic so important for us right now. This is a special episode and not to be missed.
Dr Arne Rubinstein
Dr Arne Rubinstein (MBBS, FRACGP) has been working with teenagers and their families for over thirty years as a doctor, counsellor, mentor and facilitator of workshops. He is an expert on adolescent development and Rites of Passage. Dr Rubinstein was the founding CEO of the Pathways Foundation which was set up to run contemporary Rites of Passage for teenage boys and girls around Australia. More recently he co-founded Uplifting Australia, a social enterprise designed to support young Australians to reach their full potential. Dr Rubinstein has two grown sons and lives in northern New South Wales.
Song selection by our guest: Imagine by John Lennon
Note: This program is an encore presentation of the one aired on 10 December 2015.