Dear Colleagues,
Everything has been so quiet during this
past week. It has given me the opportunity to reflect on that which has become
for me a key issue in the book, LILA. Namely, the
adulteration of Dynamic Quality, once it has become a component of change
within the Static Quality model. LILA is, at one level, a book about creation.
One of the problems inherent in static quality that will eventually lead to
either apathy or revolution, is when a social convention such as a community
or a religion or a guild or a nation ceases to be a servant of the people, but
rather their master. It's almost like a Gilbertian "topsy-turvy" world in
which the creator eventually is compelled to either worship or be
subservient to his/her creation. Now, I won't expound upon this basic
premise, since it was already described quite eloquently by Mr. Pirsig, and no
words from me will improve it. However, the concept which I am hoping that
some of my colleagues will be willing to discuss is whether Dynamic
Quality, once it becomes absorbed into a new Static Quality Model, always
becomes part of the creature to which we are eventually re-enslaved, or can it
remain pure[John W
Livingston] if it is useful it will survive. If it is useful to many it
will prosper. I think it is. I think it will, but I don't think we are helping
it all that much. We should be applying it, not talking about it.
Maybe we should be talking about how to apply it and
where? , and by doing so, continue to evoke
controversial response and be a continuously creative force. I am not speaking
of Dynamic Quality, in general, but rather of specific movements, revolutions,
or ideas. For example, most of the enlightened
teachers around whom modern religions are established don't say, "worship me"
but rather "follow me" or "follow my example". In fact most of the initial
disciples of such teachers, do not necessarily think of themselves as
part of a religion, but rather as followers of a man and his ideas.
Religions are subsequently created by disciples to serve their community
as a surrogate for the "Teacher" who had departed this world, so that his
ideas could continue. Unfortunately, the surrogate becomes a new creature with
its own separate agenda (ritual), needs (finances), and devotion by its
members (worship) so that finances and support keep flowing in. The community
that created this "Church" to respond to its needs, is now subservient to
it. The same is true of nations. When the
Bolsheviks revolted against the Russian monarchy, the idea was to create a
state in which the working class citizens would control their own fate, free
from the dictates of the Church or the Tsar. But what transpired was just
another institution, which, although its ideas seemed initially pure (and,
true, power had been removed from the hands of one family), was eventually
controlled by a few people who developed myriad societal structures that
dictated the day-to-day lives of the very workers that, supposedly, the
revolution was intended to empower.
The practice in the United States (and similarly in other nations) in
which the citizenry pledges allegiance to a flag , a creation of theirs, seems
to be a reversal of the natural order. Wouldn't it make more sense for the
flag to pledge its allegiance to the citizens?
Now, at first, it seems that, in fact, each
Dynamic occurrence, once its impact has been assimilated into a new hybrid
Static Quality model, while improving it, no longer lives to change things,
but rather has served its dynamic purpose by redefining and restructuring the
institutions that we continue to hold dear. But as I observe certain
occurrences in History, there are some events whose life span of
Dynamism seem pure in their impact for measurably longer periods of time than
others. I give two examples (1) The Renaissance and (2) The Beat.
[John W
Livingston] 3)language 4)math(huge) 5)greek architecture 6)Newtonian
physics 7)music 8)Darwin's Theory of Evolution 9)greek philosophy 10)Science
11)Arts...The list is endless. It is nothing less than the complete great
works of man. There are many others, and all of them
seem to have two things in common: (a) They grew from a pure
expression which was independent of any expectation of outcome, and
(b) None of them were concerned about recruiting members.
They just seemed to happen at the right place, at the right time, and
by the appropriate people.. [John W Livingston] If it is alive and active its dynamic.
If no one is using it its not much
use.
This brings me to the crux of this post.
It seems that while their are many types of dynamics at work in the
universe, the only ones that are truly "Pure Quality" events are the ones that
happen with a disregard for outcome and no intentional campaign for the
resources to succeed. I look forward to the support or constructive
criticism by my colleagues in this discussion group..[John W Livingston] If we
can't show how MOQ helps progress in various fields then it will
die.We can help by making it clear to others how helpful it is. I
think it is central to the current efforts going on to understand
the dynamics of Complex Adaptive Systems. These include: Brain/Mind research,
Origins of Life research, Systems Engineering, Genome research,
Embriology research, Evolutionary Dynamics research, Echo Systems research,
City Planning, Political and Military Decision Making... the list goes
on.
In closing, allow me to quote from Stephen
Mitchell's translation of the Tao te Ching
(copyright 1988 by Stephen Mitchell):
"...The Master's power is like
this.
He lets all things come and
go
effortlessly, without
desire.
He never expects
results;
thus he is never
disappointed.
He is never
disappointed;
thus his spirit never grows
old."
Ciao!
The Bard
