Hello All
Well- what an amazing conversation has ensued out of That question!! Thank you
all for your comments.
In truth, now that Iook back, I was feeling a bit snarly, so I should perhaps
recant any unintended slights on other communities/ practices/ approaches etc.
I guess what really struck me - and still does - is how people are talking
complexity/ self-organizing systems theory (and yes - this is conference talk,
not client talk!) and then still trying to organize systems. Or be experts.
And how fundamental that is to our conception of the world - for so many. And
how profound is the shift from that world view.
As Martin said , many people "get" self-organizing as a cognitive concept, but
then implicitly treat it as another tool. Which puts us right back into/ speaks
from the "world as machine" worldview. It is fundamentally not about doing, but
about being (which is maybe why OST is so 'easy' to do). It is much easier to
pick up a new, sexy doing tool, it is much harder to re-configure your
mentality to "get" that life/ self-organizing is all about being. (and yet,
once done - so much easier - graciously spacious!).
...........the pebbles continue to drop in the pools of my mind.........!
Meg Salter
MegaSpace Consulting
416/486-6660
meg.sal...@sympatico.ca
www.megaspaceconsulting.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Harrison Owen
To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 3:26 PM
Subject: Re: OST, OD, etc.
At 10:36 PM 9/26/2002 -0400, Chris Kloth wrote:
I have a very different take on the OST/OD thread. It has to do with a
larger issue among people as individuals and communities, where community is
not limited to geography, but does reflect elements of culture. It has to
do with the "I" and the "IT" that are essential elements of any strong
community we CHOOSE to be a part of.
Points well taken and well said, Chris. There are in truth different strokes
for different folks -- and we have to honor them all. That said, I think we
also have an obligation, or at least I personally feel an obligation, to engage
vigorously in the conversation. My comments about the economics and psychology
of the use of Open Space (or more accurately the non-use) come from a number of
years of trying to figure out why, if something is free, simple, effective, and
easy to replicate -- it is not used to a greater extent. Indeed, a number of
folks appear never to have heard of it. And if they have heard of it, OS is
taken to be wild, far out, radical, and risky. Although the press coverage has
diminished of late (Thank God), there was a time when virtually every major
press organ (NYT, Washington Post, LA Times, Financial Times of London etc,
etc, etc.) carried major feature stories. Additional publicity was not
something we needed. As for "risky," I find it difficult to understand after 17
years of constant and increasing use all over the world. The Beta Tests are in.
Of course there are risks, but not about the efficacy of the process. So How
come?
Truthfully, I really don't know. But my best guess has been that it has
something to do with economics (Hard to send a bill when you don't do
anything), and what seems to me to be an attachment to the complex (and
therefore a need for The Expert). I should judge that the control issue is also
of some significance.
And why should I care? Some folks get the impression that I am trying to
"sell Open Space," or build my personal reputation. Truthfully, I have been
trying to give it away, and get out of the business. Fortunately, there has
been reasonable success with both of these -- and I have had more than a few
thoughts about going fishing. I have even managed to do a fair amount of that
too. But...
I believe the central gift of Open Space is the realization of Peace. Not as
some abstract, idyllic, some-day-to- be-achieved state, but a present reality
that works right now. Further more, every time space is opened anywhere in the
world (by "doing" an OS or simply by being graciously spacious in our dealings
with fellow critters), I think the cause of Peace is advanced. If nothing else,
those who find themselves in gracious space, no matter the means, know there
are options, choices.This was true with the 50 Palestinians and Israelis
gathered in Rome, and it is true wherever conflict is made creative when folks
have enough room to move about. A little Open Space, as it were. As I read my
morning papers, listen to the news, check in with my colleagues around the
world, -- I cannot help but feel that gracious space is in short supply. If
there was nothing to be done, I surely would go fishing. But that is not the
case, and so I find myself engaged in vigorous conversation.
Harrison
Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-365-2093
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com\~owenhh
osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu
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