----- Original Message ----- From: "John Engle" <j...@theexperiment.info> To: "GraceAnn" <grace...@worldnet.att.net> Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 8:40 AM Subject: Re: Open Space ,Self-Organizing Systems, and The Plexus Institute
> thank you for your post, graceann. i have just noticed > that it came to me but that it did not go to the > entire list. might you wish to resend and assure that > it goes to the entire list? > > then, i want to share some reflections regarding it. > > thank you, > > john > > > --- GraceAnn <grace...@worldnet.att.net> wrote: > > It's true...... we so often think we can be > > instruments of empowerment, and > > yet we slide toward a "power over" role so often. > > Either we take over, or we > > insist on someone else taking over. Paulo Freire had > > the right idea, but > > it's so difficult to put his theory into practice. I > > look forward to this > > dialogue. > > Grace Troisi > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "John Engle" <j...@theexperiment.info> > > To: <osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu> > > Sent: Monday, May 26, 2003 12:47 PM > > Subject: Re: Open Space ,Self-Organizing Systems, > > and The Plexus Institute > > > > > > > harrison, > > > > > > thank you for the invitation to share our > > questions. > > > the ongoing question for me is this: > > > > > > why is it that in quite a few cultures, at least > > those > > > that i am familiar with, human beings are "wired" > > or > > > "programmed" in a way which leads us to gravitate > > > toward centralizing power in organizations, and > > for > > > trying to take responsibility for things totally > > > divorced from our own behavior? > > > > > > perhaps i am overlooking the many examples where > > these > > > tendencies don't occur. just seems that so often > > that > > > this is the case. for example, i could be working > > with > > > groups of street boys and older boys insisting > > that > > > younger ones work with me while they themselves > > don't, > > > or literacy teachers who will invest a full day > > > discussing what the government should do about > > > literacy, when there is no evidence to suggest > > that > > > their suggestions will even be considered...or, a > > > group of leaders in an NGO (nongovernmental > > > organization) who are trying to dictate the > > services > > > that unpaid volunteers give to the > > organization...the > > > list could go on and on. > > > > > > my question is, where does this come from and why > > is > > > it so difficult for us to see the folly in it? > > ...at > > > least folly for the well intentioned people. its > > > totally understandable that people who want to > > > dominate and exploit would behave in this manner. > > but > > > we all watch, wonderful people with good > > intentions > > > (including ourselves) frequently gravitate toward > > > centralizing power in organizations and trying to > > take > > > responsibility for things divorced from our own > > > behavior. seems that these things clog up a fluid > > and > > > life-giving self-organizing process. > > > > > > john > > > > > > > > > ===== > > > Website: http://theexperiment.info > > > Sitentenet : http://eksperyansla.info > > > Site : http://Lexperience.info > > > > > > Patisipe nan konvèsasyon sou entènet la sou Espas > > Ouvri ak Wonn > > > Refleksyon - voye yon mesaj a : > > > reseauforumouvert-subscr...@yahoogroups.com > > > > > > * > > > * > > > > > > ========================================================== > > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu > > > ------------------------------ > > > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > > > view the archives of > > osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, > > > Visit: > > > > > > > > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > > > > > > ===== > Website: http://theexperiment.info > Sitentenet : http://eksperyansla.info > Site : http://Lexperience.info > > Patisipe nan konvèsasyon sou entènet la sou Espas Ouvri ak Wonn > Refleksyon - voye yon mesaj a : > reseauforumouvert-subscr...@yahoogroups.com * * ========================================================== osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu, Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
