At 12:57 AM 6/11/2003 +0100, Artur wrote:
Some weeks ago in a private e-mail conversation with a colleague he told me, in a marginal comment, that "OST is mainly an American thing". I have not commented that observation but I have been thinking about it... And there is one thing I am sure: many of us that are non-American and non-English-speakers are guilty of OST being still considered mainly "an American thing".
As usual, Artur, you stir up some wonderful conversation. Thanks -- and as for This American Thing. . . there is no question that I am an American, and that Open Space (at least by that name) was first used in The United States. But the point of origin, so far as I am concerned, was only happenstantially the USA. In fact the inspiration was all African. My two Martinis took me to the (presently very sorry) country of Liberia, more specifically the small village of Balamah. So if you will allow for a little teleportation, I guess I would argue that Open Space is African. However, and truth to tell, I could have gotten the same inspiration from the Native Americans, and may other indigenous groups around the world, it is only that my experience with my African friends just happened to pop into mind (Was that the only thing that could have??? --- abstractly NO. But practically -- YES. And I am very practical) Anyhow -- over the years I have always been amazed how Open Space, with no change (except in language), works just fine (always works -- so to speak). I guess the majority of Open Spaces I attend (as opposed to facilitate) take place in a language I don't know. And not all of them Northern European -- Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic -- for example. And then when it comes to people on this LISTSERVE -- I've never counted, but my impression is that the vast majority are NOT American -- at least the ones who show up regularly aren't signing in from the good old USofA. My guess is that Open Space has no nationality -- it is just a human thing. Which would make sense if Open Space is in fact self-organization rolling out one more time. Seems like that (self-organization) has been going on for some 14 billion years. Well before nations, languages, and all that modern stuff. So being my natural, old, curmudgeonly self -- I persist in the possible delusion that It always works -- It (OS) might even be the only thing that could have (worked). 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 http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm 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 * * ========================================================== 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