Re: A Common Consensus

[Bui Petersen]

I have been absent from this list for a rather long time. Life has intervened again (I have just moved from Vancouver to St. John's, Newfoundland) and kept me away from anything to do with Open Space. But the discussion on consensus makes me come out from hiding. Harrison, I agree with much of what you say. However, I think the difficulty with any discussion on consensus is that everybody has a different interpretation of what "consensus" means. The way I see it, consensus is not something you come at easily. Reaching what I consider to be true consensus requires a process that gives plenty of space for disagreements to be voiced. If a solution can be found that everyone believes is the best  and most reasonable (considering the alternatives), and that everyone is willing to support, that could be considered consensus. It requires a lot of time and effort and is not always practical or even desirable.   What irritates me the most is when people talk about consensus as if it only means a strong majority, as in "8 out of 10 support this options; it looks like we have consensus. A more common problem, however, is that people suppress their disagreement in order to not be seen as "difficult". The most thorough definition of consensus that I have come across is: "Consensus is a group decision - which some members may not feel is the best decision but which they can all live with, support, and commit themselves to not undermine - arrived at without voting, through a process whereby the issues are fully aired, all members feel that they have been adequately heard, in which everyone has equal power and responsibility, and different degrees of influence by virtue of individual stubbornness or charisma are avoided, so that all are satisfied with the process. The process requires the members to be emotionally present and engaged; frank in a loving, mutually respectful manner; sensitive to each other; to be selfless, dispassionate, and capable of emptying themselves; and possessing a paradoxical awareness of both people and time, including knowing when the solution is satisfactory, and that it is time to stop and not re-open the discussion until such time that the group determines a need for revision." [© 1988, Valley Diagnostic, Medical, and Surgical Clinic, Inc. of Harlingen, Texas and the Foundation for Community Encouragement, Knoxville, Tennessee] (as quoted by M. Scott Peck). My two cents. Bui Harrison Owen wrote: Peter – Tyranny by the majority is certainly a downside of Democracy as practiced in my country (USA). That said, it seems to me that there are circumstances where it is the preferable alternative. The passage of the Civil Rights Act here in the US was vociferously and often violently opposed by a very vocal minority, however I would doubt that many black Americans opposed the vigorous enforcement of that act, and fortunately (for the good of the country) a majority of all Americans, regardless of hue, were in agreement.   Consensus politics has much to commend it, but it too has its downsides. Resolution at the lowest common denominator is one such, which often appears to be no resolution at all. Alternatively, the whole system may simply become paralyzed. At such times, I for one find myself longing for a straight up or down vote. There is also such a thing a Tyranny of Consensus, I think.   Perhaps it is useful to think in terms of both/and as opposed to either/or? For example, Majority Rule, as in the case of the Civil Rights act, was possible only because of a prior consensus in the American Population that the Rule of Law was to be preferred even if you were on the wrong side of the Law.   I suspect that the situation is infinitely more complicated than the simple alternative (Consensus/Majority Rule). My learning has been that our capacity to design and implement effective systems of all sorts (political, corporate, etc) is limited at best. We simply cannot comprehend the infinite complexity and random occurrences (essential chaos), characteristic of all living systems. Our solutions are always approximations, and try as we might, we will never get it “right” – and for sure we will never be in control.  This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t keep trying, but I think it is essential that we understand the true status of our creations – they are maps, and never to be confused with the territory. Like all maps, some are better than others, and as conditions change these maps become more or less relevant/accurate.   We really get in trouble when we decide that there is “One Right Way.” This effectively limits our options and reduces the living space (open space). Pushed to extremes the system will die – which is the end state of all systems, regardless. When you run out of space/time you run out of life. Fortunately our maps do not create the systems, and our systems are infinitely more robust than our designs could ever be. Are they perfect? No. They are always on the way to something new. And if they ever get “there” that will be the end, I think.   Harrison        Harrison Owen 189 Beaucaire Ave Camden, ME 04843 207-763-3261 (Summer) 301-365-2093 (Winter) Website www.openspaceworld.com Personal Website www.ho-image.com OSLIST To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html       From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Peter Emerson Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 5:21 AM To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU Subject: Re: A Common Consensus   Dear Jack,   They key, then, is to ask these folks, do they believe in democracy?  Yes?  Oh jolly good.  And do they believe democracy is for everybody, or just a majority?  And if they agree to the former, away you go.   Mediation works only when the parties to the dispute agree to it.  Democracy should work for all democrats.  Russians and Georgians claim the adjective.  But the idea that a majority can determine the fate of an unwilling minority should be abhorrent… to both.    Cheers,   Peter     Peter Emerson Director, The de Borda Institute 36 Ballysillan Road Belfast BT14 7QQ   028 90 711795 078 377 17979   pemer...@deborda.org www.deborda.org   The Borda count "is the best protection ever devised from the tyranny of the majority."  Professor Sir Michael Dummett. From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Jack Martin Leith Sent: 14 August To: OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU Subject: Re: A Common Consensus   Peter,   Thanks for taking the trouble to explain the method in so much detail. I've turned your post into a Word document and filed it under Decision Making Methods for future reference.   The challenge is getting people's agreement to use the method.   Catch-22!   Warm wishes,   Jack  Jack Martin Leith Now-to-New activist Bristol, United Kingdom Mobile: 07831 840541 (+44 7831 840541) Skype: jackmartinleith email: j...@jackmartinleith.com www.jackmartinleith.com * * ========================================================== OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist No virus found in this incoming message. 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