Some more of the story to offer: I learned Open Space in 1989, before it was widely called a 'technology' - and I was (and still am) reluctant to add the T.
The first uses of the T word were somewhat lighthearted and a little bit ironic, given how low-tech is the process. Harrison's friend in India was indeed "playing up" the legitimacy of the process to the journalists, for whom he added the T to the OS at that fateful business conference. But once the T was in published books, it became a case of the "brand" taking on a life of its own, and then NOT using the T could risk confusion, in a time when these processes are not easily distinguishable to folks who are not trained in the distinctions. I still risk the confusion, call it "open space process" and take the T very lightly, as useful as the T may be. onward... Jeff San Francisco On 2/1/13, Skye Hirst <sk...@autognomics.org> wrote: > I guess the next question is what does "literal" mean? Skye > > > On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 11:43 AM, paul levy <p...@cats3000.net> wrote: > >> Skye, >> >> The first line is ironic, not literal. Forgive my English soul. >> >> Paul >> >> On 01/02/2013, Skye Hirst <sk...@autognomics.org> wrote: >> > How fascinating! You say it's a "thing" then continue to reflect that >> > is >> > it a "process." You might want to explore the different metaphysics of >> > each. Quite different i think. Heraclitus spoke of "becoming" as >> > more >> > alive than things which Plato wanted us to focus on, the fixed ness of >> > that which we could touch, see over and over the same way so we could >> > examine it closely to know that it was "real" >> > >> > Yes, it is a "self" process; self knowing, self referencing and >> > self-correcting. This is not a thing in the old metaphysics. Thanks >> > for >> > your thoughtful comments. This is what they used to call "doing >> philosophy" >> > Skye >> > >> > >> > On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 8:13 AM, paul levy <p...@cats3000.net> wrote: >> > >> >> Well, here's the whole thing... >> >> >> >> Open Space – 2013 and Beyond >> >> >> >> >> >> Be in no doubt, Open Space Technology is a thing. Harrison Owen >> >> specifically called (and continues to call) it a “technology”. It was >> >> a >> >> new >> >> technology designed to replace a tired old one. It was also called a >> >> technology at a time when, in management and organisational circles, >> >> facilitation methods and approaches were being called “technologies”; >> >> also >> >> “tools” and “”techniques” – more so in the United States than in the >> >> counties and cities of the United Kingdom. This particular technology >> was >> >> a >> >> way of conferencing and getting things done that was way better than >> >> over-fussy and over- formalised older “technologies”. >> >> >> >> It was a neat cultural reaction to a future being painted as robotic, >> >> with >> >> society’s problems being solved by things of steel, microchip and >> >> plastic. >> >> By embodying “softer” processes as “technologies” we had a viable >> >> alternative to plugging things into our nerve endings and veins. We >> could >> >> deploy alternative ways of doing things, ways of seeing the world, >> >> ways >> >> of >> >> behaving. If these could be presented simply, and if they could have a >> >> kind >> >> of enduring repeatability in different situations, then they would be >> >> viable alternatives to machines and “stuff”-based innovation. A potent >> >> and >> >> softer technology to allow us to ride the waves of change. Oh, and of >> >> course, it was a wonderful and simple alternative to over-structured, >> >> facilitator-heavy meeting process to boot! >> >> >> >> Open Space Technology is, therefore, presented as a fairly simple, >> >> resilient, and, most importantly, transferable and repeatable THING. >> >> It >> >> is >> >> something you sort of “switch on” and, to quote Harrison, it just >> >> about >> >> “always works”. >> >> >> >> This particular thing is a “technology” so applicable, timeless and >> >> repeatable, because it operates according to natural law. It is an >> >> expression, in process, of self-organisation. >> >> >> >> Open Space Technology isn’t self-organisation as much as >> >> self-organisation >> >> is Open Space. >> >> >> >> Now, there’s been a fair amount of discussion in recent years as to >> >> what >> >> self-organisation is, and Harrison Owen himself has dived into that >> >> exciting pool of thinking and dialogue-ing. I think we are very much >> >> at >> >> the >> >> beginning of understanding what self-organisation is. It certainly >> >> begs >> >> the >> >> question “what is the self in self-organisation?”. There are a range >> >> of >> >> different answers to this and, not surprisingly, they sit on that old >> >> cherry of a line that runs from material science to religion and >> >> faith. >> >> Open Space as a field has always attracted people who see it as an >> >> embodiment of natural science in social action through a practical >> >> proof >> >> and expression of the truth of self-organisation as an underlying >> natural >> >> law. It has also attracted its fair share of spiritual faithfuls who >> >> see >> >> it >> >> as a magical process for making spiritual potential real in the >> >> physical >> >> world. It has given birth to articles about biological >> >> self-organisation >> >> in >> >> human social systems, alongside articles about the power of “holding >> >> the >> >> space”, walking anticlockwise, and the gonging of Tibetan Bells. And >> also >> >> a >> >> fair number of people who see Open Space as uniting science and >> >> spirituality in a meeting process that proves both can sit alongside >> each >> >> other without too much conflict. >> >> >> >> Harrison Owen himself, when it suits him, expounds thousands of words >> >> on >> >> Open Space, how to do it, on self-organization, on wave-riding and so >> on. >> >> When others do the same, especially where attempts are made to >> >> elaborate >> >> the field, explore it, innovative or develop it, he often suggests >> >> that >> >> such thinking is a bit of a pointless exercise, and suggests we just >> >> go >> >> and >> >> “open some space”. It’s a charming, grandfatherly way to be, and I >> >> don’t >> >> mind it at all. >> >> >> >> As 2013 dawns, I’m convinced that Self-Organisation is Open Space. But >> >> I >> >> don’t buy the definition that seems to be emerging that the “self” in >> >> self-organisation doesn’t refer to individual human selves. It most >> >> certainly does. When we contemplate the world (or even universal) >> >> process, >> >> it is too easy to forget that we are contemplating ourselves as part >> >> of >> >> that world process. We don’t sit outside of the universe we are a part >> >> of. >> >> When I derive universal laws of nature, I am also deriving those as >> >> laws >> >> that flow through me. And yet there is also a process of observation >> >> by >> >> my >> >> self of my self that is then taking place. If I say, “this is true for >> >> the >> >> universe”, then I am also saying “this is true for me in the >> >> universe”. >> >> But >> >> I am also saying “My self is observing that this is true for me in the >> >> universe”. It’s the classic observer part of ourselves that observes >> >> our >> >> observing! >> >> >> >> There’s me (“I”), there’s the universe – and there’s also me in the >> >> universe and the universe in me. >> >> >> >> When we self-organise, we both organise as a collective self through >> >> community action (the collective circle) but we also observe into the >> >> circle from a standpoint that no one else in that circle can occupy. >> >> No >> >> one >> >> can be me. No one can refer to me as ‘I’ except for me! Of course >> there’s >> >> a >> >> danger that such an ego or self-focused view can turn into egotism, >> where >> >> the self is self-viewed as more important than any other self-views. >> >> But >> >> there’s also an opportunity to live what Rudolf Steiner described as a >> >> community life where, in the mirror of each human, the community finds >> >> its >> >> reflection and where, in the community, the virtues of each one is >> >> living. >> >> >> >> Self-organisation occurs when the self organises. In community it is a >> >> dual process of the self (the individual) observing into the circle >> >> from >> >> their unique standpoint and where, he or she, also imagines and >> >> reaches >> >> beyond that singular point, into the circle, a collective space, a >> >> community endeavour, where individual selves are also cells connecting >> >> into >> >> a large self-organising being. >> >> >> >> This happens sometimes so brilliantly in an improvisation troupe. We >> >> see >> >> moments of individual genius but also a contribution of each self to a >> >> bigger self – the group, and when this joins up and there is flowing >> >> collaboration, a synergy arises and the group performance is even >> >> greater, >> >> never quite explainable in terms of any individual performances. >> >> >> >> Yes, yes! The whole can be greater than the sum of the parts when the >> >> individual offers their self-part to become part of the community, >> >> allowing >> >> it to self-organise, beyond their own individual ego. We freely flow >> into >> >> the community, and no one knows or cares who, at that moment is >> >> blowing >> >> the >> >> wind. Equally, we step out of that circle and sing our own tune – the >> >> community self-organises, and sometimes we individually self-organise. >> >> >> >> Situations change, needs in communities and organisations change. >> >> Sometimes the lone voice is the only voice that needs to be heard. >> >> Sometimes the lone voice needs to quieten and listen to the circle. >> >> Sometimes a wonderful mess needs to ensue, a chaos for a while, >> sometimes >> >> it all needs to be neat. >> >> >> >> Open Space Technology brings lots of individual selves together and – >> >> in >> >> a >> >> way born of natural genius – creates a market place for selves to >> address >> >> themselves to a community need, and also for a community need to >> manifest >> >> in individual, group and even whole circle endeavour. Open Space is a >> >> wonderful bridge between individual and collective self. When it is >> truly >> >> flowing self-organisation is both individual and whole. The dynamic is >> >> musical, and often akin to dance – as dance that can been seen both on >> >> the >> >> stage and under a microscope, or even out in the starry heavens. >> >> >> >> But sometimes the technology needs adapting. For a very good and >> >> important >> >> reason that, ironically, lies deep at the heart of self-organisation >> >> itself. This is because, although nature itself reveals its laws as >> >> timeless, one little experiment in nature appears to elude that >> repeating >> >> consistency. To quote Steiner again, we will only really begin to >> >> understand the human self when we realise that each human being is a >> >> unique >> >> species of one. Each of us is a new universe, a new emergent day, >> >> every >> >> single second. There is no technology that can fully hold the space >> >> for >> >> our >> >> emerging selves. Self-organisation then needs to flex, flow and emerge >> >> with >> >> our own emerging mystery. For Open Space to embody a warm, loving >> >> truth, >> >> it >> >> has to expose itself to … open space. Open Space cannot sit outside of >> >> the >> >> emergent mystery of uniqueness. It may prove itself for a while as >> fairly >> >> resilient. But then it becomes dogmatic, rusty, nostalgic and even a >> >> bit >> >> sad. Self-organising open space technology has to be able include >> >> re-organising its-self! >> >> >> >> What are you scared of? >> >> >> >> Happy New Year, >> >> >> >> Paul >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> OSList mailing list >> >> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >> >> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >> >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> >> >> >> >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org >> To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org >> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >> > _______________________________________________ OSList mailing list To post send emails to OSList@lists.openspacetech.org To unsubscribe send an email to oslist-le...@lists.openspacetech.org To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org
