Anothe contribution from afar
On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 23:28, Ueli Scheuermeier
<<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
The demand that we should reconfigure our general attitude to achieve
relationships that are more synergistic can in itself be
condescending and patronizing.
This is tricky and weird, but it indeed is a very hidden and powerful
form of what I call the "helper syndrome": I mean the "modern"
attitude of wanting to enter into a synergistic relationship assumes
that there isn't such a relationship and therefore the initiative for
it must come from the north? That's just like assuming help must come
from the north. So even this modern "leftist" notion can meet deep
distrust, rightly so.
My breakthrough came when assuming we already ARE in a synergistic
relationship, it's just that I've been blind all along. And sure enough....
Talking with villagers as a businessman out to make money with them
makes a huge difference. It's kind of "I won't make any money unless
you guys make money. So let's figure this out?". This makes me much
more graspable, my intentions are VERY clear, no condescension, no
patronizing, and it makes me trustworthy in their ideas: Wanting to
make money is an acceptable motivation for interacting (oh yes, with
all thar knowledge management that implies).
Now guess who has the most problems with me wanting to make
money for myself together with poor African villagers..... ??
Ueli
Valerie A. Brown AO, BSc MEd PhD
Emeritus Professor, University of Western Sydney
Director, Local Sustainability Project,
Fenner School of Environment and Society
Australian National University, ACT 0200
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Ph/Fax 61 (0)2 62958650
http://www.sustainability.org.au
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