Just to clarify Paul, my "olderness" and :p was just tongue in cheek. :)
All the best, Marie Ann On Tue, Feb 5, 2013 at 1:40 PM, paul levy <[email protected]> wrote: > Marie and Harrison > > I think the question "why does self-organisation work" is such a strong > one and well worth exploring. I also connect to your notion that "selves" > love to each towards each other. The following quote comes to mind: > > "We realise ourselves through those around us; they speak to us through > our questions of them." > > I'm also fairly sure that we - as selves - have all been around even > longer than the big bang, Harrison. I might even be older than you. > > Paul > > > On 4 February 2013 22:35, Marie Ann Östlund <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Thank you Paul for starting this interesting thread. >> >> Harrison writes: >> >> "I called it a “puckish” question (maybe “impish” would be better) if >> only because it represents a delightful misstatement of the usual >> understanding of “self” in the phrase “self organization,” which of course >> has nothing to do with “selves” per se, but rather the perceived fact that >> organization takes place all on its own – all by itself. But your twist is >> all to a greater purpose, I believe: Driving straight to a really juicy >> question – Who are we in a self organizing world?" >> >> We may also ask: why does self-organisation work? What is the impetus for >> self-organisation? And the answer to that question may help us towards a >> more subtle understanding of the self - not as a lone ranger in competition >> with the world and other selves, but as a connected self (or a self >> striving for connection) that enjoys giving, loving, contributing to the >> whole - the both/and *personal* satisfaction of being connected to the * >> whole*. We self-organise because we love it. That's what inspires me in >> open space. >> >> Otherwise, I have a hard time with the idea that self-organisation >> happens entirely by its own, almost like a chemical process. Take away >> stuff that stops self/organisation and whoops - self-organisation happens. >> Yes, it does happen, but why? Just saying - it does - does not really >> satisfy me. Could it be that it has something to do with what we are as >> selves? Could it be that we as selves want to connect and contribute, that >> we as selves are loving beings after all. It may very much have to do with >> the self bit in self-organisation. >> >> "People will say that they never have felt so valued and respected for >> who and what they are (individual selves) – and simultaneously remark on >> the intense experience of community to the point that the difference of >> selves is hardly noticeable, and sometimes simply disappears. All one >> flowing whole. That is the dance. That is self organization at work, I >> think." >> >> Exactly. The perfect dance between being a self in the world, and the >> world in the self :) Thank you. >> >> All the best, >> >> Marie Ann >> >> >> >> On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 10:05 PM, Harrison Owen <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Paul – thank you for re-posting your blog here on OSLIST. I truly >>> enjoyed and learned from your thinking because it represents the sort of >>> sensitive probing necessary for beginning to understand the funny thing we >>> have called Open Space Technology, and the infinitely deeper reality of >>> Self Organization. As for your puckish question, “What is the ‘self’ in >>> Self Organization?” – Marvelous. **** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> I called it a “puckish” question (maybe “impish” would be better) if >>> only because it represents a delightful misstatement of the usual >>> understanding of “self” in the phrase “self organization,” which of course >>> has nothing to do with “selves” per se, but rather the perceived fact that >>> organization takes place all on its own – all by itself. But your twist is >>> all to a greater purpose, I believe: Driving straight to a really juicy >>> question – Who are we in a self organizing world?**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> There are some folks who seem to think that a self organizing world >>> annihilates the self – that it somehow eradicates our own unique identity >>> and agency. We are pawns in a larger game, and very helpless pawns. The end >>> of such thinking seems to lie in one of two spots. Either we are just the >>> flotsam and jetsam in an unfeeling ocean with little to be or do – OR -- >>> the whole thing is non-sense. Ann Rand lives, and the notion of self >>> organization is simply the product of an overactive, collectivist plot. >>> **** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> I suspect that neither of these conclusions is valid, although both have >>> a contribution to make. At issue is our propensity for either/or thinking, >>> when both/and is much more effective in this situation. Not to be opaque – >>> it is common to think of the “self” and the “organization” as two separate >>> entities, which should never be confused or combined. To do so is to >>> destroy both. There is a degree of comfort here, if only because I am I – >>> and all those other poor blokes (the organization) can do what they bloody >>> well want to! The preservation of the Self as an island fortress may be a >>> comfort– but I don’t find it to be all that useful or accurate in the long >>> run. It is more about both/and.**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Put somewhat differently Self and Organization are, in my view, polar >>> concepts, and integrally related; you can’t have one without the other. In >>> the world of philosophy this is often referred to as the self/world >>> correlation, which means simply that you never had a self apart from a >>> world/organization and *vice versa.* This may seem a little obtuse, >>> but I think we would all agree that you have never seen an organization >>> that was not composed of selves. And the reverse is also true. Sounds a >>> little strange maybe, but if I ask you who you are you will reply in some >>> language, and if English that will tell me that one organization you are >>> part of is the Anglophone world. And the likelihood is that you will >>> continue with something like, “I am an engineer, at IBM – or whatever. Self >>> and World in polarity.**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Things get more dynamic, some might say sloppy, from this point on. >>> Both/and thinking is a way (certainly not the only way) of thinking/talking >>> about a dance between two poles. In this case Self and Organization. “We” >>> (as individuals or collectives) are neither one and always on the way to >>> the other. Kind of boggles the mind and maybe a needless sophistry – but >>> begins to capture an experience we all share: Open Space.**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Over the years of Open Space, I have noticed in myself and in the >>> reports of fellow participants an odd contradiction which is actually a >>> paradox. People will say that they never have felt so valued and respected >>> for who and what they are (individual selves) – and simultaneously remark >>> on the intense experience of community to the point that the difference of >>> selves is hardly noticeable, and sometimes simply disappears. All one >>> flowing whole. That is the dance. That is self organization at work, I >>> think.**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> It is surely fun to think and share, particularly when we reach the >>> edges of our certainty and the power of our expression. I do love this >>> crazy OSLIST! And if that makes me Grandfatherly, Paul – so be it. **** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Harrison **** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Harrison Owen**** >>> >>> 7808 River Falls Dr.**** >>> >>> Potomac, MD 20854**** >>> >>> USA**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> 189 Beaucaire Ave. (summer)**** >>> >>> Camden, Maine 04843**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> Phone 301-365-2093**** >>> >>> (summer) 207-763-3261**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com%20> **** >>> >>> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com%20> (Personal Website)**** >>> >>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of >>> OSLIST Go to: >>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> *From:* [email protected] [mailto: >>> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *paul levy >>> >>> *Sent:* Friday, February 01, 2013 8:14 AM >>> *To:* [email protected] >>> *Subject:* [OSList] Open Space – 2013 and Beyond**** >>> >>> ** ** >>> >>> 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 [email protected] >>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>> To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: >>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> "Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly >> you are doing the impossible." ~ Saint Francis of Assisi >> >> _______________________________________________ >> OSList mailing list >> To post send emails to [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> 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 [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > To subscribe or manage your subscription click below: > http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org > > -- "Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~ Saint Francis of Assisi
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