Grinning appreciatively:-) k
Karen Sella Coaching: www.luminacoaching.com Consulting: www.integralventures.com Blog: www.lumina.typepad.com Phone: 1.206.780.2998 Skype: karensella lumina fr. L. light, air, opening... The information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential and protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited. If you think that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by reply and delete the message and any attachments. _____ From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Jon Harvey Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 3:58 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: just wondering Harrison and all ....We still want the tea back - or the taxes - we don't mind which! Sincere regards from the UK - from an OS practitioner who doesn't think there has ever been a truly free market, is very wary of control freaks on the Left and Right, believes in democracy (in the way that most capitalist businesses do not...) and above all yearns for a wholesome peace where everyone can make their dreams a reality without some profiteer getting in the way or trying to sell them a different dream (that costs a lot!). Jon ___________________________________________________ Jon Harvey Director <http://www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk/> www.jonharveyassociates.co.uk 07771 537535 01280 822585 Bridge.jpg.png Helping you connect the prose and the passion to deliver superlative results Jon Harvey Associates Ltd Registered Office: Chandos House, School Lane, Buckingham, MK18 1HD Company Number 6661588. VAT Registration Number 936 2921 11 j...@jonharveyassociates.co.uk From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Harrison Owen Sent: 02 October 2008 21:50 To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: just wondering Michael said: I love Harrison Owen's observation that "Whereever space is opened, peace breaks out" AND in parallel with that it seems to me possible that Open Space could be used for people to self organise to evil ends as well as to good ends (remember the famous TV Character, Maxwell Smart's comment, "If only he had used his powers for good instead of evil"). Interesting question - Could evil people use Open Space for evil ends? I think the answer is: Certainly. But we might need to go a little deeper and recognize that my "evil" could well be your "good," and visa versa. No need to disappear into the mists of moral relativism, but I think we all might agree that what the American revolutionaries perceived as a profound "good" - was seen in very different terms by the British Crown. And I would believe that had the Americans and the Brits known about and utilized OST both groups could have achieved infinitely higher levels of group cohesion and effectiveness. Unfortunately, this achievement would have meant (at least in the short term) that they could have killed each other with greater efficiency. This might make the Generals happy but does little to advance the cause of humanity, to say nothing of the long term survival of either party. I think we might add another thought to the discussion - no system exists in isolation. The Americans needed the Brits and visa versa. And actually they (we) formed a system, albeit a rather dysfunctional one. Where to go? How about getting the whole system in the room! Open some space. Imagine what might have happened. . . Harrison Harrison Owen 7808 River Falls Drive Potomac, Maryland 20854 Phone 301-365-2093 Skype hhowen Open Space Training <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.openspaceworld.com Open Space Institute <http://www.openspaceworld.org/> www.openspaceworld.org Personal website <http://www.ho-image.com/> www.ho-image.com OSLIST: To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: <http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html> www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html -----Original Message----- From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Wood Sent: Thursday, October 02, 2008 12:24 AM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: Re: just wondering Marty Interesting question you raise. I certainly don't have a clear answer, but just a few thoughts. At San Francisco this year someone convened a very interesting conversation about what happens when communities "self organise themselves into dictatorships"...or words to that effect. I didn't attend that conversation but it did get me thinking. I love Harrison Owen's observation that "Whereever space is opened, peace breaks out" AND in parallel with that it seems to me possible that Open Space could be used for people to self organise to evil ends as well as to good ends (remember the famous TV Character, Maxwell Smart's comment, "If only he had used his powers for good instead of evil"). So I think that what OS does is to bring things out into the open more transparently so that we can see what we're actually dealing with. And I presume that this does not remove the fact that governing bodies still need, at the end of the day, to make public policy decisions which will involve more or less government intervention, depending on one's political persuasions...and this is what constitutes part of the boundaries of the Open Space. Michael Wood Perth, Western Australia _____ From: OSLIST [mailto:osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu] On Behalf Of Martin Boroson Sent: Wednesday, 1 October 2008 9:43 PM To: osl...@listserv.boisestate.edu Subject: just wondering I am wondering . The philosophy of Open Space seems to promote a genuinely free market for ideas. The underlying belief, as I understand it, is that allowing each person to follow his/her passion is the best way to discover the best ideas and solutions. It's efficient, just like a market. This sure sounds like the 'invisible hand' and laissez-faire capitalism to me. I have even sold Open Space to some corporate execs by pointing out that since they value the free market so dearly outside their company, they might want to try a free market for ideas inside their company. So I have often wondered if people on this list believe as passionately in the free market for the economy as they do in Open Space. In the current economic crisis, as the world clamors for greater regulation - i.e. more rules and limits on the freedom of markets - I am wondering if any of you have any thoughts or insights to share. I imagine Harrison will remind me that Open Space runs on freedom and responsibility. yet the responsibility asked of participants in Open Space is pretty minimal - naming their passion and showing up for their sessions and respecting others' freedom to do the same. It's well short of socialism. Marty Priory End House 2 North Street, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5NZ United Kingdom +44 784 344 5746 (mobile) www.martinboroson.info * * ========================================================== osl...@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 * * ========================================================== osl...@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 * * ========================================================== osl...@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 * * ========================================================== osl...@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 * * ========================================================== osl...@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
