David Osborne's statement and Chris's question precipitated something in my head. Needless to say David can and should speak for himself. However from my relatively isolated corner of the universe (Maine) I have noticed a few interesting suggestions that something of a shift might be in the wind. Whether it will be sufficient to save Homo sapiens from ossification, only time will tell.
One such suggestion in the increase of questioning. As a child of the 50's (and yes there really were human beings walking the earth in that primal time), my world was firmly described by answers. Everybody knew precisely how life should be lived. There were rules to be followed, and if followed success was assured. Of course there were deviants who were largely marginalized and suppressed, but WE knew the Answers... the right way. And then a funny thing called the '60s blew all that certainty away. It was at once terrifying, refreshing, and exhilarating. And one thing was for sure: The primacy of answers gave way to an avalanche of questions. It is in the nature of questions to open space. Answers close it. With all the fresh air of openness, the forces of creativity soared to the joy and terror of all involved. Space in all dimensions exploded, and the tight societies of Philadelphia and New York, in which I grew up, shattered to merge with insular rural communities, and make contact with strange creatures on The Other Coast. Strange new world! The 70's and early 80's possessed a rich nutrient openness. New stories, and the answers they purported to provide, popped up like mushrooms. Some were weird, some substantive, some technological and all of them creating as many new questions as the answers they supposedly offered. Thrilling! But as the 80's ended and the 90's arrived it seemed that the age of answers were settling more than a few of the questions. Author's could write knowingly about "New Rules"... and while there was a breath of novelty it seemed the rules (answers) were known. The 90's slid by with almost dream like certainty. At least that's how it seemed to me. The Markets were up, America ruled. Some were even suggesting that the Age of Aquarius had actually begun! I guess there were still some questions, but none that we couldn't handle with the right Process or Procedure. And if not today, then tomorrow. So ended the Millennium. The New Millennium rolled in as predicted. Surprise! But in a funny way it seemed pretty anti-climactic. To be sure there were lots of parties, fireworks, speeches, the usual turn of the Millennia Fantasies. But at the end of the day it was pretty much more of the same... Until a bright clear day in September. September 11th to be exact. Maybe this was just a turning point for those of us in the USA. But I do believe, as I listen to my friends and colleagues from around the world -- we were all there. Doubtless with different feelings and interpretations. But for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer... it was a very different world! How different, we are only just beginning to understand. And for the first time in some long time -- the Questions vastly outnumber the available answers. This is a Turning Point. And a wonderful one, I do believe. When we as a species are compelled to sit in that really uncomfortable and juicy moment created by truly profound questions, the Space is truly OPENED. I think that is where we are at, and best of all I see lots of new faces rising to the bait. Call them "Millennials" or whatever... but it is every bit as exciting as the "60's" and we may or may not survive to tell the tale. But that has always been true. 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 www.ho-image.com (Personal Website) To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of OSLIST Go to:http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chris Kloth Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2013 8:15 PM To: World wide Open Space Technology email list; David Osborne Subject: Re: [OSList] Federal Reserve Employees Survey David, I wonder if you could share a little more about what is going on already. I have had conversations with Fed officials in San Francisco and Cleveland and, while they are doing some things I am very interested in and impressed by, I have yet to see evidence of OST. -- Shalom, Chris Kloth ChangeWorks of the Heartland 254 South Merkle Road Bexley, OH 43209-1801 ph 614-239-1336 fax 614-237-2347 www.got2change.com Quoting David Osborne <[email protected]>: > Yes Brett. Being Done. > > Consider looking beyond the reporting....to the fact that space has > been opened for this to be shared and talked about. What is in the > news is not always the best reflection of what is actually happening. > > > > > > -- > > David Osborne > > > > www.change-fusion.com | [email protected] | 703.939.1777 On > Sat, Aug 31, 2013 at 12:35 PM, Brett Barndt <[email protected]>wrote: > >> Can the OST community perhaps help here? It is a sad state of affairs >> in which we all have a stake. Even citizens of the world have a stake >> in this dysfunction owing to the interconnected nature of the global >> economies, our livelihoods, and well-being. >> >> The appointees, and congress by association, should not be permitted >> to let it go on this way any longer. People are dying out there with >> higher poverty, food insecurity, mortality, and suicide rates as a >> result of this situation. >> >> >> http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/federal-reserve-employees-su >> rvey_n_3826165.html >> >> Discourse and dialogue are the last thing that should be stifled by >> culture or any other dysfunction in an institution like this one. >> >> OST and an open process of multi-stakeholder engagement is of course >> part of the solution. >> >> This seems like it should be well within our rights to insist upon at >> this moment in time. We are stakeholders. Albeit. we are >> non-consulted, unrepresented stakeholders in the current practice. >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 >> >> > ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program. _______________________________________________ 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 .
