Thank you Elwin!
ho Winter Address 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-2093 Summer Address 189 Beaucauire Ave Camden, ME 04843 207 763-3261 Websites www.openspaceworld.com www.ho-image.com From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Elwin and Joan via OSList Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2016 4:52 PM To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' Subject: Re: [OSList] OLpening Space for Civil Conversation Harrison promoted this summary of my Open Space engagements in Portland CT. At the start, I sent 6 or 8 local folks an invitation to meet at my farmhouse to discuss the "future" of our town, population 9,500. Twenty two people showed up. We talked, or should I say I talked, for a good two hours. Lots of concerns were expressed. At the end, I invited them to a second meeting. It was at that meeting that I promoted Open Space Technology as a means of getting something done. When they left, I was certain none were "believers". Nonetheless, I summoned all my courage and made an appointment with our Mayor. I explained the gatherings I hosted and asked for use of the largest room in town so that I could facilitate an Open Space focused on the town's planning issues. To my surprise and delight, I was given a school gymnasium. I wrote an invitation for the weekly newspaper and 55 people attended. It was a classic, "by the book", OST. I write this 2 1/2 years later and can report that the issues discussed at that OST are the Town's major development successes. The OST gave birth to citizen action committees that 1) reclaimed an abandon railroad bed for use as a walking trail, 2) successfully lobbied the Town to establish a "Complete Streets" policy, 3) enhanced the Town's Riverfront Park with a concert pavilion, toilets, and picnic area, 4) successfully developed a $6 million recreation complex, and 5) provided a mixed-use, Town Centered, plan for economic development. Just as significant, many OST attendees now serve as commissioners on Town boards and commissions including Planning and Zoning, and Economic Development. I am currently serving as Chairmen of the Economic Development Commission. Last year I held several town-wide public meetings to gain input for the Town Center project. Every one of those meetings was well attended (more than 100 people) and ALL were conducted using a circle of chairs. It is no surprise that people left those meetings with a sense of having contributed to the outcome. There's a real possibility that down the road OST will become the Town's standard for public engagement. Elwin Guild Future Development International Portland, CT _____ From: Harrison Owen <[email protected]> To: 'Elwin and Joan' <[email protected]>; 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 11:58 AM Subject: RE: [OSList] OLpening Space for Civil Conversation And Elwin…. SHARE WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!! Good Stuff!! “I am following Harrison’s prescription here in small town America. I’m opening space in hopes of restoring trust in our system of governance. It’s working! Elwin Guild” ho Winter Address 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-2093 Summer Address 189 Beaucauire Ave Camden, ME 04843 207 763-3261 Websites www.openspaceworld.com www.ho-image.com From: OSList [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Elwin and Joan via OSList Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 11:27 AM To: Harrison Owen; World wide Open Space Technology email list Subject: Re: [OSList] OLpening Space for Civil Conversation Harrison’s ability to help us put our own thoughts in order is a gift! He and I share much, basically the same “bubble”. I’m a WASP sans prep school. I see it as Harrison does but I always place italics and bold print on the term FEAR!!! FEAR is the product of the absence of Open Space i.e., the collective engagement in meeting the needs of all. Despite our efforts, this world shows ever growing evidence of fear. Trump’s win was not about Trump. It was about “them”, all those living in fear of others. They’re a mob unified only by fear. I am following Harrison’s prescription here in small town America. I’m opening space in hopes of restoring trust in our system of governance. It’s working! Elwin Guild Future Development International Portland, CT _____ From: Harrison Owen via OSList <[email protected]> To: 'World wide Open Space Technology email list' <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 10:24 AM Subject: [OSList] OLpening Space for Civil Conversation The American election occurred almost three weeks ago. Curiously, not a word has been uttered here on OSLIST. Obviously this was an American election, but it seems very much of a global phenomenon. It is also true that over the years we have typically avoided politics of whatever sort. However, I think the case can be made that while politics, nationally and internationally, are very much a part of what is transpiring – The issues are much deeper and more profound. Creating space for useful, civil conversations is critical, and we know something about that. Ho Ps – I have offered a few thoughts below. *************************************************************************************** Donald Trump Was Not elected by Martians I experienced the election of Donald Trump as a massive shock. That said, it must be affirmed that he won fair and square – albeit with a little help from an arcane institution: The Electoral College. Curiously, there were several million more people voting for Hillary than Donald. But never mind – he won. And Donald Trump was not elected by Martians. The Donald’s victory is appalling to me for many reasons, which need not be reiterated. But it is a fact. He won. The Donald is also a recognizable American Type, perhaps more in the mold of The Robber Barons or Al Capone, but definitely, “American.” Actually, he is his own Brand, or so he would have you believe. More to the point, he was elected by Americans. These Americans are my fellow citizens, a disparate bunch for sure, and some of them are neighbors, relatives, even friends. How could they do this? You will not miss the pain and incredulity of my question. However, in the interests of transparency, I have a confession to make. I am an endangered species, one of a vanishing few: a certified WASP. Skin color, definitely light, Anglo-Saxon for sure, and Protestant of the Episcopalian sort. Old Philadelphian, Socially Registered, all the proper schools. In short: WASP And I lived in a bubble. It is true that I have traveled the world, living and working on every continent (save Antarctica) – for corporations, governments and very small villages. I have heard much, and seen more – but you never get out of your skin. That bubble goes with you. The election of Donald Trump popped my bubble. I have to thank him for that. The revelation experienced has little to do with a sudden perception of the issues involved. Some of those issues were less familiar, but few were strangers. Indeed, I seem to have worked with them all. What I missed (or miss-gauged) was more fundamental: Fear. Deep, existential Fear. The Germans would say Angst. The source of all this anxiety? I suspect the culprit is none other than Change. Deep, radical Change... with no end in sight. All 7.5+ billion of us are in the midst of a transformative moment. Every organization, institution, or social structure worldwide is being pushed to the edge of breaking – and beyond. The Pillars of the Earth, the central structures, the things we count on.... are on shaking ground. It is all called CHANGE with a very capitol C. Terrifying – if you stop to think about it. Remarking that the world is changing has become a tattered cliché. And curiously, on the American political scene, a leading theme is the need for CHANGE! Both Obama (“Change you can believe in”) and Trump played that card. We seem to be asking for more of our most frightening nightmare. The insanity of this paradox resolves once the nature of our desired change is specified. More often than not, the hoped for Change is, “Back to the good old days.” That could be days as they actually were, or more usually, days as we might wish them to have been. The “American Dream” being a good example. That there is The Dream is a fact, and it has had the beneficial effect of pushing and sucking us along. But suggesting that The Dream represents an assured reality, guaranteed for life, is a cruel hoax perpetrated by naive dreamers and frauds alike, but for differing reasons. The net effect, however, is the same: Massive disillusion, anger and ultimately – Fear. The world we expected, the world we were “promised” is never going to happen. It could be something better, maybe something different – but definitely not “as promised.” You can see the pickle we have created for ourselves. How we got here is the core of the present debate. The virtually universal response is, Somebody did something wrong, followed quickly by strong condemnation, all combined with multiple “sure-fire” fixes. Somewhere there must be The Plan, The Leader, or best of all, The Leader with The Plan... In case you hadn’t noticed, we are still waiting... Then again, perhaps we are looking at things in the wrong way? What we take to be error, chaos and confusion, the ending and dissolution of life... may be quite different. What we are experiencing could be a critical aspect of life’s ongoing, natural process. Like crustaceans (crabs, for example), we create a comfortable shelter (shells) in which we happily grow. I might also say, bubble. We are protected until that inevitable day when we are just too much “crab” for our accommodations. A serious choice has to be made. Shed the shell or die! Of course, shedding the shell makes one totally vulnerable to any passing critter searching for a tender, tasty meal. Terrifying! Following this analogy, we have created many shells called “Political Systems,” “Scientific Theories,” “Social Mores,” “Cultures” – each one providing a momentary safe space for a few lucky inhabitants. We have done this again and again, in parallel and sequentially. For better than a million years, we as a species (Homo sapiens), have evolved – engaging, surpassing, and on occasion, eliminating, our cousins (Homo whatever), and other fellow travelers on Planet Earth. As a species, we have done quite well (so far), albeit with some collateral damage. For those protected by new and emerging “shells,” this is known as Progress. For all other creatures, there are different names. The weakest version may be “Change,” but stronger varieties include: pain, deceit, catastrophe, calamity. Viewed from the point of view of the evolution of our species, we simply couldn’t be what we are, had we not been what we’ve been, and overall we haven’t done that badly. Other species will take a less charitable view. Simply put – our present, evolved position is a direct result of our moving from shell to shell (bubble to bubble). For all those questioning the positive nature of this evolution, I suggest an immediate re-location in any handy cave – presuming you find one unoccupied by a Saber-tooth or other nasty creature. Now to the point: The Donald represents another Shell/Bubble. Not a very good one, I submit, but never the less, a covering space for those who think, hope, believe – that he can somehow give them shelter in the storm. As with pudding, the test will be in the eating. Should the shell prove effective, it will last for whatever time. Then it too will pass. There are those who hope and expect the Trumpian Shell to endure. Adolph Schicklgruber was promising a 1000 years, but fortunately life moved on and change came sooner. How long we will be stuck with The Donald is anybody’s guess. In the mean time, we might just as well get on with life – for surely life is getting on with us. As usual. And we can help. Our plottings, plans, and procedures are interesting of course, but perhaps more important is doing what we can to keep a little space open so that Life has room to grow. Who knows what wonder and majesty will emerge all by itself. Winter Address 7808 River Falls Dr. Potomac, MD 20854 301-365-2093 Summer Address 189 Beaucauire Ave Camden, ME 04843 207 763-3261 Websites www.openspaceworld.com <http://www.openspaceworld.com/> www.ho-image.com <http://www.ho-image.com/> _______________________________________________ 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 Past archives can be viewed here: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
_______________________________________________ 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 Past archives can be viewed here: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
