OS for "bad" purposes

Tue Nov 28 21:53:49 PST 2000

Peg,

I don't believe it's the structure that brings out the "best of the emergent human spirit."  It's the purpose for which the structure is used, and the values of the people who are drawn by the purpose and who bring value-based passion fueled by the purpose (framing question; theme; etc) that will determine the relative goodness or badness of the emergent OS spirit.  There are certainly studies supporting a belief that street gangs demonstrate principles that, in another context, would be welcome in general society (loyalty, concern for the welfare of others, camaraderie, leadership, discipline, business acumen, etc).  As I began to rattle off historical context for other organizations (religious, social and political) which can be characterized with the same (or worse) stigma that we assign to street gangs, I had to stop and erase most of what I had written.  I guess I've had too many good philosophical discussions with the enquiring Jesuit mind before.

warm regards...

Doc

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Peggy Holman 
  To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 12:25 PM
  Subject: OS for "bad" purposes

  Harrison did a talk this morning at an Executive Leadership Program alumnus breakfast at Seattle University.  This is a very traditional (actually a Jesuit) school and most of the attendees were new to OS.  One person asked a question that really intrigued me, so I thought I'd bring it here.

  What would be the implications of convening an OS for purposes generally considered to be for the ill of the community?  For example, what if a street gang convened an OS on on doing a better job of taking over a neighborhood?

  Would it still lead to the best of the human spirit emerging, as I always experience in OS?  

  Peggy

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