Self-Organization

[Harrison Owen]

At 07:27 PM 11/17/01 -0500, Jim Metcalf wrote:
>So, I m proposing that we have a continuum. On one end is the nearly pure
>democratically self-organized system.
>
>On the other end of the continuum is the tyrannically organized system,
>which must always contend with the natural inclination of people to
>self-organize in order to meet their own needs.
>
>One thing that seems to make Open Space work is that it goes with the
>flow. It takes advantage of people s natural inclination to self-organize,
>to have input into their own destiny, to be free. I believe the other
>thing that makes Open Space work is its reliance on Word to create the
>self-organizing system. The words that are shared in Open Space create
>order out of the initial chaos. The words that are shared in Open Space
>also prevent the continuing chaos of people acting individually without
>words, without communication, without coordination, without care for
>another s ideas.

Good thought! But I might suggest a different phrasing. In the beginning
there were self-organizing systems to which there has been a continuum of
response -- ranging from tyrannical to democratic. Self-organization is
intrinsically neither, and is prior to both. However, it seems to function
much better at the democratic end of things if only because it is then free
to be itself.

How about that?

ho


Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854 USA
phone 301-469-9269
Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh

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