Self-Organization

[Jim Metcalf]

I like that: better theology, too.

Jim Metcalf

-----Original Message-----
From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]On Behalf Of Harrison
Owen
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2001 1:45 PM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: Self-Organization

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 <http://www.openspaceworld.com/>
Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org <http://www.openspaceworld.org/>
Personal website www.mindspring.com/~owenhh
<http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh>

OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu
Visit: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20011119/e763ec02/attachment-0010.htm>