Properties of circles

Sun Jan 11 09:17:49 PST 2004

I am having a hard picturing your instructions, Chris.  Why put each chair
slightly behind the two beside it?  How can all chairs be slightly behind
the two behind it?  I know I am missing something simple and feel a bit
sheepish but I love circles and I want to get this instrucion.

>From: Chris Corrigan <chris at chriscorrigan.com>
>Reply-To: OSLIST <OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>
>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject: Re: Properties of circles
>Date: Sun, 11 Jan 2004 03:29:20 -0800
>
>John:
>
>It works beautifully.  It's essentially flocking behaviour.  In other
>words, complex groups like flocks operate on only a few basic rules.
>For flocks the basic rules are:
>
>1. Separation: steer to avoid crowding local flockmates.
>2. Alignment: steer towards the average heading of local flockmates.
>3. Cohesion: steer to move toward the average position of local
>flockmates.
>
>Use these rules and you can create fantastic artificial flocks.
>
>It's the same way with a large group forming a circle:
>
>1. Square yourself to the centre
>2. Place your chair slightly behind your two neighbours (it seems
>strange to think that every point on a circle can be behind every other
>point, but Escher's geometry was never do easy to play with!).
>
>That's it.  What happens is that each individual carries those simple
>instructions and this elegant structure emerges in SECONDS.  And then
>this is often followed by an audible sigh as people experience the
>transcendent moment.  I love doing this especially with large groups.
>Once I had 200 youth do it and was amazing.  They couldn't stop talking
>about it.
>
>Try finding the rules that will get a large group into a square.  That
>would be an interesting exercise.  Do it without telling them where the
>corners should be.  I can't imagine that without a table, they would
>form a perfect square, especially with a facilitator standing in the
>centre.  It would be too awkward near the corners to be looking straight
>across a row of laps.  I'm certain the chair would want to ache inward,
>like a super-ellipse (thanks Alex!)
>
>The learning here is that it seems to me that circles are natural forms
>of human geometry.  We do not have 180 degree peripheral vision, so if
>we need to take the world in, it has to curve around in front of us.  As
>a result, it is true that circles animate agency, because it feels to
>each of us as if the shape is there for our own benefit.  And we all
>experience the benefit equally.  The world is curving in front of ME,
>and doing exactly the same thing in front of YOU.
>
>Anyway, this is a great thread...keep it going!
>
>Chris
>
>---
>CHRIS CORRIGAN
>Bowen Island, BC, Canada
>http://www.chriscorrigan.com
>chris at chriscorrigan.com
>
>(604) 947-9236
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of John
> > Moore
> > Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 2:23 AM
> > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Properties of circles
> >
> > Chris:
> >
> > >From unreliable memory, isn't a circle geometrically the shape that
> > contains
> > the most area with a given amount of boundary.  So there is an analogy
> > about
> > it being the way to include as much material as possible.  And that's
>the
> > spirit of the circle, to include perspectives not exclude.
> >
> > By the way, I found your final element (how the group can make a
>perfect
> > circle) breathtaking. I couldn't believe it when I read it, I had to
>get a
> > pen and draw an arc to understand it.  I assume from what you say that
> > this
> > works pretty much everytime you do it.  Quite brilliant. Thanks for
> > sharing
> > it !
> >
> > John
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of
>Chris
> > Corrigan
> > Sent: 09 January 2004 23:01
> > To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
> > Subject: Properties of circles
> >
> >
> > Hi folks:
> >
> > I was writing out the basic script that I use for opening OST meetings
> > last
> > night and while reading it I noticed that I spend a lot of time
> > introducing
> > people to the ideas and properties of circles.  I think circles are
> > fundamentally important to process, and so I'm collecting other
>people's
> > notes and properties of circles.
> >
> > So here is my script with the three things I usually do to bring the
> > circle
> > to awareness.  Have a read and then ask yourself what you can add to
>this.
> > What are the other cool properties of circles?
> >
> >                 Circles are really rather neat forms of geometry
>because
> > they force us to have a look at things in a particular way.   For
> > example in a circle, we don't really know who "the leader" is.  In
>fact we
> > may be forgiven for thinking that the leader is either not here, or is
> > each
> > one of us.  And as a leader who is not here cannot do anything, it
>must be
> > that each one of is a leader.
> >
> >                 Also circles teach us that there are some things that
>can
> > only be done by groups.  For example, you will notice that this circle
>of
> > chairs isn't really a very good circle.  It's actually a strangely
> > distorted
> > ellipse.  That is because for one person to set up a perfect circle of
> > chairs on their own is a nearly impossible task.  But I'll show you a
> > small
> > miracle.  I'll stand in the centre here and ask all of you to stand by
> > your
> > chairs.  Now square up so that you are facing me and when you've done
>that
> > check to see that you are sitting slightly behind your two neighbours.
> > Now
> > sit down.  Have a look around. You have just made a perfect circle.
>This
> > is
> > something only a group can do and it took only a few seconds.  If I
>had
> > had
> > to do that it would have taken me hours.  This is important to note.
>It's
> > as if we all carry the coordinates for calibrating a circle within us
>but
> > they can only be activated by acting along with several others.
> >
> >                 Finally, here's one more thing about a circle.  If I
>stand
> > in the middle then you will all agree that you are looking at me. But
>none
> > of you will agree that you have the same view of me.  You can see me,
>but
> > your perspective is absolutely unique.  It is not shared by anyone
>else.
> > We
> > agree on the object of our observation but none of us share the same
> > perspective.  Remember that today as we work on these issues.  Without
> > each
> > perspective we would not have a full picture.  If you were all behind
>me
> > then none of you could say with certainty that I had a face.  By
> > surrounding
> > me we have the whole picture, but we have to ask one another about the
> > pieces that we are missing.  If you folks sitting behind me want to
>know
> > how
> > many fingers I'm holding up, you have to ask this person I'm facing.
> > That's
> > how it is with problems too. Remember that today.
> >
> >
> > So what else can we build into our openings about circles?
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > [PS Florian.some of this probably qualifies as "even"]
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> > CHRIS CORRIGAN
> > Bowen Island, BC, Canada
> > http://www.chriscorrigan.com
> > chris at chriscorrigan.com
> >
> > (604) 947-9236
> >
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