Properties of circles
Doris Gottlieb
dlgottlieb at chello.nl
Sun Jan 11 10:40:10 PST 2004
Dear chris,
This sounds really interesting and I want to try it but I'm a bit
mathematically backward, what do you mean by square yourself to the center?
Doris Gottlieb
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]Namens Chris Corrigan
Verzonden: zondag 11 januari 2004 12:29
Aan: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Onderwerp: Re: Properties of circles
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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