Muddling Through

[Seamus McInerney]

Hi to the list,
I am of a mind that "muddling through" is not even an option, it is the
only way. The phrase is probably more benign than the result of all plans
failing. It implies a willingness to let the chips fall where they will,
pick them up and keep putting your best foot forward. It has a positive
feel to it, one might even say optimistic that all will be ok in the end.
Very OS in fact. It has an air of garden fetes and church committees, small
communities who have no other option but to do the best they can under
whatever circunstances arise and with whatever resources are available.

Globally it would mean a realisation that this planet is the only one we
have, these people are the only people available and we'd best learn to get
on with each other because we'll all be living next door to them or their
children for long years to come. Considered that way its better not to make
too many enemies. Beside you may need your neighbour to help you during the
next flood or famine or ice age or epidemic or whatever.

Shay

At 13:51 04/11/2004, you wrote:
>Lucus Wrote: My feeling is that "muddling through" is all that we've got
>left. We may even become good at it, I hope!
>
>Lucus seems to be suggesting that "muddling through" may be our last option.
>I rather think it is the only option, and always has been. And becoming good
>"muddlers" should be our first priority. For those of you unacquainted with
>British-speak "Muddling through" is what happens when all plans fail and
>still a positive result emerges. It seems to be mysterious, particularly
>when one assumes that careful planning and detailed execution is the only
>way to move forward.
>
>I am by no means suggesting that planning and good execution is irrelevant,
>but I think it is incredibly important to fully understand the nature and
>limitations of both planning and execution. There are those who see planning
>as an exercise in creating the future -- and therefore execution becomes the
>implementation of that desired future. Implicit in that understanding is the
>assumption that we could actually comprehend/understand the myriad forces
>and variables in our world and therefore come up with an accurate plan
>leading naturally to effective execution. Nice idea, but fatally flawed.
>
>I think the good news of the moment is that the limitations of our
>capacities are becoming painfully obvious. We do not, will not, nor have we
>ever had sufficient grasp of the complex and fast moving elements in our
>world/country/company/organization (what I have called "raplexity") to
>enable the creation of effective plans which lead naturally to elegant
>execution. This is a real blow to the old ego (individually and
>collectively) but, I believe, an essential first step towards dealing with
>our lives, to say nothing of our sanity. When reality and our perception of
>reality are wildly out of phase, that is indeed crazy making, and may in
>fact be the definition of insanity itself. We call that a "break with
>reality."
>
>Plans (at best) are rough approximations of the territory that lies ahead.
>They are man-made maps, and like all such things -- good as far as they go,
>but never mistaken for the territory they depict. To think otherwise is to
>invite disaster -- as is painfully exemplified by the current American
>adventure in Iraq.
>
>On the subject of muddling through -- I do believe we can (and must) become
>good muddlers. Not as a matter of last resort, but rather as a first
>priority and possibly the beginning of wisdom. Our own adventures in Open
>Space may be well characterized as a School for Muddlers. I think we have
>learned a lot.
>
>Thoughts?
>
>Harrison
>
>
>
>Harrison Owen
>7808 River Falls Drive
>Potomac, Maryland   20845
>Phone 301-365-2093
>
>Open Space Training www.openspaceworld.com
>Open Space Institute www.openspaceworld.org
>Personal website http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Lucas
>Gonzalez
>Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 4:04 AM
>To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>Subject: Re: FW: Connecting with Lets Talk America
>
> > Have conversations with those who think differently than you
> > turned ... chilly?
>
>I'd add "Are you ready to rethink whatever you think?".  My feeling is
>that space opens inside, mostly.  Invitations (to oneself, to others)
>may be powerful, sometimes.
>
> >From here (a small island off the coast of Africa, a warm and sunny
>day),
>
>Lucas
>
>
>
>______________________________________________
>Renovamos el Correo Yahoo!: ¡100 MB GRATIS!
>Nuevos servicios, más seguridad
>http://correo.yahoo.es
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
>
>*
>*
>==========================================================
>OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
>------------------------------
>To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
>view the archives of oslist at listserv.boisestate.edu:
>http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
>
>To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
>http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist

Crossroads Facilitation
50 Carrigdhoun, Waterpark, Carrigaline, Co. Cork
www.crossroadsfacilitation.ie
"Building bridges and getting you over them"

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

To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist