[OSList] Skye Personal Agency/Ubuntu/Open Space

[Skye Hirst]

Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu and the concept of *ubuntu*. Aimee
Oberndorfer Le writes:

*"I've always understood it to translate roughly to 'I am because we are,'
which is similar. Desmond Tutu puts it this way: 'Ubuntu speaks
particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in
isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all
by yourself, and when you have this quality - Ubuntu - you are known for
your generosity. We think of ourselves far too frequently as just
individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what
you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for
the whole of humanity.'"*



*The Enabling Empowerment Principle - Intrinsic Motivation*

A person is empowered when they are able to make choices on their own that
determine what their next steps will be. The more choices you are free to
make on your own, the more empowered you are. The choices you make can have
a positive result or a negative result. An empowered person is responsible
for his or her life and decisions.



*Breaking The Poverty Cycle & Sustainable Development* – Pic and Sirkin
(Program in Mexico) speak of it this way:

 An optimally functioning democratic society entails a citizenry that
participates in constructing its future.  We have stressed the importance
of laws, infrastructure, clinics, and schools in creating the structural
context in which people lead their daily lives.  Policies and program can
enhance choice, personal agency, and intrinsic empowerment so that people
may form a strong social core. Change in systems of paternalism and
rule-boundedness – especially at the local level is realized through the
actions of agentically empowered citizens and leaders.

 A mindset of a personal agency requires thinking beyond isolated
behaviors, to perceive oneself as part of a community and as an agent,
rather than object, of change. Programs that address several domains of
activity facilitate a more comprehensive conceptualization of oneself as an
agent. They do so by supporting the application of the developed skills
across a number of situations, thus building wider competencies and
creating opportunities to execute new behaviors.  This process requires not
only common skills but also the reduction of psychological and social
barriers.

 When psychological barriers are sufficiently reduced, personal agency can
evolve to the point where individuals begin to see themselves
simultaneously as part of the context and influential within it. We named
this intrinsic empowerment. Drawing from the fields of socio-economic
research and psychology, intrinsic empowerment combines the ideas of
empowerment and personal agency as part of a fluid context.  It is a
specific form of empowerment that is intrinsically derived and therefore,
we argue, is more likely to be sustainable. Together, individuals empowered
with these psychological characteristics have the capacity to profoundly
impact communities, and institutes within their communities.

 Pic and Sirkin’s work is influenced by Robert S. Hartman’s original work
on formal Axiology of which I refer often in our OST Hotline conversations


Thanks to all hearts and minds who gather here - I celebrate you all during
this time of darkest night,  turning to the light.


-- 
*Skye Hirst, PhD*
President - The Autognomics Institute
*Conversations in the Ways of Life-itself*
www.autognomics.org
@autognomics

New Phone Number:
207-593-8074
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