[OSList] OST as a way to go in addressing climate change perils

Wed Feb 20 13:13:15 PST 2019

G'day again Spaceniks and Others

With much appreciation to those who responded so thoughtfully to my recent
post (below).

Including this from Michael Pannwitz in response to the question I posed,
viz:

"Could bringing *Open Space Technology (OST
<https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/>*) approaches be a vital means to address
constructively the issues we face as global humanity in the now
*Anthropocene* with its perils and opportunities?"

Michael noted:

"Open Space Technology does reliably work for wicked issues everywhere.
And we know how it works.
The experiment with the prerequisite ingredients is described by
practitioners
such as Harrison Owen and several others in various languages
. We give it away freely.

So, what is next?"

Could these updates on *Youth Strikers* indicate a 'way to go'?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/13/kids-v-climate-change-inside-the-15-february-edition-of-the-guardian-weekly

With a big bold front cover of the print version:

*I WANT YOU TO PANIC*

*Climate change meets its match: angry schoolkids*
See also the essay in this edition (page 48) by John Lanchester on 'Baby
Boomers deadly legacy'.

And on page 49: "We should applaud young climate protesters. After all,
they have the most to lose."

Here’s a manifesto from British journalist George Monbiot, worth a careful
look in my opinion.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/20/manifesto-youth-climate-strikers-win-fight?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Monbiot concludes:

"All this is a lot to dump on young people. But there are plenty of
veterans, many of whom have far more experience than I do, who are ready to
offer advice and help. Any support must come on the young strikers’ terms:

They lead, we follow. But they carry a terrible burden: this is a struggle
they cannot afford to lose. We will help them lift it if they wish."

*I wonder if you see that drawing to the attention of the young people at
issue that OST principles and practices could be a way to enable them to
move forward?  *

Looking forward, indeed!

*Al  *

Al (formerly Alan) Stewart, PhD
Process Artist
Facilitator of conversations that matter and participatory fun

Senior Fulbright Scholar

Blog:  www.conversare.net

Member:  American Society for Cybernetics <http://asc-cybernetics.org/>

*Member: **National Trouble Makers Union* <http://www.ntmu.com.au/>

*Residence: Adelaide, South Australia, since 1975 With time away in the USA
(1981) and Hong Kong (2005-2011)  *

*_________________________________*

*"Whenever we treat each other well good things happen." Al Stewart*

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Alan Stewart <alanmstewart at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2019 at 10:06
Subject: OST as a way to go in addressing climate change and other perils
To: World wide Open Space Technology email list <
oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>
Cc: Al Stewart <alanmstewart at gmail.com>

 G’day Fellow Spaceniks and other Kindred Spirits

The items below may be of interest to you.

They are about the looming perils of climate change and associated ways to
consider and act on them, recently come to my attention.

I have followed such matters keenly since I attended a presentation by James
Hansen
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jun/19/james-hansen-nasa-scientist-climate-change-warning>
while living in Hong Kong a decade ago.

My question: Could bringing *Open Space Technology (OST
<https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/>*) approaches be a vital means to address
constructively the issues we face as global humanity in the now
*Anthropocene* with its perils and opportunities?

See:

*Opinion | Time to Panic - The New York Times
<https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/16/opinion/sunday/fear-panic-climate-change-warming.html>*

*Using Open Space to address climate change matters*

*https://jembendell.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/deep-adaptation-retreat-uk-2019/
<https://jembendell.wordpress.com/2019/02/08/deep-adaptation-retreat-uk-2019/>*

*We need to have a paradigm shift in how we view society and life.*

*https://americanminion.blog/2018/12/16/we-need-a-paradigm-shift/
<https://americanminion.blog/2018/12/16/we-need-a-paradigm-shift/>*

*Also:     **Fourth National Climate Change Assessment*
<https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/#sf-1>

<https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/#sf-1>(To add:  Here is a report,
entitled
<http://www.multimindsolutions.com/?page_id=41&preview=true&preview_id=41&preview_nonce=1f89ef96f3>*Vision,
Values and Vibes* <http://www.multimindsolutions.com/?page_id=41> which
illustrates my credentials as a Spacenik!)

*Tall orders indeed*! Yet are there any means at hand other than *OST
<https://openspaceworld.org/wp2/>* with its underpinning premises and
highly practical approaches to addressing complex issues - now needed
urgently to create a viable living for succeeding generations of we humans
and other inhabitants of our tiny, fragile planet home?

With young people, particularly school children, crying out for necessary
action:

https://www.euronews.com/2019/02/07/this-is-the-climate-generation-thousands-of-students-join-netherlands-protest

Next such events are happening all around Australia on March 15, 2019.

*To conclude:*

While I feel a need and associated responsibility – given the particular
experiencing I have had over nigh on eight decades of being an earthly
denizen (including participating in seven 'World Open Space on Open Space'
gatherings, beginning in 1998) - to bring these perspectives to your notice
…

It is, in my mind, for you younger *Spaceniks* to make what you will of
them. Given that what I have drawn attention to here is likely only another
way of expressing what you are already aware of.

Bearing in mind that,  as with great works of art, "Which cannot be taken
in at a glance" *Linguist I.A. Richards*, so it will be in your grand
adventuring ahead.

Looking forward, indeed.👍

*Al  *

Al (formerly Alan) Stewart, PhD
Process Artist
Facilitator of conversations that matter and participatory fun

Senior Fulbright Scholar

Blog:  www.conversare.net

Member:  American Society for Cybernetics <http://asc-cybernetics.org/>

*Member: **National Trouble Makers Union* <http://www.ntmu.com.au/>

*Residence: Adelaide, South Australia, since 1975 With time away in the USA
(1981) and Hong Kong (2005-2011)  *

*_________________________________*

*"Whenever we treat each other well good things happen." Al Stewart*

PS. If you feel in need of inspiration, you may wish to look out for  -
perhaps through your local library - a book of photographs entitled* 'The
Family of Man'. *"The greatest photographic exhibition of all time ..."

This was published in the early 1950s. And was subsequently exhibited in
many countries. I saw one of these, at age 14, in what is now Harare in
Zimbabwe. It had a profound influence on me.

You may also find this little story of wondrous encounters
<http://www.multimindsolutions.com/?page_id=537>to be uplifting. ☺
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.openspacetech.org/pipermail/oslist-openspacetech.org/attachments/20190221/cb1bae94/attachment.html>