[OSList] Space invaders and using your two feet
Michael Herman
michael at michaelherman.com
Wed Feb 23 16:29:13 PST 2022
In a perfect, open space, right time way, I noticed this machine
(anti-gravity treadmill, in case the photo doesn't come through) at the
physio/physical therapy office yesterday. It’s a regular treadmill with a
special closed space built on top of it. As we suspected all along, to defy
the law, you actually do need a closed space! 🤣
[image: image.png]
On Mon, Feb 21, 2022 at 3:51 PM Michael Herman <michael at michaelherman.com>
wrote:
> I think that’s the law of gravitas you’re defying, Paul!
>
> 🎿🚡⛷m
>
>
>
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 23:28 paul levy <paul at cats3000.net> wrote:
>
>> That's beautiful, Michael, and I can go with it
>>
>> Yet, mysteriously for me, in my deeper experience of my life, even the
>> law of gravity feels like a kind of invitation, one which I occasionally
>> refuse.
>>
>> Paul
>>
>> On Mon, 21 Feb 2022, 04:11 Michael Herman via OSList, <
>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>
>>> for me, it actually is a kind of law: "you and only you know when you
>>> are learning and contributing as much as you can."
>>>
>>> a law, as chris corrigan taught me to say, "...that's not like a speed
>>> limit, but more like the law of gravity. defy it at your own risk!"
>>>
>>> having pointed this out in an opening circle, i then suggest that
>>> everyone in circle has the same job, the right AND the responsibility, to
>>> use their two feet and/or whatever else they use to get around, to go
>>> wherever they need to, to maximize their own learning and contribution.
>>>
>>> in the end we don't care if they move... what we want is highest
>>> learning and highest contribution.
>>>
>>> for me, in open space, personal passion/freedom is always
>>> bounded/informed by responsibility/contribution to the whole.
>>>
>>> i think our pulsation between these apparent opposites, passion and
>>> responsibility, learning and contributing, me and us, past and future, and
>>> so on... is what drives it all. we can't get stuck. we have to keep
>>> moving. each of us, for all of us.
>>>
>>> learning and practicing this kind of pulsation, between apparent
>>> opposites, is for me the most important thing we invite in open space.
>>> it's in the going back and forth that strengthens us.
>>>
>>> michael
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Michael Herman
>>> Michael Herman Associates
>>> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>>>
>>> MichaelHerman.com
>>> OpenSpaceWorld.org
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Feb 20, 2022 at 12:49 PM paul levy via OSList <
>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I haven't called it a law in years.
>>>>
>>>> That is because it isn't a law. It is an eternal invitation.
>>>>
>>>> Paul
>>>>
>>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022, 16:08 Bhavesh Patel via OSList, <
>>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks Michael, always appreciate the time you take to write longer
>>>>> emails and share stories.
>>>>>
>>>>> The way you intro the Law is pretty much exactly how I do it as well,
>>>>> using almost the same language. That for me still involves using my freedom
>>>>> to take responsibility for my learning, contribution, productivity, and
>>>>> where that is going to happen or not going to happen, at the same time
>>>>> never fully knowing and always responding to all that is happening within,
>>>>> between, and among... self-organisation, or as Morin says
>>>>> eco-self-organsation!
>>>>>
>>>>> I also have a very similar approach to space invaders, and have rarely
>>>>> encountered one. There was one time when a person twice the size of me, a
>>>>> former head of a big brand, took the mic for me and told everyone to stop
>>>>> putting up topics on the second morning, because he had done a full
>>>>> analysis of day 01 and could now tell us what we needed to do. I told him
>>>>> that was great and kindly asked him to write it up and stick it up, but he
>>>>> held on to the mic and repeated that this was not necessary and now we all
>>>>> needed to listen to him and... there was a stand-off with both of us
>>>>> holding the mic, until one of his peers asked him to let the facilitator do
>>>>> his job, he backed off, and guess what, not many came to his session, and...
>>>>>
>>>>> I have also used the walk out approach when nothing was happening, on
>>>>> reflection I think I needed to leave the room for that group to truly
>>>>> believe the power is in their hands to post topics!
>>>>>
>>>>> I guess what I was trying to think about was what to do when someone
>>>>> is clearly speaking in a way that is offensive to others... people can use
>>>>> their two feet, the facilitator can also walk out of the room, what else is
>>>>> there... I don't think OST = anything and everything is ok... so I was
>>>>> reflecting on that... not sure if I am making sense to anyone???
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 12:41, Michael M Pannwitz via OSList <
>>>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Dear Bhavesh,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Law of Two Feet (this is, of course, no Law but tongue of cheeck
>>>>>> speak of the Man with the Hat) has not felt to me as a reminder to be
>>>>>> responsible for where I want to be.
>>>>>> In my intro to the process I say in the role of facilitator: "And
>>>>>> here",
>>>>>> pointing to the large poster on the wall of the space or on a large
>>>>>> pinboard on the edge of the outer circle or floating above the crowd
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> 2108 supported by large balloons, have a look here
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> https://openspaceworldscape.org/events/165-jetzt-meine-leidenschaft-meine-verantwortung-ueber-die-tagung-hinaus-now-my-passion-my-responsibility-beyond-the-conference
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "is the Law of Two Feet which has to be utterly adhered to as it is a
>>>>>> LAW:
>>>>>> I honor a group with my absence if I neither learn nor contribute
>>>>>> something. If I am learning something I stay, if I am contributindg
>>>>>> something I also stay.
>>>>>> But if neither, then I'll do the group and especially myself the
>>>>>> favor
>>>>>> of taking my feet... ", and here I imitate the Man by looking at my
>>>>>> feet
>>>>>> for 3 seconds lift them and run a short distance in front of the
>>>>>> assembled crowd... continuing:"... and move to a space which is more
>>>>>> productive for me... or to take a nap." (At this point folks usually
>>>>>> laugh out loud, incited by my awkward running style)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Now all this has nothing to do with taking responsibility for where I
>>>>>> want to be. I am focusing on this because I as facilitator am not in
>>>>>> any
>>>>>> way responsible for what anyone does, under the assumption that
>>>>>> everyone
>>>>>> is naturally "responsible"... and I adress it in the systemic context
>>>>>> we
>>>>>> are in when in an os event, and that it is selforganisation all the
>>>>>> time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regarding space invaders - which I rarely have encountered probably
>>>>>> because I am such an awsome event myself, especially when totally
>>>>>> present and at the same time invisible - I do intervene.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My first intervention is to do nothing and wait (at this point I
>>>>>> understand why I am being paid for this job). If the crowd is kind of
>>>>>> struck and silent, also waiting, I still wait. Usually, this
>>>>>> intervention does get addressed by a participant, which causes
>>>>>> another
>>>>>> participant to react... and results in a short exchange in which
>>>>>> usually
>>>>>> someone then gets the space invader to see that the group does not
>>>>>> oust him.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If no participant intervenes and I have counted to 10, I ask: "Who
>>>>>> else
>>>>>> feels like Charlie?" This always works, one or several other
>>>>>> participants will say something. The main advantage of participants
>>>>>> participating in this is that the space invader immidiately sees that
>>>>>> he/she is still part of the group, not an outsider.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Another observation I have made is that some space invasions are
>>>>>> aggressive while others are certainly productive but not executed
>>>>>> completely.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> At one event, one participant got up to introduce his issue (others
>>>>>> had
>>>>>> posted issues before him) and said: "I have the most important 5
>>>>>> issues
>>>>>> that need to be worked on!" and deposited his 5 issue sheets in the
>>>>>> center.
>>>>>> Here I intervened right away and reminded him that the issues have to
>>>>>> be
>>>>>> announced and posted on the Bulletin Board and that he shoulc say his
>>>>>> name. Somewhat nervous he picke up his 5 issues, spoke to them and
>>>>>> then
>>>>>> posted them on the Bulletin Board.
>>>>>> Later in the day he approached me and said: "Michael, nobody signed
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> for my issues! This was an important lesson for me."
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, its not about what is allowed or not. Its about how space and
>>>>>> time
>>>>>> for selforganisation are expanded right then and here. Thats what I
>>>>>> recommend facilitators to focus on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The utmost the facilitator can do in case stuff gets out of control
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> nothing works is to leave the space.
>>>>>> I have experienced this twice in os events.
>>>>>> First event was the gathering of 300 Imams and Rabbis in Sevilla
>>>>>> where
>>>>>> HO facilitated and I was his assistant. The participants kept posting
>>>>>> isssues without end and even after allocating 15 minutes more they
>>>>>> kept
>>>>>> going. When the time was over, HO turned to me and spoke into the
>>>>>> mikrophone "Michael, please take over!" and left the room. It took
>>>>>> only
>>>>>> minutes that the participants stopped posting issues and moved into
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> phase to walk up to the Bulletin Board to sign up for issues they
>>>>>> wanted
>>>>>> to work on.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The second example was an os with facilitators from different
>>>>>> approaches
>>>>>> in which I was participant.
>>>>>> In the closing circle of the first day, one participant insisted on a
>>>>>> discussion of a particularly critical aspect. He ignored the
>>>>>> facilitators suggestion to post his issue for a session after dinner
>>>>>> or
>>>>>> the next day. No, he wanted to continue. The facilitator pointed to
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> schedule and the amount of time left. At the end of the agreed upon
>>>>>> time
>>>>>> he stood up and left the room.
>>>>>> Two minutes later, the entire group left, too.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> What about other stories on The Law and Space Invadors?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Right now I am returning to the breakfast table where we are talking
>>>>>> about the urgent recommendation of the German Government to all
>>>>>> German
>>>>>> citizens presently in the Ukraine to leave the Ukraine and return
>>>>>> home
>>>>>> immediately.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> War?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Greetings from Berlin
>>>>>> mmp
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Am 20.02.2022 um 08:18 schrieb Bhavesh Patel via OSList:
>>>>>> > It's an interesting one because:
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > * The Law of Two Feet - is about us choosing to take
>>>>>> responsibility
>>>>>> > for where we want to be.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > * Space Invaders - is the idea that NOT everything is allowed,
>>>>>> and if
>>>>>> > it feels like someone is controlling the space for another,
>>>>>> then the
>>>>>> > facilitator does something about it.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > So it's an interesting grey area between when it is more about the
>>>>>> Law
>>>>>> > and when it is more about Space Invaders and stepping in... and who
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> > the facilitator when it comes to this loop anyway?
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > On Sun, 20 Feb 2022 at 03:58, Harold Shinsato via OSList
>>>>>> > <oslist at lists.openspacetech.org <mailto:
>>>>>> oslist at lists.openspacetech.org>>
>>>>>> > wrote:
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > The OSList is intended to truly be "whoever comes is the right
>>>>>> people".
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > The "Law of Two Feet" is hopefully something we take seriously
>>>>>> here.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > I wish there was a feature in the OSList where you could "walk
>>>>>> away"
>>>>>> > from a conversation without having to leave the OSList. Well,
>>>>>> you could
>>>>>> > just ignore the conversations where you are neither learning nor
>>>>>> > contributing.
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Another option most email systems have ways are message filters
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> > could automatically delete what you don't want. That is an
>>>>>> option. With
>>>>>> > a little effort that would be a way to employ "The Law of Two
>>>>>> Feet" or
>>>>>> > the "Law of Mobility".
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > Best wishes to all!
>>>>>> > Harold
>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>> > OSList mailing list
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>>>>>> >
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>>>>>> > <
>>>>>> http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org>
>>>>>> > Past archives can be viewed here:
>>>>>> > http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org
>>>>>> > <http://www.mail-archive.com/oslist@lists.openspacetech.org>
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> >
>>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>>> > OSList mailing list
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>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Michael M Pannwitz
>>>>>> Draisweg 1, 12209 Berlin
>>>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/Draisweg+1,+12209+Berlin?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>>>> +49 30 7728000 mmpannwitz at gmail.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> OSList mailing list
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>>>>
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>>
>> --
>
> --
>
> Michael Herman
> Michael Herman Associates
> 312-280-7838 (mobile)
>
> MichaelHerman.com
> OpenSpaceWorld.org
>
>
>
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