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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000>G'day Harrison,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN class=240552222-15052000>You
level on non-attachment is always an inspiration. On the other hand it's always
struck me that you waste very little energy on anything that doesn't add
value.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000>Thanks for the ongoing inspiration.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="GoudyOlSt BT"><SPAN
class=240552222-15052000>Rod</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Harrison
Owen<BR><B>Sent:</B> Friday, 12 May 2000 9:27<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: When is OS not
OS?<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<DIV>At 03:20 AM 5/12/00 -0700, you wrote:</DIV><BR>
<DIV>>Reading your story reminded me of an upcoming event that I am
aware</DIV>
<DIV>>of. I was sent information about it second hand by someone who
knows</DIV>
<DIV>>that I am interested in open space. I do not have direct
contact with</DIV>
<DIV>>the people running the event. The event invitation states that
the</DIV>
<DIV>>event will be run "in open space" and goes on to quote the law and
the</DIV>
<DIV>>principles but.... it then describes the concurrent sessions that
will</DIV>
<DIV>>be run and the people who are running them. There is no market
place,</DIV>
<DIV>>there is no opening or closing circle. As far as I can
tell the only</DIV>
<DIV>>part of "OS" that exists in this session is the law of two
feet.</DIV>
<DIV>></DIV>
<DIV>>This is my puzzle - what do I do about this? </DIV>
<DIV>****************************************</DIV>
<DIV>That indeed is a puzzle. Historically, it seems that people are brighter
than we sometimes give them credit for. They figure out that what they have
been sold, and what they take home are two different things. The possible
results are three. The participants disregard the planners' scheme, and in
spite of best efforts to control, the folks open the space. Second possible
result is that they don't and therefore feel frustrated and angry -- which
does not bode well for a successful conference. Thirdly, they can blame the
whole thing on Open Space instead of recognizing the true identity of their
discomfort. The control needs of the organizers. </DIV><BR>
<DIV>It would be nice if we could "fix" things so that Open Space is
appreciated for what it truly is. And some times such a fix is possible,
particularly if we have direct involvement. But that does not seem to be the
case in this situation. So what to do? </DIV><BR>
<DIV>As painful as it maybe -- the answer is often "Nothing." People just have
to make their choices and live with the consequences. Perhaps it is just
rationalization, but I believe that Open Space (not Open Space
Technology) is the birthright of every person on the planet. It is a gift they
(we) have already received. But to be useful, that gift must be accepted. And
that is the choice, one way or another. Doors can be opened for us, but
walking through is something that each of us must do for our selves.
</DIV><BR>
<DIV>So Sharon, maybe there is nothing to do in this situation. But there is
an opportunity to learn, and thereby better our own practice. Personally, when
I am invited to work with a group of people, I do my best to insure that the
space is open, but when it starts to shut down, I simply pack my bags and move
on. I get real suspicious when I hear people talking about a "little bit of
Open Space" or "modified Open Space." I recognize that there are differences
of opinion here, and different levels of tolerance for restriction. But a
little bit of Open Space always sounds to me like being a little bit pregnant.
And modified Open Space is about as useful as modified oxygen -- it might look
great in a scientific paper, but not conducive to respiration. </DIV><BR>
<DIV>Fortunately all of us are different. And what seems very restrictive to
me may seem as open as all outdoors to somebody else. But I can only be true
to myself. Doing anything else makes me very miserable and cantankerous -- and
not useful for much.</DIV><BR>
<DIV>Harrison</DIV><BR> <BR>
<DIV align=center>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Drive<BR>Potomac, MD
20854<BR>USA<BR>phone 301-469-9269<BR>fax 301-983-9314<BR>website <BR><A
href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh"
eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com/~owenhh</A><BR>Open Space Institute
websites<BR><A href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"
eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</A><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>