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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello All</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Well- what an amazing conversation has ensued out
of <EM>That</EM> question!! Thank you all for your comments.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In truth, now that Iook back, I was feeling a bit
snarly, so I should perhaps recant any unintended slights on other communities/
practices/ approaches etc. I guess what really struck me - and still does - is
how people are talking complexity/ self-organizing systems theory (and yes -
this is conference talk, not client talk!) and then still trying to
organize systems. Or be experts. And how fundamental that is to our conception
of the world - for so many. And how profound is the shift from that world
view.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As Martin said , many people "get" self-organizing
as a cognitive concept, but then implicitly treat it as another tool. Which puts
us right back into/ speaks from the "world as machine" worldview. It is
fundamentally not about doing, but about being (which is maybe why OST is so
'easy' to do). It is much easier to pick up a new, sexy doing tool, it is much
harder to re-configure your mentality to "get" that life/ self-organizing is all
about being. (and yet, once done - so much easier - graciously
spacious!).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>...........the pebbles continue to drop in the
pools of my mind.........!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Meg Salter</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>MegaSpace Consulting<BR>416/486-6660<BR><A
href="mailto:meg.salter@sympatico.ca">meg.salter@sympatico.ca</A><BR><A
href="http://www.megaspaceconsulting.com">www.megaspaceconsulting.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:owenhh@mindspring.com" title=owenhh@mindspring.com>Harrison
Owen</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU"
title=OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, September 27, 2002 3:26
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: OST, OD, etc.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>At 10:36 PM 9/26/2002 -0400, Chris Kloth wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite type="cite">I have a very different take on the
OST/OD thread. It has to do with a<BR>larger issue among people as
individuals and communities, where community is<BR>not limited to geography,
but does reflect elements of culture. It has to<BR>do with the "I" and
the "IT" that are essential elements of any strong<BR>community we CHOOSE to
be a part of.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Points well taken and well said, Chris. There
are in truth different strokes for different folks -- and we have to honor
them all. That said, I think we also have an obligation, or at least I
personally feel an obligation, to engage vigorously in the conversation. My
comments about the economics and psychology of the use of Open Space (or more
accurately the non-use) come from a number of years of trying to figure out
why, if something is free, simple, effective, and easy to replicate -- it is
not used to a greater extent. Indeed, a number of folks appear never to have
heard of it. And if they have heard of it, OS is taken to be wild, far out,
radical, and risky. Although the press coverage has diminished of late (Thank
God), there was a time when virtually every major press organ (NYT, Washington
Post, LA Times, Financial Times of London etc, etc, etc.) carried major
feature stories. Additional publicity was not something we needed. As for
"risky," I find it difficult to understand after 17 years of constant and
increasing use all over the world. The Beta Tests are in. Of course there are
risks, but not about the efficacy of the process. So How
come?<BR><BR>Truthfully, I really don't know. But my best guess has been that
it has something to do with economics (Hard to send a bill when you don't do
anything), and what seems to me to be an attachment to the complex (and
therefore a need for The Expert). I should judge that the control issue is
also of some significance.<BR><BR>And why should I care? Some folks get the
impression that I am trying to "sell Open Space," or build my personal
reputation. Truthfully, I have been trying to give it away, and get out of the
business. Fortunately, there has been reasonable success with both of these --
and I have had more than a few thoughts about going fishing. I have even
managed to do a fair amount of that too. But...<BR><BR>I believe the central
gift of Open Space is the realization of Peace. Not as some abstract, idyllic,
some-day-to- be-achieved state, but a present reality that works right now.
Further more, every time space is opened anywhere in the world (by "doing" an
OS or simply by being graciously spacious in our dealings with fellow
critters), I think the cause of Peace is advanced. If nothing else, those who
find themselves in gracious space, no matter the means, know there are
options, choices.This was true with the 50 Palestinians and Israelis gathered
in Rome, and it is true wherever conflict is made creative when folks have
enough room to move about. A little Open Space, as it were. As I read my
morning papers, listen to the news, check in with my colleagues around the
world, -- I cannot help but feel that gracious space is in short supply. If
there was nothing to be done, I surely would go fishing. But that is not the
case, and so I find myself engaged in vigorous
conversation.<BR><BR>Harrison<BR><BR><X-SIGSEP>
<P></X-SIGSEP>
<DIV align=center>Harrison Owen<BR>7808 River Falls Drive<BR>Potomac, MD 20854
USA<BR>phone 301-365-2093<BR>Open Space Training <A
href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/"
eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.com</A> <BR>Open Space Institute <A
href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/"
eudora="autourl">www.openspaceworld.org</A><BR>Personal website <A
href="http://www.mindspring.com/~owenhh"
eudora="autourl">www.mindspring.com\~owenhh</A><BR><BR><FONT
color=#0000ff><U>OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR></U></FONT>To subscribe,
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