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At 12:57 AM 6/11/2003 +0100, Artur wrote:<br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Some weeks ago in a private e-mail
conversation with a colleague he told<br>
me, in a marginal comment, that "OST is mainly an American
thing". I have<br>
not commented that observation but I have been thinking about it...
And<br>
there is one thing I am sure: many of us that are non-American and<br>
non-English-speakers are guilty of OST being still considered mainly
"an<br>
American thing".</blockquote><br>
As usual, Artur, you stir up some wonderful conversation. Thanks -- and
as for This American Thing. . . there is no question that I am an
American, and that Open Space (at least by that name) was first used in
The United States. But the point of origin, so far as I am concerned, was
only happenstantially the USA. <i>In fact the inspiration was all
African</i>. My two Martinis took me to the (presently very sorry)
country of Liberia, more specifically the small village of Balamah. So if
you will allow for a little teleportation, I guess I would argue that
Open Space is African. However, and truth to tell, I could have gotten
the same inspiration from the Native Americans, and may other indigenous
groups around the world, it is only that my experience with my African
friends just happened to pop into mind (Was that the only thing that
could have??? --- abstractly NO. But practically -- YES. And I am very
practical)<br><br>
Anyhow -- over the years I have always been amazed how Open Space, with
no change (except in language), works just fine (always works -- so to
speak). I guess the majority of Open Spaces I attend (as opposed to
facilitate) take place in a language I don't know. And not all of them
Northern European -- Spanish, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic -- for example.
<br><br>
And then when it comes to people on this LISTSERVE -- I've never
counted, but my impression is that the vast majority are NOT American --
at least the ones who show up regularly aren't signing in from the
good old USofA. <br><br>
My guess is that Open Space has no nationality -- it is just a human
thing. Which would make sense if Open Space is in fact
self-organization rolling out one more time. Seems like that
(self-organization) has been going on for some 14 billion years. Well
before nations, languages, and all that modern stuff. So being my
natural, old, curmudgeonly self -- I persist in the possible delusion
that It always works -- It (OS) might even be the only thing that could
have (worked).<br><br>
Harrison <br><br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Harrison Owen</blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<div align="center">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://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm" eudora="autourl"><font color="#0000FF">http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hhowen/index.htm</a><br><br>
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