<div dir="ltr">Thanks for provoking such a rich question about free markets. It's my experience that when OS works, it's because people exercise freedom in connectivity, in a rich and generative context of listening. This is the opposite of freedom in isolation from and competition over others. OS also invites co-responsibility. This is the opposite of a community divided into power haves and have-nots.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 10:59 AM, Harrison Owen <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:hhowen@verizon.net">hhowen@verizon.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Marti – I think that is just the
beginning of "responsibility." In the first moments it is, as you,
say – name your passion and show up. But over time the stakes increase if
the passion is sustained. Ultimate passions require ultimate responsibility. I
am not sure that is a matter of philosophy. For me it is much more a matter of
observation. Over the years, that is just the way it has appeared to me. And it
is a far cry from the rather limpid laissez faire. I guess I just do not find
the comparisons to various political ideologies all that helpful, and for sure
in my own experience, OST never grew out of any political ideology. It just
happened, and to a large extent, its occurrence was an embarrassment. No right
thinking person, schooled in the ways things are supposed to be, would ever
believe it. And most don't. Which is at once both a problem and an
opportunity. I think.</span></font></p>
<p><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;"> </span></font></p>
<p><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Harrison </span></font></p>
<p><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;"> </span></font></p>
<div>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Harrison Owen</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">7808 River Falls Drive</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Potomac,
Maryland 20854</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Phone </span></font><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">301-365-2093</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Skype hhowen</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Open Space Training</span></font><font color="red"><span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.openspaceworld.com</span></font></a>
</span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Open Space Institute</span></font><font color="red"><span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.openspaceworld.org</span></font></a></span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">Personal website</span></font><font color="red"><span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://www.ho-image.com/" target="_blank"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.ho-image.com</span></font></a> </span></font></p>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;">OSLIST</span></font><font color="red" face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; color: red;">: To subscribe,
unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives Visit: </span></font><font color="red"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" target="_blank"><font face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</span></font></a></span></font></p>
</div><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c">
<p><font color="red" face="Arial" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: red;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;">-----Original Message-----<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b> OSLIST
[mailto:<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>] <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">On
Behalf Of </span></b>Martin Boroson<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, October 01, 2008
9:43 AM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> <a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> just wondering</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I am wondering …</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The philosophy of Open
Space seems to promote a genuinely free market for ideas. The underlying
belief, as I understand it, is that allowing each person to follow his/her
passion is the best way to discover the best ideas and solutions. It's
efficient, just like a market. This sure sounds like the 'invisible
hand' and laissez-faire capitalism to me.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have even sold Open Space
to some corporate execs by pointing out that since they value the free market
so dearly <i><span style="font-style: italic;">outside</span></i> their company,
they might want to try a free market <i><span style="font-style: italic;">for
ideas</span></i> inside their company. </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So I have often wondered if
people on this list believe as passionately in the free market for the economy
as they do in Open Space. In the current economic crisis, as the
world clamors for greater regulation – i.e. more rules and limits on the
freedom of markets – I am wondering if any of you have any thoughts or
insights to share.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I imagine Harrison will
remind me that Open Space runs on freedom <i><span style="font-style: italic;">and</span></i>
responsibility… yet the responsibility asked of participants in Open
Space is pretty minimal – naming their passion and showing up for their
sessions and respecting others' freedom to do the same. It's
well short of socialism.</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Marty</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Book Antiqua" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="gray" face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: gray;"> </span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Priory
End House</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">2 North Street,
Totnes, Devon TQ9 5NZ</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">United Kingdom</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">+44 784
344 5746 (mobile)</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font color="gray" face="Arial" size="1"><span style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial; color: gray;"><a href="http://www.martinboroson.info" target="_blank">www.martinboroson.info</a></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-left: 0.5in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></font></p>
</div></div></div>
</div>
*
*
==========================================================
<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of <a href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu" target="_blank">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:
<a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist" target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a>
*
*
==========================================================
<a href="mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU" target="_blank">OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU</a>
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of <a href="mailto:oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu" target="_blank">oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu</a>:
<a href="http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html" target="_blank">http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html</a>
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
<a href="http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist" target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist</a></blockquote></div><br></div>
*
*
==========================================================
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
------------------------------
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options,
view the archives of oslist@listserv.boisestate.edu:
http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html
To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs:
http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist