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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>Marty</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>Interesting question you raise. I certainly don't have
a clear answer, but just a few thoughts.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>At San Francisco this year someone convened a very
interesting conversation about what happens when communities "self organise
themselves into dictatorships"...or words to that effect. I didn't attend that
conversation but it did get me thinking.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>I love Harrison Owen's observation that "Whereever
space is opened, peace breaks out" AND in parallel with that it seems to me
possible that Open Space could be used for people to self organise to evil ends
as well as to good ends (remember the famous TV Character, Maxwell Smart's
comment, "If only he had used his powers for good instead of
evil").</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>So I think that what OS does is to bring things out
into the open more transparently so that we can see what we're
actually dealing with. And I presume that this does not remove the fact
that governing bodies still need, at the end of the day, to make public policy
decisions which will involve more or less government intervention, depending on
one's political persuasions...and this is what constitutes part of the
boundaries of the Open Space.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>Michael Wood</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=737201704-02102008>Perth, Western Australia</SPAN></FONT></DIV><BR>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> OSLIST
[mailto:OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Martin
Boroson<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, 1 October 2008 9:43 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
OSLIST@LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU<BR><B>Subject:</B> just
wondering<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">I am wondering
…<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">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.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">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. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">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.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">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.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">Marty<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Book Antiqua" size=3><SPAN
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<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=1><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 6pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">+44 784 344 5746
(mobile)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-SIZE: 6pt; COLOR: gray; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
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