<div dir="ltr">well, i've managed to catch up on quite a heap of oslist emails without typing even one peep, but here i am at the last message of the last thread and i can't resist chiming in, if only to help make sense of all this for myself...<div>
<br></div><div><div><br></div><div>david said along the way something about holding space for coherence. i think we hold the space for both coherence and fragmentation. we never really know which one will come up more strongly, or when. both are just stories or labels or guesses we wrap around the aggregation of a the various two-feet decisions that participants make and make and make all through an event. </div>
<div><br></div><div>in this way, what we're really holding space for is individuals' right or opportunity to choose for themselves. we can invite them to come together and be quiet, but some linger in side conversations in hallways or corners. sometimes everyone lingers, and evening news happens later than we thought. sometimes we suggest that morning news is over at 9:30 and the circle lasts until 10, because many people choose to stay in the circle together. it's always the sum of everyone deciding at once. </div>
<div><br></div><div>if anyone would try to control this, invade the space of individual choosing, sometimes the best we can do is leave the room, as harrison has described many times, modeling a choice. in that case it's pointing to fragmentation in the face of an attempt to force coherence. </div>
<div><br></div><div>anyway, the other question that caught my eye was christine's something about how to help organization stay healthy and alive. it reminded me of a quote i carried in my wallet for about 10 years or so, from francisco varela (a scientist, among other things): "if a living system is unhealthy, the way to make it more healthy is to reconnect it with more of itself." </div>
<div><br></div><div>stories and invitations and questions (are these really different or separable?) seem to be a very common way to connect, and then truth must be what bubbles up in the spaces, between the words, as harold mentioned, and between the people, between the breakouts and the plenaries, and so on that peggy described in the physical movements. </div>
<div><br></div><div>so i think where i end up here is that self-organization is already always happening because everyone is always moving and deciding, and the "big" decisions in any "organization" can only ever be the high peaks, visible from some distance, that sit atop the many many individual moves and choices, piled up over any length of time. </div>
<div><br></div><div>so maybe stories are the words we wrap around piles of choices, and organizations show up as the people who choose to wrap themselves around various stories? </div><div><br></div><div>michael h</div><div>
</div></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div> <br>--<br><br>Michael Herman<br>Michael Herman Associates<br>312-280-7838 (mobile)<br><br><a href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a><br>
<a href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a><br><br></div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Jan 12, 2014 at 7:11 AM, Daniel Mezick <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dan@newtechusa.net" target="_blank">dan@newtechusa.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Yes, and play is fun. Play is invigorating. Play brings action. Play
brings movement. Life is action. Life is movement!<br>
<br>
An entertaining example of play ... action and movement from some
surprising players, in open space:<br>
<pre><a href="http://youtu.be/Iqmba7npY8g" target="_blank">http://youtu.be/Iqmba7npY8g</a>
"Let us play"...
</pre><div><div class="h5">
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<div>On 1/11/14 3:03 PM, Harold Shinsato
wrote:<br>
</div>
</div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="h5">
<div>Harrison,<br>
<br>
I was going to ask you to say more about "High Play", but it was
easy to learn more about your ideas here with a quick google
search. From <a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com/Opening%20Space%20for%20The%20Question.htm" target="_blank">http://www.openspaceworld.com/Opening%20Space%20for%20The%20Question.htm</a>.
The emphasis is mine.<br>
<blockquote>High Play denotes the manner in which the people
involved approach their task – playfully. Quite often play is
understood to be a trivial incidental compared to the real
business of living. I think this is a profound error. Play for
me may be the most serious (important) of our many
undertakings. The importance of play derives from the fact
that when we experience reality in different and unexpected
ways, <b>we seek to understand (develop knowledge about) </b><b>our
new experience by telling likely stories, or in more formal
terms, creating theories</b>. We take the available
evidence, combined with our prior experience and try to
construct reasonable explanations for the newly observed
phenomenon. Almost inevitably our first attempts are flawed,
and it is often the case that there are as many theories
(stories) as people telling them. If everybody treats their
version as the “gospel truth” it is not long before the dead
hand of dogma descends, and the search for understanding
degenerates into a fight amongst ideologues. On the other
hand, when people treat their new adventure in a playful
fashion, there may well be serious competition, but there is
also deep respect for the “opponents,” and a real joy in the
game. In Open Space it is very common to see the game of
knowledge building played with real skill and enjoyment – even
by people who have never done anything like that before.<br>
</blockquote>
I really like the presence of "real joy in the game" of finding
the best likely stories (theories). I also love the value you
express for "deep respect for the 'opponents'".<br>
<br>
Game on!<br>
<br>
Harold<br>
<br>
<br>
On 1/11/14 11:58 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harold
– I like your last line,</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">
“If we can hold our theories in the same fashion as "a
likely story", maybe we'll start being able to tell better
stories (theories).” Actually, my words for this are High
Play. I’ve found that good theory building is best done
playfully, which does not make it a trivial activity, but
it does guard against dogmatism. Good theory, playfully
created, and playfully held is always open to revision –
or just plain discard. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harrison<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harrison
Owen<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">7808
River Falls Dr.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Potomac,
MD 20854<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">USA<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">189
Beaucaire Ave. (summer)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Camden,
Maine 04843<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Phone
<a href="tel:301-365-2093" value="+13013652093" target="_blank">301-365-2093</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">(summer)
<a href="tel:207-763-3261" value="+12077633261" target="_blank">207-763-3261</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.openspaceworld.com%20" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.openspaceworld.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ho-image.com%20" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">www.ho-image.com</span></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">
(Personal Website)<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1f497d">To
subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the
archives of OSLIST Go to:</span><a href="http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas">http://lists.openspacetech.org/listinfo.cgi/oslist-openspacetech.org</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas;color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">
<a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
[<a href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org" target="_blank">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Harold Shinsato<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, January 10, 2014 7:55 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> World wide Open Space Technology email list<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [OSList] From linkedin today<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harrison,<br>
<br>
It seemed like you were having a problem with
understanding when you wrote the following:</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">"When
I was confronted with what was happening in Open Space
(25 years ago) it made absolutely no sense to me at all.
And what makes no sense does not lend itself to
understanding. I “knew,” as did everybody else of my
age, background and training – that what seemed to be
taking place in Open Space simply could not happen.
Organization was something that we created, managed, and
controlled."</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">There
are so many theoretical frameworks that have begun to
embody the more adaptive systems thinking required maybe
not to fully understand, but to start to improve our
models of organization not something as something we
impose - but something that we can nurture, cultivate,
or just open ourselves to experience.<br>
<br>
It seems like this thread has been about understanding
self-organization. I love that you brought something
from Quantum Mechanics that "somebody's formulation was
good, but not crazy enough to be true." This reminds me
of the Tao Te Ching. The Tao that can be spoken is not
the true Tao.<br>
<br>
It reminds me a lot of what you wrote in Spirit, and
which you mentioned in your TED talk. Story tellers
don't tell the truth. But in the story, truth emerges.
Probably between the words.<br>
<br>
If we can hold our theories in the same fashion as "a
likely story", maybe we'll start being able to tell
better stories (theories).<br>
<br>
Harold<br>
</span><br>
On 1/10/14 5:08 PM, Harrison Owen wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">Harold
– I have no problem with “understanding.” Good and
useful enterprise. Question is: Understanding of what?
And in what frame or context. I think we have come to a
point where we “understand” </span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1f497d">J</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1f497d">
that there are multiple logics, each appropriate to
different senses of reality. Newtonian Physics really
does work. AND Quantum Mechanics was/is crazy. In fact
one of the framers of Quantum Mechanics (Heisenberg I
think) remarked that that somebody’s formulation was
good, but not crazy enough to be true. Or something. I
think we may be at a similar paradigm/shift point. We’ll
see how it all turn out.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<div>-- <br>
Harold Shinsato<br>
<a href="mailto:harold@shinsato.com" target="_blank">harold@shinsato.com</a><br>
<a href="http://shinsato.com" target="_blank">http://shinsato.com</a><br>
twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/hajush" target="_blank">@hajush</a></div>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
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</pre>
</div></blockquote>
<br>
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