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<body class='hmmessage'><div dir='ltr'>Hi all<br><br>On where the replies go.<br><br>I have noticed that my email automatively defaults to the postee's e-address. I have to cut and paste the open space address into the 'To' for it to be posted to this list. This situation may be the same for others. I tested my theory on this email with the 'reply' and 'reply all' functions with the same result that the reply would have gone direct to Daniel if I had proceded.<br><br>I don't know whether this issue is related to my email setup or OsList's.<br><br>Kind regards<br><br>Anne<br><br><div><hr id="stopSpelling">To: oslist@lists.openspacetech.org<br>Date: Wed, 7 Oct 2015 19:53:01 -0400<br>Subject: Re: [OSList] The Tyranny of Structurelessness<br>From: oslist@lists.openspacetech.org<br><br>
mmp,<br>
<br>
Thanks for posting this under [The Tyranny of Structurelessness.]<br>
<br>
How interesting that subscribers feel more comfortable contacting
you personally by email, rather than responding here. <br>
<br>
Apparently you are more approachable for interactions and/or easier
to interact with than OSLIST. I'm sure there is more than one
specific reason "why" this might be true. <br>
<br>
Daniel <br>
<br>
<div class="ecxmoz-cite-prefix">On 10/7/15 5:16 PM, Michael M Pannwitz
via OSList wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:56158B96.4080706@gmail.com">One of
the structures, customs, ways of doing stuff, call it what you
prefer I have repeatedly noticed: A number of Members of the LIST
I never see on the LIST send responses to stuff I put on the LIST.
When I think a message would be great for the whole LIST to see,
I suggest it to the sender. Them Lurkers are definitely a "call it
what you prefer" element of our organisation.
<br>
<br>
Cheers from Berlin
<br>
mmp
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 07.10.2015 22:48, Michael Herman via OSList wrote:
<br>
<blockquote>wasn't actually intended as personal
feedback, daniel. was meant to be
<br>
a comment on the territory we all share, even when we might, any
of us,
<br>
feel in the moment like an outsider, that disorientation is
actually a
<br>
part of being included in the experience of open space.
<br>
<br>
as for the essay, i guess i'm still a little unclear about the
<br>
connection. open space doesn't strike me as any sort of
striving for
<br>
structurelessness. and i've seen both formal and informal
structure
<br>
arise in open space. harrison's term in his "millennial
organization"
<br>
book and what i've seen happen is "appropriate levels of
structure and
<br>
control."
<br>
<br>
the oslist doesn't seem structureless, either. there are all
kinds of
<br>
limiting and supporting structures that make it possible. and
then
<br>
there are the customs we've developed, like it's common and
desired for
<br>
people to reply to the whole list with answers to questions, and
even
<br>
personal stories and sidebars, rather than always taking that
stuff to
<br>
private emails. much of the informal stuff was captured in
chris
<br>
corrigan's oslist faq's i mentioned earlier. and these things
change.
<br>
the address changed. the admin changed. the archives moved
but
<br>
survived, thanks to harold. now we allow attachments. the
archives
<br>
were private and later became publicly searchable. new people
show up
<br>
all the time, and join in. the user's non-guide (ebook)
captured one
<br>
great moment in joining when julie smith showed up very new to
all of
<br>
this, asked some great questions, and sparked all kinds of
conversation
<br>
on many important dimensions of the practice.
<br>
<br>
maybe your definition of structure will also define
structureless. i
<br>
guess i don't know what ever could be structureless, in line
wiht chris'
<br>
story... except that everything's moving, it's all flow, as
harrison
<br>
says. but maybe those two stories aren't at odds, either...
some bits
<br>
are just more dense or more slowly flowing than others, but it's
all
<br>
flow in the end. is flow structureless?
<br>
<br>
is the tyranny of structurelessness just to say that
everything's
<br>
moving, and moving on, even the parts we really like, and that
can make
<br>
for some difficult experiences... that would also be nobody's
fault, but
<br>
just part of the shared condition? uncomfortable in spots, to
be sure,
<br>
but nobody's and no system's "fault" or "responsibility?"
<br>
<br>
as mentioned earlier, OS and the circle don't make people
equal. some
<br>
will always be better, faster, stronger, more attractive, more
connected
<br>
than others. is thta a problem to be solved? i'm having some
trouble
<br>
connecting "elites," "movement," "authorization" and some other
terms in
<br>
the essay to my experience in open space and on the list. the
essay
<br>
seems to want to fix a problem, but one that's not familiar to
me, at
<br>
least not as a sort of thing to be solved.
<br>
<br>
why is this essay important for you? how does it inform your
<br>
understanding and practice of open space? or your participation
on the
<br>
oslist? are we a movement? are you an elite? is open space at
risk of
<br>
being taken over? help me make the connection(s)?
<br>
<br>
i notice that you said in your first message that you find this
<br>
"extremely interesting" but you've yet to say why.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
Michael Herman
<br>
Michael Herman Associates
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Wed, Oct 7, 2015 at 2:25 PM, Daniel Mezick
<<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dan@newtechusa.net">dan@newtechusa.net</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:dan@newtechusa.net"><mailto:dan@newtechusa.net></a>> wrote:
<br>
<br>
Yo Michael,
<br>
<br>
The whole "story-context-is-missing" thing is really just a
sidebar
<br>
to the important (and much wider) issues around authority.
<br>
<br>
These authority-issues are raised by the subject essay, "The
Tyranny
<br>
of Structurelessness." What a great essay!
<br>
<br>
Story-context is a really, really important topic though,
especially
<br>
if "missing-context" does have at least the potential to
evoke
<br>
feelings of exclusion, in at least some members of the list.
<br>
<br>
Regarding some of the things you are saying:
<br>
<br>
You say, "Exclusion is the illusion. A little bit of errant
and
<br>
temporary mental structure."
<br>
<br>
I say, my current belief is that my feelings are not
illusion
<br>
whatsoever, nor are they error. Rather they are real and
valid,
<br>
human emotions. They are emotions which, when experienced
fully, are
<br>
in fact an essential aspect of living well.
<br>
<br>
<br>
You say, "...I notice the word tyranny again in the subject.
Is it
<br>
not some kind of tyranny we all attempt over and over again
when we
<br>
expect and insist that the world explain itself to/for us?"
<br>
<br>
I say, my current belief is that inquiry is not simply
important, it
<br>
is in fact essential. Inquiry is good.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
In any event, and as always, I do appreciate your feedback.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
I am now keen to get back to the main topic !
<br>
<br>
I wonder how we might, in the here and now, go about
defining the
<br>
term "structure," for purposes of further discussing issues
raised
<br>
by this essay with much more clarity.
<br>
<br>
That's a question I'm keen to explore with you, and the
other
<br>
members of this list, inside this thread.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,
<br>
Daniel
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.Prime-OS.com" target="_blank">http://www.Prime-OS.com</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 10/6/15 11:56 AM, Michael Herman wrote:
<br>
<blockquote> Yes and Daniel, there are the words
of a story and the
<br>
feeling/meaning of it. I considered writing a longer
message in
<br>
the telling of this story, but I wanted to transmit as
much of the
<br>
spirit/experience of it as I could.
<br>
<br>
Ralph didn't offer any explanation of his observation that
<br>
morning. He did just like I said, got up in a morning news
circle,
<br>
it was an OTgathering as I noted but that doesn't matter,
it was
<br>
open space and morning news. He said his piece and sat
down. The
<br>
experience for me, and others I have learned only later,
was
<br>
stunning and disorienting, for sure.
<br>
<br>
I thought to honor and convey this experience through some
measure
<br>
of similar brevity in my retelling. Maybe this is what you
picked
<br>
up on. The disorienting magic of Ralph's moment.
<br>
<br>
There are moments in open space of surprise and
disconnect, maybe
<br>
frustration or confusion or misunderstanding or
disorientation and
<br>
even disappointment that arise in open space. This we all
know and
<br>
have experienced. This, to me, is not so much a thing to
be solved
<br>
but the nature of the territory. It just is.
<br>
<br>
Ralph never did explain his statement, as far as I know.
He had
<br>
something to say and he said it. That was his only job.
After
<br>
that, each of us had to figure out for ourselves what, if
<br>
anything, to do with his story, to decide if it was wisdom
or
<br>
wisecrack. The storyteller, I think, has only the
responsibility
<br>
for finding and sharing what's true for him/her. The rest
is up
<br>
to us.
<br>
<br>
Maybe this points to the learning and challenge that we
all have
<br>
in open space, namely learning to trust more and more that
we
<br>
already are always included in a flow that is bigger and
deeper or
<br>
whatever than we can see or understand or articulate
sometimes.
<br>
Exclusion is the illusion. A little bit of errant and
temporary
<br>
mental structure. Discomfort is not a problem (and can't
be solved
<br>
by anyone!); it's a trail marker. Which is to say about
exclusion
<br>
and missing out, "welcome!" The good news is, and the bad
news
<br>
is, you're in! And, it's all still happening Now.
<br>
<br>
As I scroll up to send tha now, I notice the word tyranny
again in
<br>
the subject. Is it not some kind of tyranny we all attempt
over
<br>
and over again when we expect and insist that the world
explain
<br>
itself to/for us? Is this not something of our central
challenge,
<br>
something all of us work with? The edge of open space is
an end
<br>
of comfortable, conventional understanding? Or something?
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Tuesday, October 6, 2015, Daniel Mezick via OSList
<br>
<<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"><mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org></a><a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a><br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"><mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org></a>> wrote:
<br>
<br>
Hi Harrison,
<br>
<br>
Thanks for the tips on how to search OSLIST and
Google, etc. I
<br>
did do those things actually. However, that's a bit of
an
<br>
effort, especially searching the OSLIST archives. I
guess I
<br>
could eventually pick up OSLIST culture that way,
little by
<br>
little. I suppose an earnest person with loads of time
could
<br>
sift through OSLIST archives to figure this culture
out. The
<br>
hard way.
<br>
<br>
However, like the SPIRIT book teaches, there is
nothing like a
<br>
good story to convey culture. The kind of story with a
<br>
beginning, a middle and an end.
<br>
<br>
I notice that, when you are the one referring to a
certain
<br>
OS-mythos story, you usually tend to include the short
list of
<br>
pertinent details, the essential details that provide
the
<br>
essential context, so the reader can follow along, and
engage.
<br>
<br>
And I'm always grateful for that, as it helps me to
follow
<br>
along, and get what you are referring to, and more
fully
<br>
understand the story, and feel oddly included in the
story.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Earlier, I express how not having the context tends to
(for
<br>
me) arouse feelings of: exclusion, cluelessness, and a
general
<br>
lack of membership in whatever
"historic-OS-mythos-episode" is
<br>
being referred to. Sort of an "out group" feeling. You
know?
<br>
Sometimes, I wonder what the poster might be thinking
by
<br>
posting random fragments of a "you had to be there"
kind of
<br>
story. Other times, I wonder if other readers are also
feeling
<br>
these feelings. Or if it is "just me."
<br>
<br>
And so: I am very grateful for your stories, in part
because
<br>
you include the pertinent details, and in so doing,
make me
<br>
(for one) feel included.
<br>
<br>
So thanks for including the context in your stories.
It makes
<br>
them fun, and easy to follow. OSLIST culture certainly
has
<br>
it's quirks, and for me, your stories make this
culture easier
<br>
to figure out, and navigate, and enjoy.
<br>
<br>
<br>
Getting back to the Tyranny of Structurelessness:
<br>
<br>
Do you think these 3 assertions by the author are
actually
<br>
true? Do these ideas have legs?
<br>
<br>
* /This hegemony can be so easily established
because the
<br>
idea of "structurelessness" does not prevent the
formation
<br>
of informal structures, only formal ones./
<br>
* /For everyone to have the opportunity to be
involved in a
<br>
given group and to participate in its activities,
the
<br>
structure must be explicit, not implicit. /
<br>
* /It is this informal structure, particularly in
<br>
Unstructured groups, which forms the basis for
elites./
<br>
<br>
<br>
Daniel
<br>
<br>
On 10/6/15 10:04 AM, Harrison Owen wrote:
<br>
<blockquote>
<br>
Dan, Google can often help.
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="https://www.google.com/#q=ralph+copleman" target="_blank"><https://www.google.com/#q=ralph+copleman></a><a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.google.com/#q=ralph+copleman" target="_blank">https://www.google.com/#q=ralph+copleman</a><br>
<br>
<br>
ho
<br>
<br>
*From:*OSList
[<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]
<br>
*On Behalf Of *Daniel Mezick via OSList
<br>
*Sent:* Monday, October 05, 2015 4:51 PM
<br>
*To:* Harrison Owen; World wide Open Space
Technology email list
<br>
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] The Tyranny of
Structurelessness
<br>
<br>
Howdy Harrison,
<br>
<br>
Thanks for describing the context of the Ralph
Copleman
<br>
story- I'm very thankful for that info.
<br>
<br>
I notice that, lots of times here, there are
references made
<br>
to notable OST episodes, and situations from times
past...
<br>
<br>
...the "OST-mythos" as it were.
<br>
<br>
These mythical stories often have me wondering what
I missed,
<br>
and what I might now be missing. (Being clueless as
I am.)
<br>
<br>
I'm sure these story-fragment postings are not
posted with
<br>
intent to exclude anyone, or to be discourteous, or
unkind.
<br>
More like: some good old basic camaraderie is taking
place
<br>
between some old friends.
<br>
<br>
Still: Do these "inside-story-fragments" on OSLIST
tend to
<br>
evoke feelings of exclusion in readers who were
/not/ there
<br>
at the time?
<br>
<br>
Not sure.
<br>
<br>
<CONFESSION>
<br>
<br>
As for me, personally, I sometimes find myself
experiencing
<br>
curiously odd feelings of exclusion, when a
told-fragment of
<br>
an old OST-mythos story lacks explicit context. So I
can
<br>
follow the story, you know? The terms "outsider" or
<br>
"clueless" or "not in the story" describe these
feelings
<br>
fairly well. "Not invited?"
<br>
<br>
I sometimes wonder if some of the hundreds of
/other/ members
<br>
of OSLIST ever feel this way...or if it is "just
me."
<br>
<br>
</CONFESSION>
<br>
<br>
Daniel
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 10/4/15 2:59 PM, Harrison Owen via OSList wrote:
<br>
<br>
“Everythingis moving.† .... Michael -- I
remember
<br>
that moment verywell. And Dan, I’m not sure
the
<br>
context, etc, would helpvery much. But just for
the
<br>
record the odd phrase popped out at one of the
<br>
International Symposia on Organization
Transformation
<br>
which happened to be taking place at a small
college
<br>
south of Seattle. I have no idea why Ralph said
what he
<br>
did, and I’m not sure Ralph did either. But
then againa
<br>
lot of marvelous stuff seems to burst out with
no obvious
<br>
logic train. Indeed it may be that the lack of
logic
<br>
train enables the thought?
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Whatever the genesis, the phrase wandered about
my head
<br>
for some time, quite unattached, and it also
happened
<br>
that I was working my way slowly through one of
the
<br>
masterpieces of 20^th century western philosophy
when a
<br>
fuzzy connection began to form. The work was
that of
<br>
Alfred North Whitehead, and the title:
“Process and
<br>
Reality.†I’ve been through thebook probably
4-5
<br>
times, and I am frank to confess that I don’t
think I
<br>
really understandit. But then again
I’veheard a
<br>
number of people with much greater credentials,
tenure,
<br>
etc – say the same thing. But I did get that
ithad
<br>
something to do with, “Everything is moving.â€
Andthe
<br>
more I thought and read, the more I felt that
the good
<br>
philosopher had made a small mistake on his
title. It
<br>
shouldn’t be “Process/and/ Reality,†but
<br>
rather“Process*is* Reality.â€
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Now, Anna Caroline we come to “structure,†or
perhaps
<br>
Ishould say the fallacy of Structure? Yes I know
–
<br>
we’ve all been taught that structure is the
precursor,
<br>
the “determinator†of everything. My face
looks as it
<br>
doesbecause of my bone structure. My life
proceeds the
<br>
way it does because of my social structure. My
business
<br>
works as it does because of the organizational
structure.
<br>
And of course, meetings happen the way they do
because of
<br>
meeting structure, which apparently is the prime
domain
<br>
of “facilitators.†And even if we hadn’t
<br>
been“taught†all this, the primacy of
structure would
<br>
appearto be blatantly obvious – as plain as
the nose on
<br>
yourface.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Unfortunately, it does seem to turn out that
sometimes
<br>
the blatantly obvious is not necessarily so. For
example
<br>
just looking at things it is pretty clear that
the world
<br>
is flat, or at the least bumpy flat. And any
fool can see
<br>
that we are the center of it all – Sun, moon,
and stars
<br>
whiz around us. But when we think about it, as
we have
<br>
been doing for the last 500-600 years, the
obvious
<br>
isn’t so obvious.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
It is reasonable to ask what would start to make
us think
<br>
differently – to the point that we begin to
question
<br>
theobvious, and even come to see things in a
different
<br>
way? Taking a leap, I will suggest that it all
begins
<br>
with the perception of anomaly. Things just
don’t make
<br>
sense. Our eyes tell us one thing... but???? And
then we
<br>
start making up stories to explain the
apparently
<br>
unexplainable. We imagine different ways of
looking at
<br>
things so that the nonsensical makes sense. Some
of those
<br>
stories get pretty strange, but if they actually
work –
<br>
that is to say, helpus to see in new and useful
ways –
<br>
that’s great!
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
There is, of course, a proper term for the
activity I
<br>
have been describing. It is called Theory
Building. And
<br>
for whatever it is worth, “theory†comes from
the
<br>
Greek “/theoreinâ//€ /– to see. In a word,
theories
<br>
are ways of looking atthings – likely stories
you might
<br>
say.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Now, at long last (too long?) we come to the odd
story I
<br>
was starting to tell, to the effect that
Structure is
<br>
only a figment of our imagination, a flash frame
of a
<br>
moment gone by. Interesting, and helpful under
some
<br>
circumstances... but always partial and in a
sense
<br>
illusory. What’s“really†happening is all
flow.
<br>
Everything is moving –That’s Ralph’s
story, and I
<br>
guess it is mine too.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
So how did I get to such a weird condition? It
was all
<br>
about anomaly – more particularly, the anomaly
of Open
<br>
Space.Everything that I had ever learned told me
that it
<br>
could not work. Unfortunately it did (work) –
and not
<br>
just once, butevery time, hundreds of thousands
of times.
<br>
Something was definitely weird. It seemed to me
that I
<br>
had to re-consider all those things I thought I
had
<br>
learned, beginning with the basics... such
things as
<br>
Structure.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Common sense would say that Open Space works
because we
<br>
somehow created a structure that enabled it to
work.
<br>
That’s theway things get done, or so I had
been taught.
<br>
But that’snot the way things happened in Open
Space.
<br>
Structure emerged along the way and only
momentarily.
<br>
Worse yet it (structure) seemed to have little
to do with
<br>
the obvious power, connections, creativity....
all of
<br>
which created structures, and passed them by.
And
<br>
actually it always seemed to me that the
“structuresâ€
<br>
I “saw†existed only because Iwanted to see
them –
<br>
or perhaps that I “should†seethem. But they
were only
<br>
momentary wisps, figments – neverto be
mistaken for
<br>
what was really going on. Or so I’vebeen
thinking.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Harrison
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
*From:*OSList
<br>
[<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>]
*On
<br>
Behalf Of *Michael Herman via OSList
<br>
*Sent:* Saturday, October 03, 2015 6:31 PM
<br>
*To:* JL Walker; World wide Open Space
Technology email list
<br>
*Subject:* Re: [OSList] The Tyranny of
Structurelessness
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
you remind me, harrison, of one morning news
session
<br>
years ago, somewhere, probably OT... where ralph
copleman
<br>
walked to the center of the circle and
announced, all
<br>
serious and mischievous at the same time, "it's
all
<br>
moving!" Â
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
then put the stick down and went back to his
seat.Â
<br>
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
Michael Herman
<br>
Michael Herman Associates
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a>
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 1:47 PM, JL Walker via
OSList
<br>
<<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"><mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org></a>> wrote:
<br>
<br>
I was thinking that maybe the antidote to the
eventual
<br>
tyranny of structurelessness is to open space,
again and
<br>
again, until true democracy can emerge.
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Juan Luis
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
*De:*OSList
<br>
[<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org">mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org"><mailto:oslist-bounces@lists.openspacetech.org></a>] *En
<br>
nombre de *Rosa Zubizarreta via OSList
<br>
*Enviado el:* sábado, 03 de octubre de 2015
12:19
<br>
*Para:* Daniel Mezick; World wide Open Space
Technology
<br>
email list
<br>
*Asunto:* Re: [OSList] The Tyranny of
Structurelessness
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
Hi Daniel,
<br>
<br>
Yes, this is a key piece... I see it as very
similar in
<br>
some ways to what Ken Wilber wrote later,
<br>
<br>
about the "shadow side of the green meme". (Each
meme has
<br>
its own shadow, as well as its own gift...)
<br>
<br>
So, I love "green". I love circles, I love
non-hierarchy,
<br>
etc.
<br>
And, part of the "shadow side of the green meme"
is how
<br>
ideologically anti-structure it can become...
<br>
<br>
to the point where some people may not even
agree that
<br>
OST does, in fact, offer a very simple and
effective
<br>
structure.
<br>
<br>
By way contrast, think of a situation where
group of
<br>
people (who don't know about OST, and/or, who
are having
<br>
a power struggle around "which process to use",
<br>
and/or.... ) might easily spending a whole
weekend
<br>
arguing /about /"how to self-organize
ourselves"... with
<br>
a great deal more pain and frustration and a
great deal
<br>
less value.
<br>
<br>
whereas, instead, IF someone knows about OST,
and, a
<br>
clear invitation has been extended, and, there
is enough
<br>
trust/suspension of disbelief so that
participants are
<br>
willing to enter into that format,
<br>
<br>
then, we end up with a very simple and elegant
structure
<br>
that allows people to self-organize
beautifully....
<br>
<br>
at least that's how i see it! :-)
<br>
<br>
with all best wishes,
<br>
<br>
Rosa
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
<br>
*/Rosa Zubizarreta/*
<br>
<br>
/Developing Participatory and Co-intelligent
Leadership
<br>
Author of *From Conflict to Creative
Collaboration*
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.conflict2creativity.com" target="_blank"><http://www.conflict2creativity.com></a>/
<br>
<br>
/For more resources and learning opportunities,
visit
<br>
*<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.DiaPraxis.com" target="_blank"><http://www.DiaPraxis.com></a><a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.DiaPraxis.com" target="_blank">www.DiaPraxis.com</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.DiaPraxis.com" target="_blank"><http://www.DiaPraxis.com></a>*/
<br>
<br>
Â
<br>
<br>
On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 9:26 AM, Daniel Mezick
via OSList
<br>
<<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org">oslist@lists.openspacetech.org</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org"><mailto:oslist@lists.openspacetech.org></a>> wrote:
<br>
<br>
THE TYRANNY of STRUCTURELESSNESS
<br>
by Jo Freeman aka Joreen
<br>
<br>
I find this essay extremely interesting. I hope
you do, too.
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Here is a pertinent quote, from the essay:
<br>
".../the idea of "structurelessness" does not
prevent the
<br>
formation of informal structures, only formal
ones."
<br>
<br>
/
<br>
Circa 1970. Context: the women's movement. Quick
summary
<br>
of the main points: from the essay...
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/During the years in which the women's
liberation
<br>
movement has been taking shape, a great emphasis
has been
<br>
placed on what are called leaderless,
structureless
<br>
groups as the main -- if not sole --
organizational form
<br>
of the movement. /
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/The idea of "structurelessness," however,
has moved
<br>
from a healthy counter to those tendencies, to
becoming a
<br>
goddess in its own right./
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/Contrary to what we would like to believe,
there is
<br>
no such thing as a structureless group. /
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/This means that to strive for a
structureless group
<br>
is as useful, and as deceptive, as to aim at an
<br>
"objective" news story, "value-free" social
science, or a
<br>
"free" economy. A "laissez faire" group is about
as
<br>
realistic as a "laissez faire" society; the idea
becomes
<br>
a smokescreen for the strong or the lucky to
establish
<br>
unquestioned hegemony over others. /
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/This hegemony can be so easily established
because
<br>
the idea of "structurelessness" does not prevent
the
<br>
formation of informal structures, only formal
ones. /
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/For everyone to have the opportunity to be
involved
<br>
in a given group and to participate in its
activities,
<br>
the structure must be explicit, not implicit. /
<br>
<br>
ï‚·/It is this informal structure, particularly
in
<br>
Unstructured groups, which forms the basis for
elites./
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Just in case you have not yet encountered the
full text
<br>
of this essay, here it is:
<br>
<br>
THE TYRANNY of STRUCTURELESSNESS
<br>
by Jo Freeman aka Joreen
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm" target="_blank">http://www.jofreeman.com/joreen/tyranny.htm</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Regards,
<br>
Daniel
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.OpenSpaceAgility.com/about" target="_blank">http://www.OpenSpaceAgility.com/about</a>
<br>
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<br>
Daniel Mezick, President
<br>
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New Technology Solutions Inc.
<br>
<br>
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Bio <a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/></a>. Blog
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<br>
<br>
Examine my new book:Â The Culture Game
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/></a>:
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<br>
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and
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Coaching.
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<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
Daniel Mezick, President
<br>
<br>
New Technology Solutions Inc.
<br>
<br>
(203) 915 7248 <a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" target="_blank"><tel:%28203%29%20915%207248></a>
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<br>
<br>
Bio <a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/></a>. Blog
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/blog/></a>. Twitter
<br>
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<br>
<br>
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/></a>:
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<br>
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<br>
<br>
Explore Agile Team Training
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and
<br>
Coaching.
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/></a>
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<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
Michael Herman
<br>
Michael Herman Associates
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://MichaelHerman.com" target="_blank">http://MichaelHerman.com</a>
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://OpenSpaceWorld.org" target="_blank">http://OpenSpaceWorld.org</a>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
--
<br>
<br>
Daniel Mezick, President
<br>
<br>
New Technology Solutions Inc.
<br>
<br>
(203) 915 7248 <a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" target="_blank"><tel:%28203%29%20915%207248></a> (cell)
<br>
<br>
Bio <a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/></a>. Blog
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/blog/></a>. Twitter
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/" target="_blank"><http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/></a>.
<br>
<br>
Examine my new book:The Culture Game
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/></a>:
Tools for the
<br>
Agile Manager.
<br>
<br>
Explore Agile Team Training
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/></a>
and Coaching.
<br>
<a class="ecxmoz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" target="_blank"><http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/></a>
<br>
<br>
Explore the Agile Boston
<br>
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</blockquote>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<div class="ecxmoz-signature">-- <br>
<title></title>
<style><!--
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<p class="ecxp1">Daniel Mezick, President</p>
<p class="ecxp1">New Technology Solutions Inc.</p>
<p class="ecxp1">(203) 915 7248 (cell)</p>
<p class="ecxp2"><span class="ecxs1"><a href="http://newtechusa.net/dan-mezick/" target="_blank">Bio</a></span><span class="ecxs2">. <a href="http://newtechusa.net/blog/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs1">Blog</span></a>. <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/danmezick/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs1">Twitter</span></a>.<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="ecxp3"><span class="ecxs2">Examine my new book:<span class="ecxApple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://newtechusa.net/about/the-culture-game-book/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs1">The Culture Game </span></a></span><span class="ecxs1">: Tools for the Agile Manager</span><span class="ecxs2">.</span></p>
<p class="ecxp1">Explore Agile Team <a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-training/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs3">Training</span></a> and <a href="http://newtechusa.net/services/agile-scrum-coaching/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs3">Coaching.</span></a></p>
<p class="ecxp1">Explore the <a href="http://newtechusa.net//user-groups/ma/" target="_blank"><span class="ecxs3">Agile
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