Replying to LO24864 --
LO Believers -
Note: I wrote this at the beginning of the list renewal dialogue. I'm sure
most e-mailers have drafts waiting to get the final finishing touches, but
time passes and the mind moves on to other issues. In rereading it today I
felt like it could be sent, for the dialogue is renewed again. Tom
June 6, 2000
This list is not an organization. There won't be an IPO or an NGO.
The list process organizes the content provided by participants. In
internet time, this list is ancient. It is quite easy to start a list
today. With so much competition for our screen time, why do so many
continue to stay subscribed?
I scan this list because, over time, it has contributed to my learning.
I've had side bars with members and this has contributed to my learning.
The fact that the membership is international - and uses the modern
Esperanto of "net English" is a great benefit. I thank all those who do
not contribute from their mother tongue.
To be organized is to be whole, at some level, and to be sustainable over
time in a dynamic sense, dealing with growth, decline, change - internal
and environmental. It has been observed that organizations are more
fragile than individuals. People survive - humanity has experience at this
in families and communities - organizations do not.
I read recently that the "learning organization" approach is being ignored
by management because it is too slow. Of course that is true - nurturing
takes time and who has any of that.
Teachers require time to teach, to prepare. I am a student still at 53
years. I do offer teachings, but more by example. I've not learned to
teach - which is a shortcoming. It is mostly that I do not have the time.
I want people to get it quickly. We'd all like to be able to take smart
pills and give them as well.
Organisms just don't learn that quickly, unless they are under enormous
stress - and it is a matter of survival.
The LO list has been a luxury - real teachers - devoting real time - with
the goal of connecting to other students, for every teacher is a student
looking for their own teachers.
Knowledge is at work in the world. It is embedded in nature where the
greater community of life operates. Humanity operates on the surface - not
the most refined species. Destroying habitat for many, and creating
austere habitats for the vermin which live off of man.
We must learn how to learn. This is an irritation, because we can envision
perfection so easily, yet manifestation is so difficult. Our teachers have
failed us. They can not make the learning easy. The answer is not an
answer - it requires us to think.
Give them the hemlock - virtually.
All we really need is a good database, an index of the answers. But who
will populate the database? Enter the data. What good is a search engine,
if there's nothing to search.
The unique content of this list has been attacked. Attack is a cry for
help. True teachers understand this.
Will the content improve?
Only time will tell.
Today - June 24 - Sue Starr wrote:
>I wrote a while ago that I was taking some time to grieve the change on
>the list. I like the richness and choice that this list brings me. I can
>see that that is continuing - so now I'm celebrating by writing.
I too am celebrating by writing and honor those who offer to this list.
Obviously it has resilience.
My original response today was to Sue Starr's description of the Quaker
dialogue process. She wrote:
>It has certainly been a great learning for me to participate in this
>dialogue experience with people who know how to sit and listen in silence.
>Part of the discipline is knowing not to speak to repeat in different
>words what someone has already said. From time to time some Friends may
>feel the need to support a statement. We might hear someone say "That
>Friend speaks my mind". I observed when I first began to attend business
>meetings that what is spoken is often not only concise, but elegant and
>gentle as well.
It seemed to me that this was somewhat like this List Process. The
majority sit and listen (read) in silence - attentive to the questions
that are of interest to them. (I checked the Society of Friends page
www.quaker.org to see if they were using the meeting house process on line
but didn't see anything obvious.) The post goes on:
>...snip... This continues until the Clerk hears what he/she believes is the
'sense of the meeting'.
>The Clerk will then speak this 'sense'. There will be a quiet chorus of
'agreed...agreed...agreed', or someone else will speak again.
Open Lists don't get this finality. We are not an organization, but I
believe that a learning community has formed around the commons Rick
Karash carved out of the cyber-wilderness - in a time long ago and far
away.
Sincerely
Tom (student)
* Tom Christoffel, Strategic Regions Futurist
* My mission: "Regions work!"
* e-mail: tjcdsgns@shentel.net
* "There's only one planet here. We need regional intelligence for effective
use of local
boundaries in a boundary-less world. Local planet regions frame issues for
cooperative
action of two or more. Think local planet, act regionally." C 2000
--"Tom Christoffel" <tjcdsgns@shentel.net>
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