>
>You bring up an interestng point, and a paradox that I haven't figured out
>how to deal with. While it is one that can be a personal one, I suspect it
>is also one that applies to organizations. On the one hand, the notion
>that one's principles, and values are important,and should be signposts to
>one's life. On the other, the issue of tolerance for other people's
>choices to live in another manner.
>
>I have an attraction for eastern philosophy because they seem to be more
>accepting, with a different focus--less interventionist, and less
>compelled to force others to live according to their tenets. Less
>paternalistic, if you like.
I think the wrong concept is being discussed when the issue of tolerance
arises in these discussions.
I am in a room and I see a fire break out across the room. The other
persons in the room are facing away from the fire. If I tell them there is
a fire behind them, they will probably turn around, see the fire and run.
They will not say "From my perspective there is no fire, please be tolerant
of my view". Tolerance can only apply when the issues are not life
threatening. The problem with Christianity today is that no one believes
the ones who are honestly yelling fire because many have falsely yelled
fire in the past [eg Galileo, Crusades, Salem witches, Jim Baker, etc.]
>
>The link, of course, to organizations is whether those that hold power in
>an organization will use that power to enforce, and/or convince others to
>conform to their values, or whether the path includes diversity, (an
>overused term), and deal with the issue in a more flexible way.
To force values on someone else is obviously dangerous and fruitless.
However a leader with values can lead others to those values through
example.
<>< rich
Richard R. Antcliff (804) 864-4606
MS 493 (804) 864-8315 fax
NASA Langley Research Center r.r.antcliff@larc.nasa.gov
Hampton, VA 23681 home: antcliff@norfolk.infi.net
--r.r.antcliff@larc.nasa.gov (Rich Antcliff)
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>