Subject: Insecurity to Creativity
Probably a new subject: Spontaneity.
Replying to LO10697 (and LO10677)
Ben Compton writes:
> No, I don't think you missed anything. Your right where I'm stuck: How do
> people progress to the point that they're willing to change, without
> changing? The only explanation I have is that it's a matter of passion and
> spirtuality (more on spirituality a little later in the message). How
> passionate am I about achieving such and such result in my life? If I'm
> really passionate, I'll develop the emotional maturity to embrace change.
> If I'm not, then I'll probably sit around and change a little here and
> there as my environment changes.
>
> Which raises another question in my mind: Why are some people incredibly
> passionate, while others seem to be almost bereft of passion? Clearly
> environmental factors take their toll (did the person get beat down when
> they were younger by authoritative figures, such as parents, teachers,
> etc.)? Is it genetic? Did some traumatic event happen, such as an abusive
> relationship (either physically, emotionally, or sexually)? Are they just
> lazy? Are they afraid? What are they afraid of?
>
> I wish I could answer the question, because if I could I'd be a much
> better manager, father, and husband. I've read a number of theories, but
> none that seem to have broad relevance -- they apply to very specific
> circumstances.
>
> The one thing I do think, however, is that a person is not likely to
> embrace change without having a rather strong spiritual center -- whether
> that is a formal religion, or a deeply believed philosophy. FRom my
> observations, that spirituality needs to be a shared experience to be
> transformational.
Ben
You have touched sincerely a topic which I also consider as extremely
important. What you have described in the first paragraph is summarised by
the terms "motivation" for human affairs and "spontaneity" for all other
affairs.
A spontaneous system will change/react on its own accord. It may even be
employed as a source of work/commodities. A non- spontaneous system will
only act if forced by work and control on it. In other words, it has to be
engineered. Taking all into account, it is not a netto producer, but a net
consumer. What is even worse, remove the outside force and the system
drops back into its inactive state.
How can a non-spontaneous system be transformed into a
spontaneous system? I am sure of two things:
1 This transformation cannot be engineered from the outside by
employing work and control.
2 This transformation depends on internal emergences, i.e self-
organisation in the highest orders.
1) above does not mean that external guidance/facilitation is taboo. It
only means that external guidance should not try and take over internal
emergence. The facilitator should encourage those things conducive to
emergences. For example, emergences always happens far from equilbrium.
This means that strong emotions have to be expected and employed. The
faciltator should also point out those things which impair emergences. For
example, emergences rely heavily on autocatalysis, i.e producing self the
tools to overcome the resisting barriers. This means that the importation
of even part of the emergence may prove to be fatal.
2) above means that the organisation has to concentrate on the highest
orders. Survival, for example, is of a lower level than compassion.
Likewise is competiveness of a lower level than respect. Love and truth
belong to the highest level. To insist that survival, competiveness,
secrecy, etc. ensure sucess is to miss the point completely. This is why
you consider philosophy and relgion to be so important. Philosophy and
religion (ought to) attend the qualities of the highest orders.
You mention "shared experience". May I stress the word "shared". I prefer
the word 'commutation' to refer to sharedness. Emergences rely heavily on
commutation. Now what is commutation? Let me explain it by an example. We
communicate by email on internet. The hardware and operating software we
make use of are not part of the communication. They form part of the
commutation! To expect emergences in the highest orders without ensuring
the necessary commutaion is to wait for a pie to appear in the sky. In
other words, create/encourage channels/opportunities in the organisation
to express such qualities as compassion, respect, truth and love.
Best wishes
At de Lange
Gold Fields Computer Centre for Education
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
email: amdelange@gold.up.ac.za
--"Mnr AM de Lange" <AMDELANGE@gold.up.ac.za>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>