On Nature & Society
David Tranter’s book Nature and Society makes a remarkable amount of sense. Among other things, he describes a range of thresholds in nature and links them to thresholds in society. I reckon properly designed and run collaborative events use this principle too.
Natural thresholds include the point at which reptiles have basked long enough in the sun to get their metabolism going, and the temperature/s at which water changes from solid to liquid to gas.
These thresholds are like gates, or windows of opportunity. As they open, new structures emerge that are subject to new laws. “But, however different those worlds may seem either side of the gate, they are just different phases of the same reality.”
Well managed participatory sessions can take a group on a journey from initial uncertainty to a point of clear purpose and commitment. The point for the group is that they have taken this journey together.
Their actual physical reality probably won’t have changed much during the course of the event, but their appreciation of that reality may well have been transformed. They can then keep responding creatively in the light of that transformation.
June 26th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
I’ve never heard this analogy before (two worlds either side of the gate being just different phases of the same reality).
But I can certainly relate to it.
Ta,
Ben.
June 30th, 2006 at 1:06 pm
Nice analogy - or is it metaphor…
For me there is a significant difference between natures phase changes (at thresholds) and that when a collaboratives group’s reality transforms - once a groups awareness has been expanded/altered - there’s usually no ‘going back’ - no ‘reset button’ .. why I regard collaborative processes as being able to lead to genuine transformations
go well
Tom
July 2nd, 2006 at 8:29 am
And also, Tom, why mishandled collaborative processes can have really nasty results.
Cheers
Jim Belshaw