Rick, I take a different interpretation of Arie's "flocking" - which
I like very much. That is that the flocking is activity which brings
together those who can learn from each other.
The learning, inventing, discovering is done by going away from the
flock and out into the world. The difference between the birds is
that one brought themselves back together which enabled learning to
spread and the other never got together in ways that would have
learning occur.
At the risk of stretching a metaphor too far, the "flocking" is a
behaviour that merely allows for the learning to transfer - it is not
designed specifically for it.
-- Michael McMaster Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk