Verrrry sloooowly I'm learning what John means in this thread on
decision-making (I think that's what we're talking about).
John said:
>I did not say that our internal programming sets us up to make certain
>choices. In fact, I didn't say we make choices at all. What I said was
>that we confront situations, we understand ourselves in relation to those
>situations (i.e., we see the order of that situation according to our
>experience, knowledge, and insights), and what we'll do in light of that
>understanding simply becomes apparent.
Right. Assuming that it works this way. Ideally, we are aware of our
values and assumptions and how they work in a given situation, as well as
the scope of our ignorance. We collect the right kind and amount of
information, feed it into the values/assumptions processor, develop
insights about what the situation calls for in this setting, and do what
logically jumps out at us. Generally, it will jump out, if we've taken
pains to do things this way. But that's not how it usually works.
John continues:
>If you study decision making, what you'll see is the whole process is not
>about making a decision, it is about gathering information that you
>interpret in some way. Your interpretation will dictate the decision.
>The so-called decision is the most trivial part of the process--in fact,
>the decision is really just what you do based on your interpretation or
>understanding of the situation you're confronting. Making choices is
>simply taking the information of the moment, understanding and then acting
>on it--which is one way of describing the essence of human behavior.
Right again. We tend to take the information that's presently available
(rather than that which we need), understand it in terms of our
poorly-understood values and assumptions, and then take action, all within
the assumption that we know enough to make a decision. In this context we
are, as I put it, the prisoners of our paradigms.
John again:
>How you understand something is based on the assumptions you make. This is
>why there is so much disagreement in the world and so much conflict. Everybody
>is starting out from different assumptions; sometimes they're aware of this,
>and sometimes they're not. Then they try to cram these assumptions down the
>necks of others who don't see the world their way. Now why would anyone
>choose to behave in such a stupid way?
It sounds to me like we agree.
>Chris Argyris and many enlightened souls have tried to tell us this.
>They're trying to get us to wake up and _understand_ that we operate out
>of our assumptions, and use that understanding to get along with others by
>exploring with them your different assumptions. In doing that we can come
>to understand our different conclusions and behaviors and get along
>better.
Exactly. And this will lead to better decisions.
>In other words, by understanding that I operate in accordance with my
>understanding, I am no longer trapped by this into doing stupid things that
>would be hurtful to myself and others.
Yes, but ONLY if my understanding enables me to move beyond stupidity,
which I would define as the refusal to identify values, assumptions and
the scope of ignorance and then integrate them into one's life. (I'm not
talking about the inability to do this, but rather the refusal to do so.)
I can easily understand that I hate a particular minority, and still do
stupid things that hurt myself and others. The issue is to see deeply
into a situation and search for what it - the situation - needs, rather
than egotistically pursue what I want in that situation. I'm only a small
piece of any picture.
>My understanding now takes this into account, and that affects my behavior
>(not "choices") at any time in a positive manner.
Which brings us back to the beginning of this thread, behavior (not
choice). John's original point (I think) that behavior is the outcome of
our paradigms at work is absolutely right on. Sometimes we make choices
about our paradigms, sometimes we consciously choose to change our
paradigms, and sometimes we hold to them in the face of conflicting
information. In any case, as John says,
This could go on, but I'd like to be quiet now and listen. I'll close by
quoting John one more time, something that I agree with completely and
wholeheartedly.
>What a gift it is to be able to know that I behave in accordance with my
>understanding of the situation in which I find myself at any point in time.
>My understanding now takes that into account. My mental model is one that
>assumes I will (1) be doing the best I can, (2) that others are as well, and
>(3) that I can learn from my experience and expand my understanding to
>continue to improve as time goes by. In other words, I have discovered the
>built-in motivation to learn about myself and my world to perform better,
>experience more, to become an ever better and more complete human
>being--because that is consistent with my understanding. Given that
>understanding, I could not want or act otherwise than to do that. Why do you
>think I participate so enthusiastically in this dialogue?
Whew. Happy holidays, everyone!
Dave
-- David E. Birren Phone: (608)267-2442 Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources Fax: (608)267-3579 Bureau of Management & Budget E-mail: birred@dnr.state.wi.us"Our future is to be food - Wisdom's gift - for what comes after us." -- Saadi (Neil Douglas-Klotz)