I read "unlearning" as a phase of a more comprehensive motion. It is a release.
Refusal to release will indeed prevent the motion, but what is the motion?
You have characterized the motion as exploring, holding unreconciled views,
and being open. Agree.
You ask, how do we cultivate this motion in groups? It would be helpful to
acknowledge that the motion is distinctly uncomfortable. While it has its
rewards, the discipline is severe and you pass up comfortable stopping points.
I don't know how to deal with this. Even when you get someone to acknowledge
the rewards, the rewards aren't compelling, or at least aren't compelling
within a work organization. There is a suspicion that the efforts of an
open group will 'dissipate' toward personal enlightenment, yielding only
marginal economic returns. That may be true. Even if you sell it based
on the payoff, keeping one's eye on the payoff may interfere with the
motion, such as by preventing release.
Kent Myers
myersk@us.net
--Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>