Symbiosis in LOs LO11168

Isabel Willshaw (isabelw@brainpool.co.uk)
Wed, 27 Nov 1996 20:57:18 +0000

Replying to LO11140 --

Julie Beedon asked

>Is symbiosis always a two party transaction??
>
>Is there a chance we could have
>
>A produces something which is food for B
>B produces something which is food for C
>C produces something which is food for D
>.....produces something which is food for A
>
>and what would we call it....
>
>My take on this who issue of freely giving in the learning is that it
>might not come back to us from those who we give it to but that in a
>generous environment it will surely come to us from somewhere. I would
>like to be part of the creation of the generous environment if I can
>..........

Thank you Julie for asking that. I have been centrally involved in
creating a generous network for people exploring new ways of working and
being. We make explicit that it is a generous network for people who are
very good at what they do and who want to contribute. There is all round a
very high level of positive energy, and the collective intelligence which
is created and forms and re-forms is so powerful because we encourage
people to appreciate each other's contributions, to close the loop and
thank someone when something they did has been helpful.

>indebtedness - why is that uncomfortable.

Another way of putting this is that many of us have been brought up not to
ask for what we want. If we practise asking for what we want, we offer
another person the chance to give to us. If you give something wonderful
to me, you do get something in return. Perhaps voicing ideas in this forum
helps the author come to greater clarity. And if you give something to me,
I am perhaps more motivated to be generous to another person.

I would like to try out the
>notion that our debt is not necessarily directly back to the person who
>gave to us but to the whole community??

I suggest this is the spirit in which this list has thrived for so long.

Julie wrote:
>When At said:
>>However, I fear that there is too much comensal and too little mutual
>>symbiosis in this forum.
>
>I was not sure what this meant. I am drawign all sorts of conclusions
>which I suspect may be right out of line so I would be grateful if you
>could say more about what it is about the forum which makes you think
>there is too much comensal symbiosis?

I would like to add my voice to Julie's here

>>It is very difficult
>>for very creative people to enjoy mutual symbiosis.

At, please could you explain what prompts you to say this?

Surely mutual symbiosis is one of the most creative experiences people can
have? Can we really describe some people as very creative without
contributions from other people?

Julie wrote
> my sense is that everyone has something to offer someone else. I
>am uncomfortable with the picture of people at the front's edge - my sense
>is that there are many fronts and I do not want to stand at all of them
>although I am glad that someone is...

I feel equally uncomfortable. My experience is that when you appreciate
other people, they reveal unexpected and beautiful facets of themselves,
as in a treasure chest. Perhaps we are blind to some of the other fronts
at which others stand.

I love the way Danah Zohar puts it: 'I need your difference to bring more
of myself'

What a great discussion!

Best wishes, Isabel Willshaw

BrainPool Productive Connections

1 Admiral Terrace Edinburgh EH10 4JH Scotland
Tel 0131 229 1576

For up to date information about what's going on in BrainPool please visit
our website: http://www.brainpool.co.uk

-- 

Isabel Willshaw <isabelw@brainpool.co.uk>

Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>