Disappointment -- No soul? LO11964

MargMcI@aol.com
Wed, 15 Jan 1997 15:06:22 -0500 (EST)

Replying to LO11711 --

Sherri,

You ask an interesting question about why there is not more
emotional/soulful content on this list, but it puzzles me, in a way,
because I think this list has room for all. The list is whatever the
members want it to be. There is room enough for as many different styles
and issues as the members want. I don't see this as an either/or issue.
As a participant, you can initiate threads of interest to you (as you've
done here) and invite people to speak on that from the heart. Those who
like the intellectualizing can converse freely in other threads from the
head. What's wrong with that? Don't make intellectuals wrong for being
who they are. People can pick and choose which threads they want to read
or participate in, from the head or from the heart, or from both. For me,
this is an issue of freedom, and I say that very passionately! <big grin,
hands flailing in the air!> (Just me trying to show my emotions and soul!)

As to why others who value soulful interactions do not speak up more in
that way, I suspect it has to do with learning how to do that on this
medium, as well as building the trust in this cybercommunity to do it. I
think the learning-org list is a remarkable example of a cybercommunity
based on my participation for over two years. The medium, however, is not
all that conducive to expressing emotions. Yes, there are emoticons, but
they are a far cry from communicating the essence of one's inner most
feelings.

Another reason that comes to my mind is time and talent. To write a heart
felt message would take more time than I have to give to a cybercommunity
because I'm not a talented writer and don't find it easy to capture my
emotions in writing. Words can't fully express emotions, and
unfortunately, words are all we have on this medium. Some much more
talented than I at expressing their emotions in writing might be able to
convey more of the soul you are looking for. Others of us have it, just
don't know how to express it. For me, I also find it harder to express my
soul and emotions in person than I do my intellectual thoughts. It is
something I'm working on, but haven't mastered. I appreciate it more than
I can say, however, when I experience someone else relating to me in that
deep way.

So, if you want more soul from others, stop talking "about it" and just go
for it!! I'm sure many out there will applaud your efforts, me included.

Regards,

Margaret McIntyre
Atlanta, GA
404-365-8420
MargMcI@aol.com

-- 

MargMcI@aol.com

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