Replying to LO30909 --
Dear Gray, dear LO'ers,
Yes, I agree with you:
> You point to a very important phenomenon. However, it is not
> necessarily an enemy as such that generates this cohesion, it is a
> common task. This cohesion was demonstrated in Sydney during the
> Olympic Games when many thousands of volunteers from around the
> country converged to make the games successful. Such energies can also
> be found in responding to disasters (though this might be interpreted
> as an 'enemy'.
You gave a very nice positive example - the Olympic games.
Perhaps it is because of my narrow mind on this subject, but it seems
much more easier for me to find 'negative' examples. However, it is
not this what wonders me, but the fact that an enemy as common task is
such a strong focal point, or attractor.
If I may generalize even a bit more, it is amazing how popular it is
to attract our attention to things which are wrong. Are the newspaper
and the TV a good representation of this tendency, or do they
strengthen it? Perhaps both.
I could think of only a few arguments for the fact that an enemy, or
negative common task is such a strong attractor. The main point is
that the common task in these cases is much more clear and a real
focal poiunt is present. Positive and idealistic attractors are much
more difficult to formulate them as attractor for many persons.
Why is our law system mainly based on the things that are wrong, and
thus forbidden, and neglecting the good? Probably because of the same
reason. It is much more difficult to rewrite our laws in a positive
way - stimulating and praising the good and neglecting the wrong.
This difficulty is also seen in mission statements of organizations.
It is a hell of a job to formulate a mission statement in such a way
that all employees of the company will see this mission as a strong
future attractor. Although I do not think that it is a wise idea to
create negative mission statements, the task is probably much easier
and perhaps such statement would have a stronger effect. Does somebody
of this list know of an example of a negative mission statement?
Leo Minnigh
--"leo minnigh" <minnigh@dds.nl>
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