Theos-Talk Archives (October 1997 Message tl00282)

JRC <jrcecon@selway.umt.edu>

> For whatever its worth, I've been part of a working group that has been
> togather for over ten years now, and we've never had anything like a "Judas"
> experience. We do have great differences between us - coming from very
> different value systems, social and economic classes, and age groups - and
> we've certainly had our share of very intense battles ... but I guess I
> could also say that from my experience the battles themselves were part of
> the growth process, and that participation in a working group opens up
> layers of growth and aspects of being that nothing else can even come close
> to - IMO the personal energy-system enlarges, deepens and develops to the
> extent to which it is pushed beyond the confines of its comfort zone, and
> commitment to a group simply does that in a way that a century of solitary
> reading and meditation cannot.

Yes. I have found this last part to be true also.

> Ego battles have not proved to be anything other than a minor distraction
> ... and the group has had no problem recognizing them and telling the two or
> three involved to go deal with themselves and and resolve the petty personal
> stuff - the far bigger issue has been not ego, but the really *substantive*
> disagreements that arise when fundamental differences exist in core belief
> systems and backgrounds - to attempt to arrive, for instance, at a single
> image the entire group can focus their energy through for the sake of
> improving the circumstances of a war torn nation ... when a Native American
> from the Blackfoot tribe, a former Roman Catholic, a Buddhist, a
> neo-platonist and several totally eclectic people are all fully engaged in
> the process...  Anyway, guess I've babbled enough.

I know books have been devoted to how a non-hierarchical group may function.
M. Scott Peck, for instance, wrote an interesting book on community - and
started the Foundation for Encouragement of Community.  I've always wondered
how effective his ideas are and how well they work in the long run.  How often
do your members interact with one another?  What is the size of your group?
How do you achieve consensus?  Or do you?

Thanks for your comments. I don't find them to be "babbling".