Learning from conflict and incivility/Jtneill

User:Jtneill

I like groups, diversity, and enjoy the potential of "conflict" for learning and growth. Mostly though, being a somewhat newish custodian, I'm also watching, learning, listening, occasionally doing relatively trivial/neutral edits (e.g., adding categories, copyediting, welcoming users).

I tend to view wikis as dynamic, behavioural systems, rather than as collections of individuals. e.g., consider the Gaia hypothesis; from such a view, each of us acts as part of a larger wiki organism. We plays roles in facilitating natural balancing via feedback systems which work to maintain homeostasis. I see so-called "conflict"s as natural and needed flux in a system's evolution, devolution, and mutuation.

I also tend to view behavioural events as largely situationally-determined, and dynamic (e.g., Lewinian "force field" stuff), so tend to find dispositional arguments (e.g., that based on X's behaviours A, B, and C, it is possible to deduce that he/she is dispositionally "good", "evil", etc.) somewhat unconvincing (and to often reveal more about those making the claims than about those about whom such comments might be made).

It's also more interesting entertainment than TV to see storms in teacups. But also, within every teacup is the answer to the universe :)

A sense of humour also wouldn't go astray. (Cormaggio pointed out to me that humour has been used somewhat as a tool of aggression (my word; not his, but I wanted to link to the developing page on aggression) at times during this "period" in Wikiversity. Yes, #1 lesson in humour I learnt to is to make fun of oneself. Much funnier! .

And I have mentioned on the Colloquium about assuming that everyone is "irrational" (Mackay, 2000) as a way to get along (and thereby being pleasantly surprised at rationality), rather than the perpetual disappointment involved in expecting others to behave in ways that suit our own comfort zones.

Oh, and one other observation: the playing of "games". I see it all as a game, a "serious" game. What games are we each playing? Here, I am thinking of Robert S. DeRopp's conceptualisation in his book, "The Master Game". The games he describes are summarised here: http://www.livereal.com/spiritual_arena/spiritual_members/master_game.htm and are divided into:

1. The Low Games
2. The Neutral Game
3. The High Games

What game am I playing? Mostly a neutral game (as are most others), although I am trying to tinker "positively" around the edges. As our collective consciousness evolves, we can reach more into the high games.

User:Jtneill - "lurker"/onlooker