TPOVs @F-L-O-W
Dissipative Structures
Ilya Prigogine [Like Haken, encouraged people to work on
these problems in the 1970s. His own theories, however,
are completely outmoded, and he’s philosophizing below even
the usual standard for Nobel Prize winners.]
http://www.cscs.umich.edu/~crshalizi/notabene/self-organization.html
For me, the idea behind dissipative
structures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissipative_system
A dissipative system is a
thermodynamically
open system which is operating out of, and often far from,
thermodynamic equilibrium in an environment with which it
exchanges
energy and
matter.
A dissipative structure is a dissipative system that
has a dynamical régime that is in some sense in a reproducible
steady state. This reproducible steady state may be
reached by natural evolution of the system, by artifice, or by
a combination of these two.
Thermodynamics aside, for now, the idea of systems that
organize far from equilibrium (thermodynamic anyway)… and
remain open to energetic flux, but maintain an organization in
the process are key for development, I think.
The abstract model is so valuable to me to be able to see that
we move along a trajectory of experience, having at all
times — flux — for lack of a better word, or perhaps plasticity
(yet far from the equilibrium point of our life’s potential in
most cases, if you catch my meaning here).
More specifically… it is around
those areas where we are likely to feel and thus be motivated;
continuing to make connections and grooves with our strengths
and inbornness, but also moving along a self-organizing
system; if I might be so bold as to try to describe this
as a dissipative structure — dissipating energy and
information: which doesn’t fit, until it can.
So, while Prigogine is taking his lumps, I suppose, I love the
idea and want to continue to work with it. To me, it best
enables our understanding of how at any one point in time, we
might be far from equilibrium, but still in a system which is
organizationally closed because it can’t be open to what it
can’t be open too… and this ties us back into
Subject/Object Relations, Figure-Ground, and a
number of other ways in which to dimentionalize our developing
dance of maturity.
Helpful Hint:
For me, I’m not needing the perfect
theory, or master code…as the one that I’ve sewn together,
seems to be able to explain and repair the cultural fabric
more EES, than others, especially when it’s practiced; it
self-organizes the idea of love…which I don’t like to use a
lot of, because it’s ill-defined for use. BUT, if
FLOW can
emerge love-related conditions, where acceptance of ourselves
and others is the resultant, then I think we are headed in the
direction, which places us in the best possible favor of the
future, and the need for collaboration. Since it’s just
fabric anyway, we can tear it, and cut it and re-sew it, when
needed.
Action Step: If you can view
your present circumstances, wherever you are, as a system,
that is organizationally closed, which means it functions
based on the use of itself, and see that the system is
actually creating entropy, which opens the door for
development to occur, you can leverage this idea of
dissipative structures. The problem you and I will have
is staying away from judging "good or bad" in the process, and
just realizing this is where we are now…and that is where
others are. There is a good chance that tomorrow we might
develop, and if we don’t, our happiness and success lie close.
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We hope you pick up valuable insights, ideas, and
tools during this process, which you can use for your own development as
well as your work and leadership with others.
You, Me, and We @F-L-O-W
Mike R. Jay is a developmentalist utilizing consulting, coaching, mentoring and advising as methods to offer developmental scaffolding for aspiring leaders who are interested in being, doing, having, becoming, and contributing… to helping people have lives.



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