sociatry

[Adam Blatner]

Regina's point is wonderful! It points out that doubling is only a small part of the 
infrastructure of elements that must be established in group functioning for it to become 
optimal. Some other elements might include:
      A norm valuing creativity and novelty, the ideals of spontaneity
      A discussion and warm-up to problem-solving that addresses sub-grouping..

      She mentions a "need" to conform. That's a problematic term, conflating both 
tendency and absolute requirement. We need to distinguish between tendencies, which are 
optimally overcome by means of an exercise of higher thought processes mixed with higher 
values, and requirements, that which really cannot be changed. (Just as we need to 
distinguish between the impossible and the merely very difficult.)

    I think doubling, plus the activity of asking for someone to double, or the leader 
doing so, plus a lot of instruction and support from not only the leader but a core group 
who share in the core values, and so forth. What would be enough?

   I'm reminded of how much of an infrastructure is needed to develop true democracy in a 
country, including the relative weakness of violent religious fanatics, a core norm of 
non-corruption, some transcendence of tribalism, a lack of bureaucratic-driven regulation 
that paralyzes free commerce (and leads to bribery as a necessity to get anything done), 
religion-driven suppression of free exchange of information, opposition parties, adequate 
police support to counter local warlords or gang leaders, and on and on...

      Similar accumulation of components may need to happen to the point of reaching a 
threshold.

      How this relates is the subtle implication that Morenian methods alone might be 
sufficient to do more than make a tiny dent in the full challenge of sociatry. I believe 
in these as powerful tools, but I want to keep some perspective on the enormity of the 
challenge.

       Warmly, Adam
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "REGINA SEWELL" <sewell.2 at osu.edu>
To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 6:48 PM
Subject: Re: Sociodynamic Effect


>
> In Response to Adam's comments re: Jurgen Habermas's ideal of creating a context where 
> there are no externally imposed barriers to communication.  I love this as an ideal and 
> yet am aware of the reality of the need to conform in group situations.  Many of us tend 
> to conform to the opinions and attitudes of the group, even under very weak group 
> situations.  And there is good reason for this.  Those who don't conform are subject to 
> rejection.  (recall the Asch and Schracter experiments on conformity).  As I understand 
> it, one of the healing potentials of sociometry is to help people understand what 
> patterns, habits, characteristics.. etc they may have that lead others to push them away 
> or avoid them.  Armed with this information, they can either chose to change groups to 
> one that might be more accepting, change, or at least be aware of what the blocks to 
> connection are.
>
> So I'm intrigued by Adam's proposal of doubling as a way to give voice to those who may 
> deviate from the group.  Would this sort of empathy be enough to challenge the drive to 
> conform and/or push conformity on deviants?
>
> regina sewell
>
>
>>       I would add to this the power of the double technique in
>> helping those who are less
>> articulate, less able to find the words to express their needs.
>>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
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> Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2006 1:00 pm
> Subject: List Digest, Vol 5, Issue 6
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>>   1. Sociodynamic Effect (Adam Blatner)
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>> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 09:01:59 -0600
>> From: "Adam Blatner" <adam at blatner.com>
>> Subject: Sociodynamic Effect
>> To: "T.Treadwell" <ttreadwe at grouptalkweb.org>
>> Cc: list at grouptalkweb.org
>> Message-ID: <003401c7027d$aedf8440$2f01a8c0 at dell>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>> reply-type=original
>>
>> Dear Tom & Grouptalk,
>>
>>     Tom's response was helpful to me in thinking about this vast
>> phenomenon. It connects
>> also with the philosophical approach of Jurgen Habermas, in
>> Frankfurt: Among his many
>> rather dense writings he proposed, if not the "answer," or the
>> "truth," at least a better
>> way to approach truth: Generate a context in which all
>> participants have a voice, where
>> there are no status or other barriers that interfere with the
>> sharing of this voice, no
>> fear of retaliation or exclusion for daring to express a contrary
>> or different opinion.
>>       I would add to this the power of the double technique in
>> helping those who are less
>> articulate, less able to find the words to express their needs.
>>
>>    My concern is that of more specifically envisioning situations
>> in which principles or
>> methods of sociometry may be applied. I am skeptical of the
>> unspoken idea that
>> generalities and abstractions in fact work. I think the hidden
>> belief is that if the
>> details could be worked out, these general ideals would work, but
>> I question that: It is
>> precisely in the articulation of the details and the challenges
>> encountered that raise the
>> question as to whether the generalities are in fact valid or useful.
>>    There is a category of generality that is intuitively true,
>> but so general as to be
>> relatively useless. Such generalities are called "platitudes,"
>> such as the Beatle's song,
>> "All you need is Love."        --Warmly, Adam Blatner
>>
>
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