[Sosfbay-discuss] Ideas

[Gerry Gras]

I can't think of any solutions or suggestions right now, but
here are some miscellaneous thoughts.

I share Jim's concerns (3/11) about having a retreat with a
lot of brainstorming leading to actions that quickly fizzle
out.  I certainly would like to do something different.

I agree with Wes (3/11) re recruiting volunteers, with a
caveat.  As coco of the GPCA CC, I was so overwhelmed that I
never found the time to train anyone.  And maybe some people
are not good at training.  So the idea of training
replacements is good, but may be difficult in practice.

I guess Drew (3/11) is correct that asking former GP members
why they left is risky, but I think that the risk is worth it.
If you don't know why people have left, how can you act
differently to reduce the departures?  (This is a specific
example of an important general rule "If you don't know why
something is broken, you are unlikely to know how to fix it?")

...

I think one of the most important aspects of why a lot of
time gets wasted is that we often talk about things we agree
should be done, but there is no followup because there is
no "champion", no one who is willing to spend time and effort
to make it happen.  If there is no champion for an item,
then it should be dropped or tabled.  As Peggy Lewis (former
GPCA CC coco) liked to say, "You plead, you lead".  Or as I
have heard elsewhere "If it is to be, it is up to me".  Maybe
this falls under "personal responsibility".

Another factor, in my opinion, is that there is more than a
little negativity.  By that I mean too much criticism and
not enough support for good ideas and actions.  This is bad
for morale, which is bad for positive participation.  (But
I admit that the GPSCC is nowhere near as bad as the GPCA CC.)

I remember reading somewhere "Begin with the end in mind.".
The idea is that you start with determining what the ultimate
goal is, then work backwards.  And what is our ultimate goal?
I don't know, do you?  For me personally it is a combination of
1) achieve sustainability with the least amount of pain getting
    there
2) preserving and strengthening democracy
3) justice for all
4) maybe something else I have forgotten?
But already that may be too complex.  Yes?  No?
And I am sure that others on this list have different goals.

If you want people to join and be active in the GP, it might
be a good idea to ask "What can we do to make the GP attractive
to more people"?

We have a mystery which gets in the way.  All of us have had
the experience of talking to others about an issue (e.g. Iraq,
taxes, spoiler effect) and not comprehending why they resist
or disagree with what is "obvious" to us.  Sometimes they are
friends or family.  Can we make sufficient progress without
better understanding that resistance?

What do we have to learn from Lakoff's framing thoery?

Enough for now.

Gerry