[Oe List ...] Reflections on "our methods"

Mon Sep 9 05:19:12 PDT 2024

Jim asked, “why neither the anticipated benefits nor the actuating programmes carried on into our further work”.  Aside from adopting British spelling, ISTM that ICA turned towards engaging the economic through consulting rather than addressing local communities as its ‘death ground.’ In my experience, tools and methods became product for sale, as sustainability, once the Order model with income derived from employment and then shared among staff disappeared. 

Carol and I drew heavily on ‘actuating programs’ (notice my parochial commitment to American English!) in developing Project Vida, with local benefits and extensive sharing of models and methods within specific networks (mostly done by our staff!).  

FWIW –

Bill Schlesinger

Project Vida

www.pvida.net

3607 Rivera Avenue

El Paso TX 79905

(915) 465-1191 Ext. 207

(915) 490-6148 Cell

From: OE <oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net> On Behalf Of Don Bushman via OE
Sent: Sunday, September 8, 2024 11:24 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>
Cc: Don Bushman <onedonbushman at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Reflections on "our methods"

Well James, I have to ask just what was the purpose of our consults? And what was the purpose of the whole Human Development Project thrust?

I feel JWM had evolved to the point where he was concerned with one thing-10 Iron Men (and Women of course). 

As I read these postings and hear of what others have done, including you, I wonder at the amazing things that came out of our doing the consults and the HDPs. Mostly I am amazed at how many who participated brought benefits all across our global village and got so many of the benefits of their participation into the communities we live in today.

I remember the articulated story of demonstration at the grass roots level. We demonstrated to the villagers we worked with and maybe more importantly demonstrated to ourselves how innocent suffering could be addressed at the grassroots level by All The People responding to the question of Who Am I and What Do I;  living our lives as accepted; observing, judging, weighing up, deciding and acting; as the sensitive responsive ones in every community.

Oh my-what wisdom we have to live our lives with.

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828-292-9696

On Sun, Sep 8, 2024 at 7:34 PM James Wiegel via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> > wrote:

Yes, thanks, Mari and Ann, I have wondered, over the years, why neither the anticipated benefits nor the actuating programmes carried on into our further work.

As to the electoral campaign, the rhetorical strategies bewilder me.  For one, i seldom hear uninterrupted speeches from either side — just headlines and sound bites.  I scanned the republican platform and also the working draft before the convention of the democrats. I was put off by the apocalyptic tone in the republican one.  

Jim Wiegel

“…the long work
of turning their lives
into a celebration
is not easy. Come and let us talk“. 

The Sunflowers. Mary Oliver

On Sep 6, 2024, at 11:13 AM, John Epps via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> > wrote:

Ann Epps, here, speaking via John's old Forum account.  Thanks to all of you who created and developed the social demonstration and consult methodologies! You were and are geniuses to invent those processes. Being assigned to project documentation and fund raising in Asia for more than a few years, I found the "anticipated benefits" consult documentation section invaluable.

With gratitude, Ann

On Sun, Sep 1, 2024, 10:31 PM Mari Crocker via OE <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net <mailto:oe at lists.wedgeblade.net> > wrote:

Hi Dear Colleagues,

When Jim and Judy Wiegel and Joe and I travelled with JWM to launch the first 8 HDPs, I was charged with documenting the methodology we were developing.  And oh, how it unfolded from our first Consult in Oombulgurri to our last in Sudtongen.  As did the framing of the Consult Report Document which we spent several weeks following Oombulgurri to structure and frame.  JWM, along with Lis and Garnet were there with us in Canberra when that design was hammered out.  It was’t easy.  For example, we had no idea of how to transpose the tactics (actions on the local level) into Programs that could become substantive, authentic, fundable entities for our Development folks to sell.  We, as a team of 7 labored well into the wee small hours, and finally took a break.  When we came back JWM came up with an additional chapter to the Document called, “Anticipated Benefits.”  I was the then editor of the first document, and felt this was a silly addition, redundant and unnecessary.  Oh, how over the years I realize how short-sighted I was.  That final chapter (which JWM insisted we keep in)  described, poetically and imaginatively, what one might imagine the village and its residents would be enjoying and manifesting in another two years.. It was a more vivid grounding of the villagers’ initial vision, because it was informed by the Consult process of looking at the obstacles (contradictions) and filtering good ideas (proposals) and their actionable tactics through screens (necessary, sufficient, doable, relevant) into practical steps we then called “implementaries.”

The reason for my sharing of this is that I hope that Kamala can spend less time on “policy proposals”, which by nature are very abstract, and more time painting the picture of “anticipated benefits” for our country — a very detailed vignette of life in the future, based on our residents’ hopes and dreams.

Just my 2 cents.

Mari Crocker

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