Let’s make work less dominant

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In this culture, it seems many things take a backseat, or secondary position, to work, career, and markets.

Some of these things include friends, family, community, health, fun, variety, the arts, balance, the environment, living situations, social groups, and even politeness.

The proximity thinking framework may provide some approaches which could change this. The framework acknowledges and allows for the dynamic relationship of elements, relationships and proximity. Especially the greater emphasis on proximity, as well as approaches which let us relate more directly to proximities, may shift the importance of work, career and markets to a more appropriate place.

The main approach I’m referring to here is the sustainable proximities approach. Here’s an example of how to use the approach, written up as a short guide: How to Create a Sustainable Proximity.

Looking for people with broad backgrounds …

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Please don’t assume you have to understand the proximity thinking framework to benefit somehow. Do you understand the equations of electricity or the protocols on which the Internet runs? Probably not, but electricity and the Internet probably help you quite a bit.

Yet having said that, I am looking for people with backgrounds broad enough to appreciate the many dimensions of the framework.

I guess generally, I’m looking for people with some experience and knowledge in some of the following areas: philosophy, science, mathematics, technology, design, government, business, culture, law, religion, psychology, economics, social systems, sustainability, ecosystems, evolution, innovation, and the arts, as well as experiences with diverse sorts of people.

I realize the scope of the list above may at first seem preposterous. The proximity thinking framework just connects and relates to diverse areas and processes. And I know it sounds like I’m a polymath, but I think of myself more as an integrated thinker. People with very diverse backgrounds, who might appreciate the scope of the framework, are not easily found. Is it wrong to want to find such people? To find evaluators and collaborators and possibly friends?

If you know people who might fit the above description, please let them know and/or let me know. Thank you!

Proxri for the WordPress Community

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This blog entry on the leenk.me site contains an example of a proxri. Near the end he talks about giving 10% of his net revenues to the WordPress foundation. He talks about how WordPress is a community that makes a lot of other things possible.

In this example, the WordPress community is a key element of the proximity of his business situation. And he’s giving that 10% with the proximity in mind. Can you see how that 10% is a proxri? For more on proxri, see proxri.org.

Relationships between Variety, Sustainability and Proximities: A Case for Proximity Thinking

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Below is how variety, sustainability and proximities are related, and why we need proximity thinking.

1. Variety (also think diversity) goes hand-in-hand with sustainability.

2. Sustainability is about environments and contexts, or more simply, proximities.

3. So, for sustainable proximities, we:
a. Need to, and get to, embrace variety.
b. Need to, and get to, create proximities that support variety.

4. To better think about, relate to, and create proximities, we need proximity thinking, also known as ProxThink. The ProxThink framework includes a sustainable proximities approach. By the way, variety is an integral part of proximity thinking.

P.S. You might also check out the varietypeople.com project.

Things to remember about proximities – Part 1

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Perhaps we should start a list of things to remember about proximities. Here are a few to start with:

• Your proximity isn’t the only one that matters.

• Proximities overlap.

• Proximities are as important as elements, relationships and situations. Since each is related to the others, and defined in relationship to the others, none is more important than the others.

• Networks allow us to relate more directly to proximities than in the past.

NOTE: For definitions of terms like proximity, element, relationship and situation, see the Basics section of the ProxThink website.