Tag Archives: Growth

New post on the Shared Situations site: How Good Feelings Might Arise from Using the Shared Situation Guide

Posted on by

As you may know, the Shared Situations Guide is built on top of the ProxThink growth model. I recently wrote a new piece for the Shared Situations blog: How Good Feelings Might Arise from Using the Shared Situation Guide.

The Shared Situations site has links to begin using the guide, provides starter sets for some common situations, points to workshops for learning the guide, and helps people find and collaborate with others using the guide for shared situations. Check it out at sharedsituations.wordpress.com.

Press Release: How to Create a Sustainable Proximity

Posted on by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

How to Create a Sustainable Proximity

A short guide called “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” offers a new approach. People can use it for an area, home, park, neighborhood, community, region, context, environment, business, group, organization, etc. If we create many sustainable proximities, they will start to overlap. People are free to use this guide. It is based on the ProxThink sustainable proximities approach. It allows people to relate to a proximity they care about in a new and more direct way. It leverages technology and networks in a different way by applying a new growth model. “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” is available at the following link:
http://proxthink.com/blog/2009/12/24/how-to-create-a-sustainable-proximity/

—— (end of release) ——————–

NOTE: Should you have any trouble with the link above, you can also get there by going to the ProxThink.com website (http://proxthink.com). Once there, you’ll see links to “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” in the upper right, and also in the bottom center of the page.

Three Paragraphs on ProxThink

Posted on by

(r] proxthink.com

[Note: This is a new short form press release I’m working on. – David]

Thanks to scientists and philosophers, we know that “it’s all relative” and that “being is about relating.” However, we don’t have a useful, shared framework for thinking and talking about, and making use of, these insights. “I’ve tried to develop something with that potential,” says David Loughry, creator of ProxThink. The developments include some new language, concepts, systems, models and tools that form a framework. The new language and concepts are designed to be general and simple enough for conversation, yet also present diverse possibilities. The perhaps surprising upshot is that this framework for relating helps us relate to and with contexts, networks and proximities. This is timely since social and technological networks, which are growing more common, shift some of the emphasis to contexts and proximities. Further, rather than only being theoretical, this framework can engender enjoyment and the arts; support science, engineering and design; promote sustainability; acknowledge and work with complexity; as well as be highly useful and practical in situations ranging from everyday life to business and markets. Loughry says, “I call this framework ProxThink, short for proximity thinking and relating.”

ProxThink, with a focus on proximities, consists of the following three elements: 1) a new structure for thinking and relating, paired with 2) a creativity and innovation system. These were then used as building blocks for 3) a new kind of growth model. The new thinking structure consists of two foundational elements, four terms and two tools. The creativity and innovation system consists of 16 related proximity patterns, and tools which leverage them. The growth model consists of four related processes that are suggested as new standards. The growth model can be combined with some existing technologies, networks, and emerging participatory aspects of the Internet to create a new sustainable proximities approach. This sustainable proximities approach creates a wide variety of possibilities. Some of these include: 1) new ways to collaborate to deal with climate change, 2) alternatives to markets, 3) new ways to solve the intellectual property challenges of a networked world, and 4) sustainable proximity approaches which can complement markets, governments and democracies.

“It’s impossible to convey how these ideas and practices work with each other in a few paragraphs. It took a website and a blog to explain them, and provide tools based on them. I believe the framework and the sustainable proximities approach have potential, and should be explored, tested, and grown,” says Loughry. For a more thorough introduction to ProxThink, see this longer press release. For some practical takeaways and some proposed new standards in each related area, see the following links: 1) Boost innovation and creativity at http://proxthink.com. 2) Use and learn about a different model for downloadable digital content at http://artdown.com. 3) Become part of a new way to approach climate change which leverages social media at http://proxearth.com. 4) Discover more about the sustainable proximities approach at http://proxthink.com/ways/sustainable-proximities.php. 5) Explore the ProxThink growth model, and consider how you might adapt or adopt it for some of your proximities here: http://proxthink.com/brief/intro-growth-model.php.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

Financial Turmoil is Avoidable

Posted on by

(r] proxthink.com

NOTE TO READERS: This is another press release I’m working on.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Financial Turmoil is Avoidable:
Combining Internet with ProxThink Growth Model can Create Sustainable Proximities

Los Angeles, CA, November 24, 2008, 3:30 PM – “You know, we don’t have to live with financial turmoil and the extreme variability of markets. If we focused more on the proximity, and used the Internet in combination with a new growth model I’ve developed, we could create many sustainable proximities,” says ProxThink creator David Loughry. “It would be a shame if we knew of better ways to coordinate, manage resources and collaborate, and didn’t start trying them. We shouldn’t be so helpless in the face of all this economic mayhem. We have other options.”

Loughry thinks we’re still in the horseless carriage stage of using the Internet. Before we really learned how to design cars, they were just motorized carriages without the horses. We hadn’t yet discovered the unique properties of cars and new opportunities they presented. In a similar way, we’re not yet taking advantage of some opportunities the Internet presents. With the connections and proximity awareness the web can provide, we have the potential to relate to some proximities more fully and directly than before the web existed. Taking the proximity as a point of departure, Loughry created: 1) a new thinking structure, called the ProxThink Basics; 2) new patterns and tools for creativity and innovation that leverage the thinking structure, known as the ProxPatterns and ProxThink Hints; and 3) the sustainable new ProxThink growth model, which is built with the structure and patterns just mentioned. The combination of the Internet and related technologies with the ProxThink growth model creates: 4) a fundamentally different way for us to relate to proximities. This approach can help us more sustainably coordinate, collaborate and manage resources in a wide variety of situations ranging from the serious to the fun, and in the short and long term.

Why does this approach have potential? The ProxThink growth model shares the emergent nature, and synergistic and sustainable qualities, of the ProxPatterns upon which it is built. The growth model has a proximity focus, and includes processes for connecting with people (RelatePoints), proximity awareness (ProxMonitors), sustainable agreements (Vadi Agreements) and rewards which relate elements in the proximity (proxri). All four of these processes work well with the web, and boost coordination, resource management and collaboration. The growth model, especially when used in combination with the Internet, has the potential to be sustainable, flexible, healthy, fun and efficient. On the ProxThink website, the Sustainable Proximities page provides more details, and links to early-stage examples and implementations of the approach. One of the initiatives considers in more detail how ProxThink ideas and the growth model relate to markets and financial turmoil. The others include implementations of the growth model for websites and blogs (see Proxri Deal and Proxri-Based Membership); a proposal for downloadable digital content content such as music, movies, video, art, books and software that can solve some legal, financial and logistical problems; and a climate change project called proxEarth, which includes things you can do right now if you have a website, blog, or use social software sites. Not every proximity may be appropriate for this approach. But for those which are, it may be a win/win strategy for people involved, allowing a fuller range of voluntary engagement, while meeting needs at the same time.

With reference to markets, Loughry believes there are many opportunities to combine the ProxThink growth model and the Internet to complement and enhance markets. Further, the approach can perhaps replace markets in some proximities, as well as serve some proximities which markets can’t serve. For proximities in which it is appropriate, the growth model and web combination may be more stable over time than markets, and also more dynamic, since diversity, complexity, sustainability and liveliness are enhanced and encouraged by the ProxThink growth model. Given the way ProxThink and the growth model relate to proximities, even transitions to using the growth model with the web can be engaging and lively.

The growth model and web combination benefits from network effects, so the more people who know about it and use it, the more sustainable proximities can become. Loughry wants to start implementing the approach in proximities, and seeks users, partners, funders, contributors and collaborators. He also encourages others to adopt and adapt the growth model. For more, visit ProxThink.com (http://proxthink.com).

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

Top Ten Things ProxThink Makes Possible

Posted on by

(r] proxthink.com

Here are the top ten things ProxThink makes possible, with links to explore.

1) FOR HUMANITY – NEW WAYS TO USE THE INTERNET TO SOLVE MAJOR PROBLEMS, COLLABORATE AND HAVE MORE FUN
Would you be curious about new ways humanity could use the Internet that not only apply to major problems and help us better coordinate, manage resources and collaborate, but also allow us to have more fun and variety?
See Upside of Combining the ProxThink Growth Model and the Internet and Networks, Nature and New Possibilities


2) CLIMATE CHANGE – BETTER COLLABORATION
Do you care about climate change? Want to do something about it, either alone or in coordination and collaboration with others locally, regionally or globally?
See proxEarth – What You Can Do

3) BOOST TO INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY
Do you want to increase creativity, innovation and problem-solving abilities for yourself, your group or your organization?
See Innovation, Problem-Solving, Creativity

4) MORE WIDESPREAD SUSTAINABILITY
Do you care about sustainability? Want to find out how we can have more sustainability in more ways?
See Sustainability and ProxThink

5) NEW BUSINESS AND GROWTH MODELS
Are you interested in business or growth models, including models for websites and blogs? Interested in a new one that is more sustainable, flexible, healthy, fun and efficient?
See Introduction – ProxThink Growth Model

6) LESS FINANCIAL TURMOIL
Are you concerned about our economy and financial turmoil? Interested in some better options?
See Networks, Nature and New Possibilities and
Financial Turmoil is Avoidable and Financial Turmoil

7) NEW STRUCTURE FOR THINKING
Do you like having ways to structure your thinking, actions and relationships for clarity, creativity and decision-making? Want to see an integrated new structure?
See Structure for Thinking

8) BETTER DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT SYSTEM
Do you download, legally or illegally, music, movies, video, art, photography, books, software or other content on the web? Would you like to know how we could solve some of the legal, financial and logistical problems of downloadable content?
See A New Approach to Downloadable Content

9) LIFE – MORE VARIETY AND BALANCE IN LIFE
Like variety? Do you wish your life had more variety and balance?
See Life Balance and Variety

10) ART – FRESH ART
Do you like, make or buy art? Interested in something which could change art, the art world, and how we share and view art?
See the artdown site

If any of the above interest you, please see Dear Visitor for needed actions, people and money, to give these ideas and practices the best chance to survive and thrive. Thanks!

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

ProxThink Makes Possible Different Ways of Life

Posted on by

(r] proxthink.com

ProxThink is a general yet also structured way to think about and relate to situations, and can complement network theory, contextual considerations, systems thinking and scenario planning, as well as science, philosophy, creativity, governments, markets and other processes.

ProxThink leverages emerging phenomena such as networked participation and Internet-enabled proximity awareness by using a new growth model. It can complement and enhance existing social structures, such as democracy and capitalism. It applies to major challenges like climate change, the economy, financial turmoil, the need for innovation, and political, social and health conditions, as well as more routine concerns. It is a systemic new way for people to innovate, coordinate, collaborate, and manage resources. It can boost thinking, creativity, growth and sustainability.

Even though this new set of ideas and processes can complement existing social structures, it is a paradigm shift. It is a different way to think and relate. It allows us to think different things and solve problems in different ways. It makes possible new kinds of growth. It makes possible different ways of life that are more stable over the long term, yet also more dynamic, diverse and lively over the short term.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.