There are quite a few details of the Cartesian framework that are still quite useful in today’s world. I truly believe that it will be a balance between the Cartesian framework and the Quantum Age that will allow us to move forward, understanding even more about the world we live in.
I began this week’s assigned readings, as usual, staring with Capra. I have found a noticeable change of heart as referring to Capra’s book, The Turning Point. I have found that the further I get in this book, the more I want to continue to turn the pages and see what else he is going to speak about. Capra starts off Chapter 7 speaking of a subject matter that I have had interest in for quite some time…economics. Capra mentions that the ‘Cartesian framework is often quite inappropriate for the phenomena they are describing, and consequently their models have become increasingly unrealistic’ (1982, 188). Capra specifically mentions that this thought is quite prevalent in economics. I yearn to understand exactly where he is going with this thought, so I read on.
I have always believed that the social sciences needed to blend their ideas and theories with economists and political scientists, sociology, and historians, as their basic forces are related to one another. From Academia to our government, this fragmentary approach needs to change as all need to combine all forces from each field to develop wider viewpoints. For instance, ‘Economists generally fail to recognize that the economy is generally one aspect of the whole ecological and social fabric; a living system composed of human beings in continual interaction with one another and with their natural resources, most of which are, in turn, living organisms’ (Capra 1982, 188). Isn’t that an amazing statement? I have always viewed economics in that way, but I could never come up with such a bold way to state the obvious!
Economies by nature are continuously changing as they expand and contract. ‘To understand it we need a conceptual framework that is also capable of change and continual adaptation to new situations’ (Capra 1982, 190). As the quantum age gains the attention of additional well respected people within the social science field. We, as a society, need to change the framework that has been utilized for so long. If we are to evolve as a society, the economists ‘who are still fascinated by the absolute rigor of the Cartesian paradigm and the elegance of Newtonian models’(Capra 1982, 190) will need to understand that with so many failures, it seems clear that we need to rethink our basic assumptions about how change happens. ‘The evolution of a society, including the evolution of its economic system, is closely linked to changes in the value system that underlies all its manifestations’ (Capra 1982, 190). Those economists that only concern themselves with the values that are quantifiable are not truly representing the entire equation needed in order to provide a true outlook on our systems. ‘This trend is particularly strong in the US, where there is now a widespread belief that all problems-economic, political, or social-have technical solutions’ (Capra 1982, 191). We cannot continue to dodge the unstated values. Not all problems can be solved with technical solutions.

Moving on, I would like to discuss the massive issue that most organizations have with one of the ‘hottest’ subject matters that exists, information. ‘What we are all suffering from, then and now, is a fundamental misperception of information: what it is, how it behaves, how to work with it’ (Wheatley 2006, 93). Why do so many corporations think that there are only the few, special, well deserving individuals that should be made aware of the details of the company? Information is not something that should be withheld from your associates, even your subordinates. It shouldn’t be held close to the vest by the executive team of a company. Information needs to be shared with those that you depend on each day to help you run your company. I learned many years ago, that when I shared the information of the company that I represented with my staff, including representatives of the nonexempt employees, an amazing thing would occur…new life. ‘All life uses information to organize itself into form’ (Wheatley 2006, 95).
When one provides new information along to the staffs that we manage, new ideas spawn and new ways of addressing opportunities occur. ‘We need, therefore, to develop new approaches to information-not management but encouragement, not control but genesis’ (Wheatley 2006, 97). I would regret not including the following lines from this week’s assigned reading for Wheatley, paragraph 2, page 97. ‘Management’s task is to enforce control, to keep information contained, to pass it down in such a way that no newness occurs. Information chastity belts are a central management function’ (2006, 97). This sentence cracked me up. I could picture someone of whom still operated in this fashion with the chastity belt on, a whip in one hand, proclaiming that he/she was the one in command and all others were just his/her minions!!! ‘If information is to function as a source of organizational vitality, we must abandon our dark cloaks of control and trust in its need for free movement, even in our own organizations’ Wheatley 2006, 97). Companies need to believe in this free information highway and promote it within their rank and file. All too often I see organizations that still believe in having only a certain few associates managing the information highway, instead of allowing it to flow throughout the organization. They are the same companies that cannot understand why they get bypassed by their competition. Be aware of information at all times, but do not fight against it from growing and allow it to permeate throughout the field. Once an organization understands that process, they open themselves up for new opportunities as well.
I could write a couple more pages on this subject matter alone, but given the guideline of 1-2 pages, I will refrain. Although, in closing, I would like to surmise this subject as it relates to companies by quoting Wheatley once again. ‘Given that we all need to be continually nourished by information, it is no wonder that employees cite “poor communication” as one of their greatest problems. People know it is critical to their ability to do good work. They know when they are starving’ (Wheatley 2006, 99).
I find myself sometimes comparing the running of a small organization to one of raising children…the need for ‘bosses’ to realize that they should be providing their ‘workers’ with as much information as possible, is great. The same is applicable for allowing the free travel of information and recognizing when the information comes to surface. The same is true for parents…inform your children…do not shelter them from the mean ‘ole world. Teach them and allow the human nature of people to flow freely…as human beings all want to learn new things, create new opportunities, be informed…