Richard Merrick writes about a New Artisan culture. It is growing out of the detritus of the end of the modern industrial machine. That is my characterization, not Richard’s. I saw the eclipse of modern industrialism as relevant to human life twenty five years ago.
What did I see following this decline?
The emergence of community.
In more colloquial terms, the value of networks of relationships as the source of human organization in the future.
Richard’s New Artisans’ post The Skills of the New Artisan presents a framework that I like very much.
Welcome to the New Artisan.
Artisans have always been about relationships in the broadest, most holistic sense. Between facts, as we understand them, people, and the natural world. They exbibit what academics ters “4E” cognition:
Embodied: Cognition involves the entire body, not just the brain. The brain and body co-evolved, so cognitive processes are shaped by bodily characteristics, sensory-motor experiences, and actions.
Embedded: Cognition is situated within and dependent on the physical and socio-cultural environment. The mind is intertwined with the world, not an isolated entity.
Enacted: Cognition emerges through the dynamic interactions between an organism and its environment. Thinking is distributed across brain, body, and world - it arises from action and interaction, not just internal representations.
Extended: Cognitive processes can extend beyond the boundaries of the individual to include tools, devices, and other people that we interact with. The environment plays an active role in driving cognitive processes.
Artisans make poor conventional employees because the metronomic nature of measured work to targets does not understand these qualities. Left to their own devices, however, artisans shine.
I think that is what we’re about here. We accept the practical necessity of corporate work, because it is primarily what we are educated and trained for. That does not mean we have to stay there, though.
I don’t know what the precise role of artisans will be in what is emerging now, though I think it likely involves all the elements—meaning, relationships, purpose, contribution, and generosity—that the relentless pursuit of growth removes from “performance” work. These elements are as essential to healthy organisations as laughter is to relationships. It is the lifeblood of the artisan.
Here is my comment from his post.
I like the 4E framework. Though it has sort of a mechanical feel to it as if we are robots designed to exhibit the 4Es. I think we need a fifth E.
(Personally) Emergent.
By this we individually and collaboratively discover the future.
I don’t believe futurists can predict the future. After all, they were the ones a century and a half ago who thought there was nothing left to invent. They were wrong and they are wrong now.
If we look at the history of discovery a couple of things can be discerned.
1. Innovation is done by individuals that institutions capitalize. The greatest female scientist of all time, Marie Curie, made her initial discoveries in a Paris shack because she didn’t fit inside the walls of the scientific institution. She went on to earn Nobel prizes in two separate fields. New discoveries emerge from individual initiative.
2. What is discovered is rarely what was being sought for. Emergent reality is filled with surprises. When was the last time you were surprised dear readers of my friend Richard’s brilliant work?
Live a life of Personal Emergence. Let those other 4 Es fill your life with purpose and the willingness to ignore all those naysayers. The people who claim to know the future because they have plans and systems to prove it are only working with what they have chosen to accept as valid knowledge. The “unknown Unknowns” is where the future will be created.
And, this is the genius of humanity.
We are living into a Synthetic world.
It isn’t a Hegelian synthesis of thesis - antithesis = synthesis.
It is thesis + thesis = synthesis world.
To synthesize you must begin by expanding your range of knowledge.
You cannot know what you do not know at the beginning of this process. You must open yourself up to people, perspectives, and intellectual resources that will be made relevant through the process of synthesis.
Do not accept anything as the default understanding of your situation. There is no such thing. At some point, you will begin to put pieces together, like a large puzzle. A picture of understanding will emerge. Based on my experience of operating this way all my life, no one’s perspective should rule yours. Borrow, clip, glue, staple, cut-and-paste, and over time, you’ll have a bandwidth of knowledge that will be synthesized for application throughout every part of your life.
When the Circle of Impact was created two decades ago, I spent fifteen years testing it to see if it held up. I am not suggesting that you do something like that. Rather, I want you to see that synthesizing is how we make sense of what we learn. We are always asking, “Does this makes sense? How will this work?”
Think of every perspective, model, or design as simply tools for synthesis.
Is this model appropriate for this situation?
Does her perspective fit with what we are seeing? These are the kind of questions we should ask.
The 4Es is a foundation for Personal Initiative
Consider this approach to applying the 4Es.
Embodied by getting out of your head and experiencing the reality of the world within reach.
Embedded within a community of other embodied journeiers of discovery.
Enacted through your personal initiative to create impact that makes a difference that matters.
Extended through your network of relationships in your community and throughout the world.
Can we discover a life of personal emergence this way?
I know most of you do not believe this.
The question is:
Why do you believe that the value of your personal initiative has little meaning?
I don’t mean to offend.
I want you to realize that you have something to contribute that is unknown right now.
Unless you try, you will never know.
What we are talking about cannot be learn fully through reading a book. Understand, I am a book hound with 22 books sitting within reach of where I am writing. Yes read. But do something with what you are reading.
Take initiative.
Be surprised.
Contribute.
Fulfill your legacy today.
That is all that I am saying.
Do this and a Personally Emergent life of discovery will result.
I want for you to discover that your life has meaning, not because you are some self-declared influencer.
But because, like Marie Curie, you came out of your shack with something that matters to the world.
I want that for you as I want it for myself.
"I want that for you as I want it for myself."
When we are engaged in work/play that we find meaningful living takes on an entirely different flavor? Even the bitter becomes an opportunity for learning and growth?
Thanks Ed.