[Xmca-l] Re: Playing with/at TED

[Helena Worthen]

Tom --

ALL small groups?  

If you take the three characteristics that I pulled out from the examples in Lois' presentation -- that what we're looking at is collective,dialectical, and NOT (primarily) part of their paid job -- then don't these also describe all those small groupings of people where efforts to put the brakes on capitalism get started?

Not that we're doing real well at that, so far. But the efforts that don't start there never get anywhere at all.

Helena


Helena Worthen
hworthen@illinois.edu
helenaworthen@gmail.com

On Jun 20, 2014, at 10:36 AM, Tom Richardson wrote:

> Read carefully, my criticism, far from degrading Lois work (and superb
> TEDpiece), extols its appeal and usefulness as a tool in developing
> possible new ways of coming together to change our capacity for agency,
> within the labour opposition to capital. It is within the totality of
> capitalist social relations that I question its effectiveness at any deep
> level.
> While I did not wish to attack or offend deliberately, I feel that the
> limitations of work within individual/small group relationships, no matter
> how creative, redemptive and transformative, cannot have that same effect
> upon the 500year-developed /developing reality which is modern bourgeois
> society. It is that sense of limitation which I attempted,
> straightforwardly to convey.
> Tom
> 
> 
> On 20 June 2014 11:55, Shirley Franklin <s.franklin08@btinternet.com> wrote:
> 
>> And I guess this conflict due to the oppression of capitalism. Capitalism
>> won’t be overthrown by Lois' work, but it could strengthen people to deal
>> with and know about themselves, and know about Capitalism, and hence
>> progress to be involved in its overthrow, which would be through joint
>> collaborative activity.
>> 
>> This work is important, individuals are important, and as revolutionaries
>> we shouldn’t degrade it.
>> 
>> Shirley
>> On 20 Jun 2014, at 09:23, Carol Macdonald <carolmacdon@gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> It's conflict *within *rather than conflict *without* and *across *that
>>> Lois is busy dealing with.
>>> 
>>> If you are going to be so critical, the least you could do is provide and
>>> alternative analysis that is at least as creative.
>>> 
>>> Carol
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On 19 June 2014 22:03, Tom Richardson <tom.richardson3@googlemail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> A fascinating and moving 14+minutes of Lois ....only how I wish that I
>> did
>>>> not subscribe to a class analysis which means that the last example of
>> the
>>>> 'kids of colour' and the NYPD is called into deep question - will the
>>>> lethal divides of capitalism's "special bodies of armed men" from
>>>> working-class citizens, (and of course it extends to imperialism's
>>>> destruction of whole countries), be 'overcome' by Play. Lois' commitment
>>>> and passionate intelligence almost lets me believe it might, but I know
>>>> that I'm fooling myself.
>>>> We need Play to evolve the next tranche of revolutionary strategy and
>>>> tactics, but Play alone will never arrive at the necessity for
>>>> revolutionary overthrow of capitalism, only, from Lois' examples,
>>>> ultimately futile attempts at transcending class conflict,
>>>> 
>>>> Tom Richardson
>>>> Middlesbrough
>>>> UK
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 19 June 2014 20:57, Carol Macdonald <carolmacdon@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Well Lois
>>>>> 
>>>>> That was splendid, awesome! All you serious XMCAers please watch.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Carol
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> On 19 June 2014 13:48, Lois Holzman <lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>>> Here's the link, Carol.
>>>>>> http://tedxnavesink.com/project/lois-holzman/
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Lois Holzman
>>>>>> Director, East Side Institute for Group & Short Term Psychotherapy
>>>>>> 104-106 South Oxford Street
>>>>>> Brooklyn, New York 11217
>>>>>> Chair, Global Outreach, All Stars Project, UX
>>>>>> Tel. +1.212.941.8906 x324
>>>>>> Fax +1.718.797.3966
>>>>>> lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org
>>>>>> Social Media
>>>>>> Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
>>>>>> Blogs
>>>>>> Psychology Today| Psychology of Becoming | ESI Community News
>>>>>> Websites
>>>>>> Lois Holzman | East Side Institute | Performing the World
>>>>>> All Stars Project
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> On Jun 19, 2014, at 3:02 AM, Carol Macdonald <carolmacdon@gmail.com>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Louis
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Please could you send the link again?
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Thanks
>>>>>>> Carol
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> On 19 June 2014 01:03, Lois Holzman <lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>>>>> Peter kindly posted a link to a talk I gave last month at a TEDx
>>>>>>>> event--TEDxNavesink Play.
>>>>>>>> Aside from the prep being among the hardest things I've ever done
>>>>>> (staying
>>>>>>>> within their rules and structure, not being academic but saying
>>>>>> something
>>>>>>>> new for people to think about, and more), it was a delight to be
>>>> with
>>>>>> folks
>>>>>>>> who appreciate and value play--many of whom are affording people in
>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>> communities with the opportunity to play in all kinds of ways. It
>>>> was
>>>>>>>> really growthful for me and my team. I was really pleased to
>>>> reconnect
>>>>>> with
>>>>>>>> Peter Gray after many years and to meet other good people. The
>>>> one-day
>>>>>>>> event was organized are 4 P's--possibility, pleasure, progress and
>>>>>> paradox.
>>>>>>>> I invite you all to include these talks within your conversation
>>>>>> here--even
>>>>>>>> though they're not theoretical. Maybe it's a new kind of play for
>>>>> many.
>>>>>>>> Lois
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> Lois Holzman
>>>>>>>> Director, East Side Institute for Group & Short Term Psychotherapy
>>>>>>>> 104-106 South Oxford Street
>>>>>>>> Brooklyn, New York 11217
>>>>>>>> Chair, Global Outreach, All Stars Project, UX
>>>>>>>> Tel. +1.212.941.8906 x324
>>>>>>>> Fax +1.718.797.3966
>>>>>>>> lholzman@eastsideinstitute.org
>>>>>>>> Social Media
>>>>>>>> Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter
>>>>>>>> Blogs
>>>>>>>> Psychology Today| Psychology of Becoming | ESI Community News
>>>>>>>> Websites
>>>>>>>> Lois Holzman | East Side Institute | Performing the World
>>>>>>>> All Stars Project
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
>>>>>>> Developmental psycholinguist
>>>>>>> Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
>>>>>>> Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> --
>>>>> Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
>>>>> Developmental psycholinguist
>>>>> Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
>>>>> Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Carol A  Macdonald Ph D (Edin)
>>> Developmental psycholinguist
>>> Academic, Researcher,  and Editor
>>> Honorary Research Fellow: Department of Linguistics, Unisa
>> 
>> 
>>