appendix1

Text1-SIMON

Date: Tue, 20 May 1997 08:04:22 +0000

From: " Simon " <email>

Subject: Re: "Just Say Delete" (Was: Re: a last bouquet)

01John:

> 02The analogies of "diner/coffeehouse" and "informal seminar" are both ways of
> representing the importance of informality and a social side as opposed to a
> complete task focus.
>
> 03Some years ago I did some research for a minor thesis looking at the
> effectiveness of task groups within three organizations. 04Two of the factors
> influencing the effectiveness of the groups were Task Leadership and
> Socio-emotional Leadership.

1The concept of "task," has a rich history here[appreciation: valuation]. 2Not only [engagement:*[counter-expect]]is there a common sense meaning of task as the job to be done,[appreciation: valuation] but it is a technical term in Bion's group psychology. [appreciation: valuation] 3I have been one to see task as analogy -- harking back to its roots in "tax" or an onerous tribute to be paid[appreciation: valuation: negative: via contrast with next clause]. 4In Bion, it has more positive [appreciation: valuation: positive]connotations, and being a work group in accomplishment of a task is not only [graduation: force]healthy but morally good[judgement: propriety: inscribed]. 5It is hard to mesh all this.[appreciation: composition: complexity: positive][judgement: capacity: negative?] 6I set out to work at the warehouse this morning. 7I will have a task, I suppose, [modalization: probability]or various ones. 8I must [modulation: obligation] unload some trucks. 9I must [modulation: obligation] aid the company in any legit way to help it make a profit[judgement: propriety: provoked: via series of obligations + legit way]. 10I must [modulation: obligation] fit myself into the sometimes odd[appreciation: reaction: quality: negative] social scheme there[judgement: normality: positive: provoked: via graduation and repetition]. 11My goal, however, [counter-expect: retro]for this day is to have as pleasant and as delightful [appreciation: reaction: quality]a day as I can [modalization: ability][judgement: tenacity: provoked: via Appreciation of his identified goal] -- to tell no lies, hurt no one on purpose, and be a good citizen [judgement: propriety]while squeezing the best out of whatever situation I may encounter.[judgement: tenacity: provoked à from sentence 8 on] 12Out of this fluid [appreciation: complexity]plan for the day, one that will most likely materialize, which activities constitute 'tasks.'[rhetorical question]

13On email the concept becomes even more[graduation: force] difficult.[appreciation: composition: complexity: negative?] 14We must [modulation: obligation] converse in writing, I suppose.[modalization: probability] 15Maybe [modalization: probability]it is our job to survive,[judgement: propriety: evoked] but [counter-expect]it is hard to see [modalization: probability]why that would be all[graduation: force: diminish: via modalization] important.[appreciation: valuation: negative] 16We ought to [modulation: obligation] address things like the net, or groups on the net, or groups in general or ourselves on the net. 17So if the posts are like that are we on task.[judgement: propriety: evoked][rhetorical question?] 18I wonder if [modalization: probability]it is not [neg-pol]in the nature of 'task' to create a certain ambience -- use academic words, or technical words, or words which are culturally associated with "work" and pain and paying our dues.[judgement: normality: evoked: via repetition of elements and terms which are also linked to values of tenacity] 18a Seminars, maybe, [modalization: probability]instead of diners. [appreciation: reaction: quality] 19But then [counter-expect]at my company, the management meetings are held in diners. 20Attending a seminar would be [modalization: probability]viewed suspiciously [affect: insecurity]as a waste of valuable [appreciation: valuation]company time [judgement: tenacity: negative] while being part of the collection in the diner across the street is considered a promotion earned by keeping ones nose to the grindstone.[judgement: tenacity: positive]

21Netd has often been "taken to task" for not sticking to its task.[judgement: tenacity: negative] 22Yet [counter-expect]in many ways we are quite productive.[judgement: tenacity: positive] 23If one considers the work of our members to be partially [graduation: force]group product, we produce academic papers, we have an extensive web page to orient interested folks to our customs and history, we have a private IRC channel to meet in real time, and we produce a large data collection for use in psychological and socio-linguistic research.[judgement: tenacity; capacity: positive] 24I know groups who accomplish, in some sort of [graduation: focus] objective sense, far less,[judgement: tenacity: negative] yet [counter-expect]would be [modalization: probability]held up as paragons of staying on task.[judgement: propriety: negative: evoked]

25I wonder [modalization: probability]if "task" is not [neg-pol:[engagement:*]]a bit like[graduation: force] the physicist's "force" or Sandra's "power." 26"Force" has its roots in the action of human muscle and is one of the base [graduation: focus]analogies of science that defies definition except by pointing at resultant circumstances (ie, the cup fell and is now on the floor - thus the 'force' of gravity). 27Or maybe [modalization: probability]as our quiet emlowe suggests, it is like 'power' and arguably [modalization: probability: [engagement:*]]pornography -- everybody just knows what it is and if we follow Wittgenstein and just use it correctly [modulation: obligation] all will be well -- [judgement: propriety]thereby suggesting [modalization: probability]discussion of task can never [modalization: usuality]be on task.[judgement: normality]

28Oh well. 29I can [modalization: ability]still [counter-expect]resolve [modulation: inclination]to enjoy [affect: inclination]the day and squeeze the most [graduation: force]out of the hours providence has provided. [appreciation: valuation] [judgement: tenacity: provoked: positive]30So off to the forklifts.

Simon

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Text2-SALLY

Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 16:13:46 -0500

From: Sally

Subject: Baby Talk or So Happy Together

1Sandra, and (Ray - I just got your post)

Sandra's:

>1a"Sally, I'm sorry if these musings of mine make you feel at all targeted. 1bI thought about not sending them, but as it is a question that has been brought out into the open, then I think I will."

2I'm glad [affect: happiness]you answered Ray's question because it is obvious [modalization: probability]that I need information.[judgement: capacity] 3I do feel 'under the microscope'[affect: insecurity] as any new member is going to feel, and be, in any group (not just the Web). [judgement: normality]4In my expectation to be targeted, I had anticipated [affect: disinclination: via the following expectations of negative emotions directed at herself] curiosity,[affect: inclination] fear,[affect: disinclination] jealousy,[affect: insecurity] among others, but [counter-expect]not [neg-pol]suspicion,[affect: insecurity] and particularly [graduation: focus]of my identity.... this is, in my experience, unique [graduation: focus]to the Web.[judgement: normality: negative] 5As for stating your suspicions or doubts, I value honesty [affect: satisfaction]in communication and would rather [modulation: inclination]hear your fear, suspicion or doubt [affect: insecurity]directly [graduation: focus]than to hear their echoes in all [graduation: force]of our exchanges or in the poverty [appreciation: composition: negative]of our exchange.[judgement: propriety: provoked: via positive evaluation of honesty and negative evaluation of exchange otherwise] 6I usually[modalization: usuality] find that exchanges between two people are largely[graduation: focus] superficial [appreciation: composition: negative]until they risk the truth [judgement: tenacity]of their feelings and thoughts toward each other. 7Ray got the brunt of my indignation [affect: dissatisfaction]because he was trying to be honest about his perceptions of me.[judgement: veracity]

8New members in any group are the lifeblood [judgement: capacity]of the group...they are the new babies of that family. 9They refresh the group dynamic. [judgement: capacity: positive: evoked via positive value give to re-freshing] 10But [counter-expect]like new babies they disrupt the pairings and interrelatedness of pairings in the family and force realignment [judgement: capacity: positive: of new babies and their ability to disrupt]of its habitual patterns.[judgement: normality: negative: provoked (via contrast with earlier semantically linked values: refresh; lifeblood)] 11In some [graduation: force]families the mutual love that they feel [affect: happiness: predisposition: high: positive]supports [judgement: capacity: positive]these radical [graduation: force]shifts and changes with a minimum [graduation: force: lowering]of negative feelings and consequences. [judgement: propriety: positive provoked: of some families: via values of positive affect = positive capacity to lower negative feelings] 12In families with existing underlying[graduation: focus] hostilities [affect: unhappiness: predisposition: high]or a scarcity[graduation: force] of fulfilling interactions,[affect: dissatisfaction] the baby is likely [modalization: probability]to be seen as a usurper of comfort and safety.[affect: insecurity] 13It has not been entirely [graduation: focus]in jest that I have written two passages in posts to the effect that it is always [graduation: force]the choice of a disrupted family [appreciation: composition: negative] to physically remove the intruder [appreciation: valuation: negative]or at least [graduation: focus]to wish or fantasize [affect: inclination: desire]this possibility.[modalization: probability] [judgement: propriety: negative: provoked: of other families: via negative appreciation] 14I do not state or imply that ND is a dysfunctional family[judgement: capacity: negative (deny)][engagement: proclamation*] but [counter-expect]in many ways [graduation: force]it is a closed system - this was my first observation from the comfort[affect: security]of my former observerhood. 15I even [graduation: focus]assumed that it had been a by-invitation-only group[ie, 'closed list'][appreciation: composition: negative à judgement: propriety: negative] before the Tracy trauma [affect: insecurity: negative: high]until Simon set me straight. 16I have forgotten most of my Systems Theory but I remembered enough [graduation: focus]to understand why[judgement: capacity] there were fears [affect: insecurity]among the group of its eventual self-absorption or withering demise.[affect: insecurity/ disinclination: fear] 17An open system is not defined by public archives and open subscription,[ie, ND] it is defined by how a family responds to its new babies and external influences. [judgement: propriety: negative: provoked][via parallel descriptions of reaction to 'new babies': actions of disrupted families w underlying hostilities vs actions of families w mutual love :: closed systems vs open systems :: ND as closed system vs how a family responds to new babies ]

18I have been surprised [affect: insecurity: surge]//that no one identified the presence of an Active new member as a possible source of some of the recent threads or other List activity.[judgement: capacity: negative: provoked] 19Think about the threads and discussions in terms of a new baby in a family// and it may [modalization: probability]explain a lot. [graduation: force]20I would like [modulation: inclination] to talk about my impressions of many of these subjects[affect: inclination] but I have boring [appreciation: reaction]reports waiting for me that I must [modulation: obligation] squeeze some interest from.[judgement: tenacity: positive]à [judgement: capacity: negative: evoked: as apology] 21(One example is my assumption that Ray, as father or older brother, was assigning roles for the purpose of helping [judgement: propriety: positive]my older siblings feel safer,[affect: security] important [affect: security]and loved,[affect: happiness] but[counter-expect]his Dana child saw the false security in that approach [appreciation: valuation: negative]and wanted an opportunity to work out the changes in a more lasting and productive [judgement: tenacity]way).[affect: inclination] 22As for my veteran ways at listtalk,[ie, your judgement of my capacities] I am ignorant of the Bionic approach to group dynamic and I am ignorant of List operations and jargon[judgement: capacity: negative: inscribed] but [counter-expect]I am not ignorant to life.[judgement: capacity: positive] 23From where I sit, Ray, I don't feel very veteran to the Web or to list protocol. [affect: insecurity]

24(I have recently thought //that it would have been [modalization: probability]wiser [judgement: capacity: negative]had I learned more [graduation: force]about the Web before I got myself involved in such [graduation: force]a powerful [judgement: capacity]list).

25In my first post I attempted [judgement: tenacity]to do four things: 1. to respond to Kaylene's plea for the group to wake up from its complacency [affect: dissatisfaction]- one of her posts stated so clearly [graduation: focus]to me her desire [affect: inclination]to shock herself and the group out of their sleep - one of the Muck posts, but I can't [modalization: ability: negative]find the damn [affect: dissatisfaction: negative: surge: via 'empty' meaning for attitudinal epithet, versus [appreciation] values which can be defining cf IFG: 85]thing. 2. to introduce myself in terms of what moves me and what holds me,[affect: satisfaction/inclination] including many of my buttons. 3. to be a baby that could [modalization: ability]refresh the dynamic without unreasonable demands.[affect: inclination] 4. to learn and to teach, in that order.[graduation: focus][affect: inclination] 26My only regret [affect: unhappiness]since I have been here is that, in knowing that I had to [modulation: obligation] jump into the water, that I wasn't more careful [judgement: capacity: negative]where I landed - instead of landing beside Kaylene as I had planned, I landed on top of her.[judgement: capacity: negative: evoked: via inability to carry out plan] 27I have never been a particularly graceful diver.[judgement: capacity: negative] 28But [counter-expect]someone with her courtesy,[judgement: propriety] honesty [judgement: veracity]and courage[judgement: tenacity]did not deserve this [judgement: propriety: negative: inscribed]and my innocent [judgement: propriety]intent does little to change the fact. 29My behavior henceforth might.[modalization: probability][affect: inclination: desire]

----

30I am always [graduation: force]disinclined [affect: disinclination]to prove myself.....I always [graduation: force]assume that how I act is proof enough.[judgement: veracity: implied] 31It is hard for me to get past the conviction [judgement: capacity: negative: construed as positive]that WHO I am, no matter what[graduation: focus] the circumstance, will always [graduation: force][modalization: usuality]be measured by how I treat others and how I respond to how I'm treated.[engagement: proclamation*: ref. to families/open systems above] [judgement: propriety: positive: provoked: via previous values attached to treatment of others and difficulty in getting past this conviction]32Apart from Kaylene, I believe [modalization: probability][engagement: proclamation*]that I have treated people here with respect and on occasion have demanded the same. [judgement: propriety: positive]

33I know there are people here who fear [affect: insecurity]me, they have reason to[judgement: veracity], I am not safe.[affect: insecurity] 34I am as dangerous [affect: insecurity]as anyone here who is willing [modulation: inclination]to be honest.[judgement: propriety: positive: provoked]

35There is more........ but the damn reports await, Sally B.

36BTW Sandra, I didn't get the part about my name changing? 37My screen name is Sally*** (I'll get him back for that) and my real name is Sally A. B.

38I did have some second thoughts [affect: insecurity]about ever giving my real name the other day when some jerk [affect: dissatisfaction: displeasure]propositioned me by instant mail.

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