Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)

I read a bunch more of The Starfish and the Spider on vacation, and it has so reinforced my love for open systems. The book details a bunch of successful up-start businesses and organizations that rely on a decentralized, “user-driven” organizational structure to function. And it’s just fantastic! I have mentioned before that I lean toward “Libertarian” politcally/idealogically. This certainly fits that. Open systems thrive on trust of each individual member. Trust promotes equal ownership and equal participation, and each member contributes to the advancement of the organization. Fascinating stuff.

Check and see if your local library has this book. It’s been worth the read for me. I would recommend it. (Though I was told to only read the first half, as in the second half they pretty much negate what they learned in the first half of the book… and they start trying to make a centralized system of a decentralized, open system. Ha! We’re so funny…) 🙂

I will post some quotes from the book here in a bit… there are some great applications to The Church, to be sure. I think the church thrives as a decentralized, open system. But too often we lock it up in a controlled, centralized system… and take all the life out of it. Or at least hinder it.

So… I will post quotes when we get back from vacation!

(PS… I posted this on my laptop from the indoor pool at our resort! Awesome!) 🙂