Re: Loss, Lack, Lemons and Limits

Hi Chris,

I agree that it is possible to squint and see it all in loss terms, but
I'd like you to pause and consider how other concepts, like gaining
something you don't want, might have a different feel. They might lead to
different ideas. Thinking about loss causes me to reflect on the existing
situation and the benefits therein. Thinking about lack causes me to think
more about the new situation and what is needed to make it work. Thinking
about lemons shifts my attention to burdens of the new world order, the
ongoing energy that must be spent to maintain the new system.

There is heuristic value to ideas other than loss. A rich vocabulary of
general systems concepts can make it easier to read a situation and see a
solution.

On Tue, 6 May 2003, Chris Morris wrote:

> > The loss issue is one I've been thinking about for a while, but it just
> > occurred to me that there are other important reasons for resistance.
> 
> (I'm jumping in the middle here, so I'm bound to share an opinion that'll be
> ill informed...)
> 
> > Lack is one reason. In other words "I want to say yes to you, but first I
> > must have X. I don't yet have X." This is not about loss, because X may be
> > something that the resister has never had before, and so is not afraid to
> > lose. Example: I would love to move to Alaska, but I lack a way to make a
> > living up there.  (I would also lose the happiness of my wife, but that's
> > a different issue.)
> 
> To me, this is still about loss - it's fearing a future loss, losing the
> ability to provide for myself.
> 
> > Then there are lemons (maybe there's a better word for this that also
> > starts with L. Liability?). A lemon is someone you don't want, that you
> > will get if you take the requested action. Alaska is cold. Maybe cold is a
> > lemon I don't want to deal with.
> 
> Again, I think loss can explain this - losing comfort by moving to a cold
> climate.
> 
> > By "limits" I mean the kind of resistance where the resister is willing to
> > take the requested action, just more slowly than the change promoter would
> > like. The rate of change is limited. This may have to do with a learning
> > curve, or safety. I may be willing to move to Alaska in stages, beginning
> > with a vacation there.
> 
> Still, isn't fear of loss driving this limiting? I fear going 100%, because
> I may lose something by betting too much - but I'm willing to try 50% for
> now and see how that goes.
> 
> > I bet there are more reasons I'm not thinking of, yet. I hope they start
> > with L's.
> 
> With this sort of thing I (obviously) like to try to boil it down rather
> than flesh it out (probably because I have a lousy memory, even with
> alliteration :). But, now that I've spewed out my comments, I'm curious -
> how does breaking out these various forms of resistance help you? (genuine
> question) I can see how too much boiling down can be too coarse.
> 
> Chris
> tech: http://clabs.org/blog
> arts/faith: http://cministries.org/blog
> 
> 
> 
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