Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: qualifying a block as legitimate

[Patricia Nason (tnason04]

I actually really appreciated Sharons comments on what makes a legitimate
block because I felt it really captured what is illegitimate about a certain
kind of block I have seen on occasion where it is the person blocking who is
not interested in working creatively towards a solution that works for
everyone.  Rather, you have someone who wants to see things work out a
particular way, is unwilling to engage with the group who has worked on the
present plan to develop something that will address their concerns but
demands that the plan be satisfactory to them or they will continue to
block.  It seems to me that this results in a situation even less
egalitarian than overriding a block, where you have one person completely
dominating the conversation.

Conversely, I have also seen it work the other way, where an immense amount
of pressure is brought to bear on someone with an objection to just let it
go with the threat of just coming back later and overriding a block being
used to back it up and I agree that this can result in a failure to think
creatively and actually try to come up with solutions.

Tricia


-- 
“Earth will regenerate. The rivers, the waters, the mountains; everything
will be green again.  Because the Earth has all the time in the world. But
we don’t.  Love the place you live in.”
--Oren Lyons, the Faithkeeper of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation