It’s not the bankers’ fault really. It’s the air we breathe. It’s the assumptions we hold. We need to prove other assumptions are more effective. We need to prove it to ourselves.

How to Create a Sustainable Proximity

A short guide called “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” offers a new approach. People can use it for an area, home, park, neighborhood, community, region, context, environment, business, group, organization, etc. If we create many sustainable proximities, they will start to overlap. People are free to use this guide. It is based on the ProxThink sustainable proximities approach. It allows people to relate to a proximity they care about in a new and more direct way. It leverages technology and networks in a different way by applying a new growth model. “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” is available at the following link:
http://proxthink.com/blog/2009/12/24/how-to-create-a-sustainable-proximity/

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NOTE: Should you have any trouble with the link above, you can also get there by going to the ProxThink.com website (http://proxthink.com). Once there, you’ll see links to “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity” in the upper right, and also in the bottom center of the page.

We don’t know what to do about widespread unemployment, and the social, mental and health costs that go with it. Ditto for avoidable wars. We can’t get together on climate change. Health care is a mess. Millions die from treatable or fixable problems. Income disparities threaten the social fabric. Banks get generous, flexible bailouts and are still ungenerous and inflexible with customers. We do a poor job of finding, testing and implementing new approaches.

You get the picture. Yes there are good, even great things about life. But we know there are a lot of problems which seem more solvable than they turn out to be. And that’s a key point. I think it’s less anyone’s fault in particular. It’s more the system we live within.

During the economic meltdown last year, and the events that led up to it, we realized we were not looking at what they called “systemic risk.” We missed the big picture. In a similar way, we’re not taking a large enough view of a lot of our challenges.

Taking the big picture view, and integrating it with the practical, is sort of my specialty. For over 30 years, I’ve been preparing for, and then developing, a framework which does that. It started with a few rules of thumb about life, a focus on proximity, and the known philosophical insight that being is about relating. After that, it kind of took on a life of it’s own.

Eventually, it grew into a large framework, including a new thinking structure, creativity patterns, models and tools. I call it ProxThink, short for proximity thinking. Perhaps the crown jewel is a sustainable proximities approach. The approach integrates all the other aspects of the framework with technology, networks, and emerging social practices such as networked communication and collaboration.

I implemented the sustainable proximities approach in several other projects I’m working on, in order to work out the kinks. After this conceptual work and implementation, I recently came up with a short “how-to” guide. The guide introduces both the concepts and how to set them up for a proximity you care about.

I’m including this guide in a linked blog post. It’s called “How to Create a Sustainable Proximity.” You are free to use this approach, and I hope you will. If we create many sustainable proximities, they will start to overlap. If you find this useful or interesting, there is a link at the end for ways to get more involved. Also, please share it.

So, pick up your gift at How to Create a Sustainable Proximity.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

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Here’s the basic idea of this guide: The approach leverages technology and networks in a different way by applying a new growth model.

Imagine a place you care about. An area, home, park, neighborhood, community, region, context, environment, business, group, organization, etc. This place is the “proximity” for this guide. (Sometimes, the proximity might be less physical.)

Add a network, such as the Internet, to your place.

Add people who can sense, track and record things about the place. Things that would relate to what you want to maintain or sustain about the place. What people might want to sense, track and record is so varied, I won’t even try to make up examples.

Add technological sensors for the place that can record what they sense. The sensors might record views, heat, pollution, chemicals, moisture, sun, traffic, electricity usage, and other things. Things that would relate to what you want to maintain or sustain about the place.

Allow the humans and technological sensors to record their impressions and data about the place on the network. This set of impressions and data on the network is the ProxMonitor for this place.

Allow people and technology to access the impressions and data on the network. These access points are RelatePoints. If the network is the Internet, the RelatePoints can be web pages viewed in browsers.

So far, we’ve covered two processes of the ProxThink growth model: ProxMonitors and RelatePoints. This growth model allows us to leverage technology and networks in a different way.

Now have people, or a subgroup, develop a set of conditions and characteristics of the place, that they want to sustain or maintain. It could also be a range of conditions and characteristics. Sustaining some conditions and characteristics does not mean the place would feel or be static or boring. Some of the conditions or characteristics might be uncertainty or variability people want to sustain. And some surprises are usually unavoidable anyway. Put the conditions and characteristics people develop into an agreement. Of course, the agreement could change over time based on new input from people, and impressions and data from the ProxMonitor. The agreement might also suggest new things to track in the ProxMonitor. This agreement is the third process of the ProxThink growth model, which is a Vadi Agreement. “Vadi” is short for valuable differences.

The agreement can also be displayed in the ProxMonitor at the RelatePoints.

Now people and technology can work (and play) together to sustain the conditions and characteristics. Both people and technological systems can access the ProxMonitor via RelatePoints, check the Vadi Agreement, and do things which help sustain the conditions and characteristics of that place they care about. What they do to maintain or sustain those conditions and characteristics are ProxRewards, or “proxri” for short. Proxri are the fourth and final process of the ProxThink growth model.

This is a simple guide for how the ProxThink growth model can be used to create a sustainable proximity. As you can see, part of the focus shifts to the proximity that people care about. With the help of technology, networks, and the ProxThink growth model, people can relate to the place (proximity) they care about in a new and more direct way.

Something interesting becomes possible with this approach. With the leverage of technology and networks, you can do more with less effort. And when people’s focus is on the proximity, competition can decrease. With less effort required thanks to technological leverage, and lower competition, people may more often do things (proxri) for the proximity in ways which they find engaging, involving and energizing. Things they actually want to do, rather than have to do. This could create vibrant proximities. This enjoyment might even be one of the conditions and characteristics you want to sustain in your Vadi Agreement, and something that gets tracked in the ProxMonitor.

Setting aside whether or not this approach could create more vibrant proximities, it’s hard to argue that we shouldn’t pursue some new options and approaches for shared challenges. This approach may be most appropriate for shared challenges which people in a place or proximity face together. Given that some of our toughest problems are shared challenges, it is something I think we should try, see what happens, and improve as we go. In addition, it can be used for parts of a place or proximity. It’s not all or nothing. We can use it to make part of a place sustainable, and grow from there.

That said, I believe the sustainable proximities approach, which this guide introduces, has the potential to change how we approach many situations, large, medium and small, and also some of our toughest challenges. Things like globalization, economic turmoil and climate change.

Again, you are free to use this approach, and I hope you will.

Don’t believe this can work? Read this.

If you have questions, contact me here.

If you want to get more involved, I’m looking for people who want to try this approach, or build systems for it, or fund it, or several of these. I’m going to put together an organization which: 1) supports people trying the approach on their own, and 2) builds systems and infrastructure for people who want tools they can use immediately to implement the approach. To keep up to date on progress, and learn how you can try it, help build it, or fund it, join ProxThink.

Funding for the development of this work so far, and for what is to come, would be greatly appreciated. This approach is the result of decades of effort, since it is built on top of the ProxThink framework, which took a long time to evolve. As a result, I’ve built up quite a bit of development debt. (In fact, thinking we desperately needed some new conceptual approaches to tough shared challenges, I bet my financial future on the ProxThink framework, including the sustainable proximities approach.) I’ve had no external support for the ProxThink project — no grants, fellowships, investors or foundation support. To become an investor or partner, please contact me for more details. To make a contribution (a proxri) of any size, for the work done and the work to come, please contribute on this page.

Also, if you found this interesting or useful, please share it. Thanks!

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

Um, we’re all connected. Instead of copyright and intellectual property protection, why not share and proxri?

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

Not sure if I’ve mentioned this, but the integrated sustainable proximities approach amounts to an attempt to imagine a different way to organize society. Not only that, but it is designed to be able to exist alongside other organizational forms. And, to allow smooth transitions from other forms to it.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

A four point argument:

1. We have to focus more on proximities, such as contexts, environments and the myriad elements surrounding and connected to our tough challenges.

2. Our existing social structure (markets, governments, democracy) doesn’t support that very well.

3. Networks are part of the answer, in terms of physical structure.

4. The ProxThink framework provides a new conceptual structure, to complement networks.

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Expansion of Point 1

The following issues and areas point towards a greater need for paying attention to, relating to, and even taking care of, proximities: globalization, the environment, climate change, pollution, energy transitions, economic turmoil, externalities, species extinction, population growth, health degradation, etc.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

If we want to tackle tough challenges, such as globalization, economic turmoil and climate change, we may need new ways of thinking and relating. As a bonus, other things may get a boost, such as design, culture and fun. ProxThink is a framework for the proximity of situations, offering individuals and groups new ways to think, relate, create, innovate, and sustainably grow. People can explore, learn about and use it at http://proxthink.com.

Full Announcement

If we want to tackle tough challenges, such as globalization, economic turmoil and climate change, we may need new ways of thinking and relating. Thanks to scientists and philosophers, we know that things are connected and related, and that being is about relating. However, to make the most of these insights, we could use a general, widely shared, practical framework, which might suggest different ways of seeing the world and interacting with it. “I’ve tried to develop something with that potential,” says David Loughry, creator of ProxThink. The developments include a foundation, terms, patterns, models and tools that, with a focus on the proximity of situations, form a framework. The meaning of “proximity” includes nearness in relationship, so you can think of the proximity as elements related, or potentially related, to your situation. The framework is general and simple enough for conversation, yet also presents diverse possibilities, offering individuals and groups new ways to think, relate, create, innovate, and sustainably grow. People can explore, learn about and use it at the ProxThink website.

The perhaps surprising upshot is that this framework helps us relate to and within contexts, networks and environments, which can be considered from a proximity point of view. This is timely since social and technological networks, as well as global social, political, economic and environmental challenges, shift some of the emphasis to the proximity of situations. Further, ProxThink can relate to many different proximities, and in the process boost fun, the arts and culture; support science, engineering and design; promote sustainability; acknowledge and work with complexity; as well as be useful in situations ranging from everyday life and personal relationships to business and markets. Loughry says, “I call this framework ProxThink, short for proximity thinking and the different ways of relating that can result from proximity thinking. In the process of creating it, I’ve developed a number of proposed standards I hope others will adopt and adapt. These include standards for thinking structures, creativity patterns, downloadable content, climate change efforts and a growth model for people who share a proximity. I’m also curious how people will use the patterns and tools designed for creativity and innovation. As a designer, businessperson, inventor, writer and artist myself, they have helped me. In fact, some of the patterns co-evolved with my creative activities. On a larger scale, the ProxThink sustainable proximities approach is an effort to create, for some proximities, new options more suited to our highly networked world.”

Although the full framework cannot be explained here, a brief overview follows. ProxThink, with a focus on proximities, consists of the following three elements: 1) a new structure for thinking and relating, paired with 2) a creativity and innovation system. These were then used as building blocks for 3) a new kind of growth model for people who share a proximity. The new structure for thinking and relating consists of two foundational elements, four terms and two tools. The creativity and innovation system consists of 16 related proximity patterns and tools which leverage them. The growth model consists of four related processes, was created to work with networks, and includes new kinds of rewards called “proxri.” The growth model may provide a kind of evolutionary path for business models. The growth model can be combined with some existing technologies, networks, and participatory aspects of the Internet to create a new sustainable proximities approach, which can enable proximity-focused cooperation and collaboration while fostering greater sustainability. Loughry has begun to apply the growth model and the sustainable proximities approach to several areas, including climate change, downloadable content, web business models, intellectual property, and enhancements to markets. He believes ProxThink may be especially useful for challenges in which standard approaches are not working, for things that have never been done before, and for when people are stuck. People can explore, learn about and use it at the ProxThink website, where memberships start at $4.95 per year (yes, per year) with a 30 day free trial. There are also some free ProxThink resources, including videos. In addition, Loughry is available for webcam support as well as for seminars, speaking, consulting or collaboration on a short- or long-term basis. He is based in Los Angeles. For more, visit http://proxthink.com.

In a networked world, we often overlap. It can be hard to tell where you begin and I end. Where one business begins and another ends. Add to that how easy it is to copy things, whether information or products and services. In this kind of world, paying attention to the proximity makes more sense.

If being is about relating, then you are your relationships in a sense. You are your network. If we are in proximity, we share parts of each other’s network. We overlap. So we should take care of our proximity, and place less emphasis on ourselves.

In a digital world, you can often not be sure where content came from, or how original it is. Yet that copy can benefit the network and the proximity where it exists at the moment. The content can also exist for everyone in the network, since it is duplicated for everyone who accesses it. The content overlaps. Focus on taking care of the proximity, and the network, and you also take care of the content creators, who are also part of that proximity and that network.

Again, in this kind of world, paying attention to the proximity makes more sense. Taking care of the proximity makes more sense. Relating to the proximity makes more sense. That’s where ProxThink comes in. That’s part of why the ProxThink growth model makes sense. And why a sustainable proximities approach based on the ProxThink growth model makes sense.

Join ProxThink here.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.

Networks and technology can leverage the efforts of a few. This can create a lot of value. I’m not the first to say this, of course.

Wikipedia is created and maintained by a tiny fraction of the people who use it.

In freemium-supported websites, the whole site is supported by a tiny portion of users who pay.

Further, the people who create and maintain Wikipedia like doing it. And, the people who pay on a freemium site see the value of paying. In both cases, networks and technology leverage the efforts of a few, and create much value for other people in the process.

How many more things can we apply this approach to, in the process freeing up more time and resources, and improving the quality of life?

Part of the secret is technology allows people to leverage their time so much. Even among the small number of people contributing to Wikipedia and other group-created efforts, it usually doesn’t take all their time. It’s not like a full-time job.

Maybe networks and technology make, or can make, the notion of specialized work dominating your life less common. And being bored less common.

This is related to another thing about Wikipedia. How many worldwide, free, online encyclopedias do we need? One may be enough.

So what if we didn’t focus on making money so much as creating vibrant contexts, environments and proximities within which to live? Proximities in which the focus could be more on variety, vitality and liveliness? Isn’t that a big part of why people want money anyway? They want to be able to do a variety of different things. Maybe technology and networks offer new ways to create contexts and proximities within which people have that.

What is holding us back? Perhaps we need a new framework to think about this problem, and to structure new approaches. That’s what the ProxThink framework offers, I believe.

Proxri Deal: As you find our relationship rewarding, proxri with the proximity in mind.