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Hello again,

After reading a chunk of Wright's (2010) Envisioning Real Utopias, I would add to this previous statement. In any effort to change, and change radically, business practices, it is first essential to assume purist-optimism. Disdain all pessimism and realism and pragmatism, because these will dissuade innovation and counter ascension – when it comes to needs, it is imperative to ascend to higher-levels; otherwise, self-esteem and self-actualization are both counterfeit. Experience may be the culprit that misaligns opportunity and outcomes, because experience is grounded in other constructs; in Wright’s argument, the foundation is capitalism and capitalism has resulted in a perceived “natural order of things, and pessimism has replaced optimism… [which is] essential if the world was to be transformed.,” (p. 1). As stated earlier, this pessimism is justly applied to a global market, but in small systems and small business, emergence of better methodologies is possible. Given the opportunity to change, any business can adopt these ideals and visions. 

Reading this book in this context is helping me find ideas that I might challenge under different contexts. I admit I have reduced much of the reading to a pragmatic point of view (I am still looking for ways to use these ideas), but with an open-mindedness that I didn't have when I began reading Korten (2006). 

Maybe this will help someone digest the idealistic and visionary outlets of unconventional leadership. I am starting to learn how to enjoy this topic and that makes the work much easier.

Christopher

Korten, D. C. (2006). The great turning: From empire to Earth community. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler.

• Wright, E. O. (2010). Envisioning real utopias. London: Verso.