¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 I  just skimmed/read a most excellent “review” of Gregory Bateson’s key
“PRESCIENT WARNING” as to the paradox of “CONSCIOUS PURPOSE” in relationship to the survival/thrival of humankind.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 This is a 2010 review/analysis of Bateson’s 1968 invitational conference. In this conference he attempted to present/discuss what he outlined in STEPS TO AN ECOLOGY OF MIND to a gathering of some of the “best minds”. The conference was chronicled by Mary Catherine Bateson in OUR OWN METAPHOR, and satired by Arthur Koestler in his novelette THE CALL GIRLS.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 The conference and critique has been an impetus and foundation for much of my own conceptualizing over the decades. I have referenced it in many of my writings. From a quite different perspective from mine, Bateson attempts to call our attention to our own critical limitations: We Humans Are Not as We Believe Ourselves to Be. This “fact” has become one of my primary themes. I deeply believe that “humankind coming to terms with our potentials/limitations” is essential for our survival/thrival.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 I highly recommend you devote a few minutes to skim this essay. It conveys the profound significance of the contemporary relevance of Bateson’s powerful insights. I wish I had time (& competence) to study and link parts to my own ideas (Up2Met, OLLO).  I hope to return to this post and add useful links.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 Gregory Bateson is THE one person I most identify with as having a similar “mind”, as I. Yet, I don’t believe he lacked visual imagery or was on the autistic spectrum, as am I. I identify with the MSC (Magnitude/Scope/Complexity) of his conceptual schemes.  I have an old audiotape of his lecture, where after talking about a topic, he asked his audience to “hang it on a peg” (like a recently killed animal from hunting for food), to return to later. Gregory recognized that anything he said was but a small component of a much larger conceptual scheme.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 I am not aware of his commenting on how the synthesis of these many topics is impossible to “experience in consciousness” or “present in a finite document”.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 When you skim the review of Gregory’s achievements, don’t attempt to fully comprehend all the details and the overall gestalt. This is impossible. Try to “grok” the significance and accept/appreciate each of our contributions to the emergence of a nu HUMANITY.