Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: thoughtful

Roles in Natural Enterprises

What caught my eye in this post was the diagram about roles. I actually play most of those roles, to varying degrees:

Explorers study
Interpreters teach
Inventors imagine
Connectors distribute
Designers craft
Generators create

Of the other roles ...

Actors recreate -- I don't think of myself as an actor, but I suppose some types of writing might be considered to "recreate" things.
Nurturers cultivate -- I cultivate plants better than people. This is a skill that I try to apply, but it's not something I have innate talent for.
Menders sustain -- I put substantial effort into sustaining community, but again, needs and desires outweigh actual ability.

Most of these roles apply to large-scale (city, country) and small-scale (family, household) groups. Thinking about them helps us understand the groups we inhabit and how we move through them. What are your roles?
Tags: community, family skills
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  • 4 comments
jolantru

jolantru

October 8 2008, 12:06:00 UTC 12 years ago

Very thought-provoking post - and the Natural Community is something we all can work towards.

Hmmm. Good words to mull on. I think I overlap on the roles there...
ysabetwordsmith

ysabetwordsmith

October 8 2008, 16:27:50 UTC 12 years ago

What roles do you overlap?

One nice thing about community building is that, even if you fall short of your goal, you usually make progress in a positive direction.
jolantru

jolantru

October 9 2008, 01:06:16 UTC 12 years ago

I always see myself as a bridge between worlds. A textual shaman as you will (and that shamanism is also part of my belief system). That would be "Interpreter". I also teach (high school English and History) and I often find ways to bring the messages across to my students.

I am also a Nurturer - being a teacher is one. I have a daughter and I garden. As for Mender, I try to put in effort for my small communities here but as you have said, desires and needs outweigh actual ability.

In some extent, I see myself as an Explorer too. I am always looking, seeking, exploring. :)

Actor in the sense when I write. I like writing and writing is world-building, sustaining, helping, therapy, work, self.

The other roles are smaller but still there in various degrees.

Eep, rambling...

:)
jolantru

Continuing in my ramble...

jolantru

October 9 2008, 01:09:10 UTC 12 years ago

I always feel that Interpreter, Nurturer and Mender overlap. Because Interpreters also mend and sustain, and Menders also cultivate. Nurturers teach. :)