Co-creation

We don’t really create our own way by ourselves. We need the other to do it right. What is is relational. We’re embedded in it, not independent actors who write it and it stays writ. We push and the world pushes back. Or our partners or projects or deadlines do. They have a life of their own.

Even though we don’t selfauthor in an independent way, selfauthoring still requires our full participation, our maximal alertness and presence to happen. My friend is here with me, and what I’m doing includes her (and I would have “more freedom” – less constraints – to create without her), I’d just get less creating and living done. The relational calls something out of me.

It’s like my friend B. who is an amazing performer. He says that without the other around to provide a context for his speaking, a presence to speak into (my words), he doesn’t have access to what he wants to say. Maybe he’s lonely.

Then there’s collective intelligence, wherein a group has access to greater smarts than the members would individually. It’s so clear that this happens, and I often feel that the collective intelligence is just what’s needed now, to get us through this transition.