Episode description

Playing for Team Human today is world renowned social scientist and systems thinker, Merrelyn Emery. Emery, with her partner the late Fred Emery, advanced Open Systems Theory and applied it to management of organizations and government. Open Systems Theory, or OST is the idea that autocracies make for bad governments, companies, and organizations. In this conversation, Merrelyn and Douglas discuss the power of community and collective organizing. They also discuss the social environments conducive to true grassroots, systemic change. As Merrelyn explains it, “By working together with collective responsibility, people can regain control over their own affairs, in their own communities and organizations, by cooperating to meet shared goals rather than competing or peeling off as individuals to do ‘their own thing’.”

Douglas begins todays show announcing the first of exciting new Team Human live events in 2018. Rushkoff will be hosting two evenings of no-holds-barred Team Human discussions in San Francisco at GrayArea.org. On Friday, February 16, Douglas will host a conversation with guests Howard Rheingold and Annalee Newitz. On Saturday the 17th, Douglas will be joined by Erik Davis, author of Techgnosis, artist Lauren McCarthy, and Gray Area founder Josette Melchor. Get your tickets here.

Team Human Patreon supporters have special access to guest passes for both nights, so if you’re in the San Francisco area and considering supporting the show via Patreon, now is the time to sign up! 

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Today’s music is thanks to Fugazi and Dischord Records and Stacco Troncoso of the P2P foundation.

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