It's a Wonderful Life

Hi MANIACS:

Happy holidays! Although this means a long weekend in most respects, I can't help thinking about the creative energies we are trying to cultivate in the MANIAC community and the opportunities for innovative thinking and connections that are emerging. This was illustrated for me on Wednesday night, when I made my annual film pilgrimmage to my favorite flick, "It's a Wonderful Life." Now, you might find it odd for a Jewish guy from NYC to find a Xmas film about a heroic figure from Bedford Falls to be a favorite, but the appeal of the movie seems universal to me. My purpose here is not to argue this case, or even review the film's narrative, but to offer a few observations about the innovative spirit and some of the meaning I have derived from the story.

George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart) gets the unique opportunity to see what the world might have been like had he never lived, and he discovers that his singular existence has had a profound effect on the lives of his family, his town, and (at least) hundreds of others with whom he has had no direct contact. The ripple effects of these relationships are like the dynamical interactions of chaordic complexity, resulting in a new, higher order that reflects a deeper synchronicity. His sense of duty, deep values in community, and persistence to behave in a morally uplifting manner results in profound outcomes that would otherwise not be predictable from any singular event in his life. His capacity to summon courage in the face of menacing power (indelibly portrayed by Lionel Barrymore's "Mr. Potter,") brings us much current meaning as we seek to address significant disparities in wealth and power in our own lives, and attempt to find the path to battle political and economic forces against which we feel powerless.

In the end, the relationships he has developed forge the force that rescues George, just as he has played a small role in helping each of these people find joy and meaning in their lives. Friends and family, without question, come to his aid and, through the experience of seeing his life in a new light, he is presumably now able to continue doing good things with a renewed sense of purpose. That, of course, occurs after the movie's end... but we are left to imagine what he and those he has helped can now do.

I draw many lessons from this story, though I also continue to marvel at the way it continues to pull me into it in the face of knowing every frame of the film:

* One person can have a profound effect on the lives of others, and small actions often have significant impacts on vast communities beyond our sights. This is the 'butterfly effect,' writ true, and we all can identify many occasions when someone might later report that we had an effect that was strong and meaningful to them. In our work lives, it also means that our individual efforts to persist, show courage, and develop innovative responses to overwhelming challenges can be a worthy enterprise. In the movie, George Bailey and Mr. Potter each illustrated this huge power, for good or ill.

* Two people have much more impact that 1 + 1... the profound meaning of 'synergy' can be either constructive or virulent, but when applied to relationships that expand our circles of influence, their power is undeniable. Study circles, work teams, task forces, etc. can be examples of such group power. On a larger scale, even if not intentionally acting in concert, the power of groups is reflected in social movements and organizational change. The relationships in George's life, most especially that with his wife, Mary (Donna Reed), were powerful examples of these synergies and they were important influences in helping keep George on his True Path.

* Peer-to-peer communications and self-organizing systems can reframe situations in ways that defy the power of hierarchical, centrally coordinated systems. Mary organized the community to respond to George's plight, to be sure, but we see examples throughout the story that illustrate the power of self-organized capacity. Today, we see it in numerous 'great groups,' innovative systems (e.g., Linus Torvald's Linux), and other concepts I expect we will highlight on this site over time.

* The conditions in which individuals exist have profound, nearly determining, influences upon their opportunities. If we grow up in fear, scarcity, and ridicule, our learned behaviors and life choices take us down significantly different pathways than if we experience gratitude, hope, and affirmation. While connected to economic means, there is a distinct difference between being Poor and living in Poverty. In Frank Capra's films, that capacity of the human spirit to do great things arises from such generous, loving spaces and relationships. George grew up embracing the ethics of his father and the Bailey Building & Loan, and even though he despised the ways it constrained his energy to remain within the confines of Bedford Falls, his dreams were able to be channeled through constructive impacts of many people's lives. In that respect, his brother Harry's toast at the concluding scene is fitting, when he says, "To my brother George Bailey, the richest man on Earth."

* Every moment is a teachable moment, every day is a treasured opportunity to live our lives in Generosity and Integrity. We can sit around and await permission to do wonderful things, and we can also wait for the 'perfect conditions' in which to move forward to do what needs to be done. That is a choice. Rather than live in fear, or seek permission, we can embrace our lives' opportunities and the moments they uniquely bring to us.

My life has been filled with its share of challenges, and I occasionally get down and depressed about them. I get trapped in 'old tapes' of pettiness and fear that lay deep within my psyche and the challenges of my upbringing. Yet, I have also been pretty resilient and have summoned my innate optimism to find ways to learn, share, and grow, trying to be a good parent, life partner, and contributing member of society. I am most certainly a 'work in progress,' as anyone who knows me will gladly share, but I also think that I have learned to appreciate some of these opportunities to make an impact. And anything I have given, in that respect, has been more than repaid in what I have received through the wisdom and generosity of others. So, as we celebrate these times of holidays in our own, unique ways, I hope we can all embrace some of the lessons from "It's a Wonderful Life" and apply them with joy and gratitude.

-Harry