Read an excerpt from this article below. You can download the full article by using the link at the end of the excerpt.
We create models of the world to understand how things work and to predict how they will work in the future. The better our model; the better our ability to forecast and shape the future.
Models that are universally accepted are paradigms. There is a significant paradigm shift occurring in physics — the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force — that has a direct correlation to planning commissions.
The Renaissance saw the creation of a new model of the universe which has an analogy to a watch: the world is comprised of millions of parts that collectively form a working mechanism. This analogy is often used in describing the need for species protection. If a critical part is removed, the entire mechanism stops.
A newer model is replacing this mechanical view. It focuses on the relationships between parts and not the parts themselves. It views nature as a series of systems. An analogy often drawn is to the “Butterfly Effect,” first postulated by Edward Lorenz, which describes how a seemingly insignificant action — like the beating of a butterfly’s wings in one place — can trigger an unexpected chain of events — perhaps resulting in a tornado in another part of the world.
Whew! But now it’s time to stretch our minds even further, and consider how these two different models — the mechanical model and the systems model — relate to public bodies, such as planning commissions.
Several years ago planner Frank Wein suggested tongue-in-cheek that most public hearing bodies followed the “Rule of Five.” They were comprised of five distinct personalities:
The Reader: Reads everything, understands nothing. Comments often like: “On page 32, second paragraph, I believe you meant a colon and not a semi colon. Also, on page 45, third line from the bottom, I believe it should read ‘effect’ and not ‘affect.’ Just some of my thoughts about the report.”
The Sleeper: One of the highest attendance records. Responds to roll-call, “Here,” but that may be the last sound from this member for the entire meeting.
End of excerpt
