systems

So I am reading about systems theory. And thinking about it.

[You know, the idea that the sum is greater than the individual parts; you can’t understand the system just by looking at the bits that make it up. So, if a little kid in a family is acting up you don’t say hey what’s wrong with that kid?! You ask, what is happening in the family for that behaviour to emerge? Or if someone in your office does no work and is on facebook all day in between coffee breaks leaving you to do his job too you don’t ask why is that guy such a jerk? (well you might..) But you might also ask, what is happening in this sytem for that behaviour to emerge?]

phwah.

So. I was reading. And thinking. When suddenly, I had one of those epiphany moments: if all this stuff makes sense in relation to other.people, why is it not something that applies to me?

Why, when something happens in my world, do I automatically turn within and question my behaviour and naturally lean into a critical stance? Is it possible [just possible] that if systems thinking can explain little kids and office.jerks that it could also explain my experience? That if I have a weird.awkward.conversation or I feel hurt or I miss out on a job that it might not just be attributable to a failing on my part? Is it possible [just possible] that those happenings are simply emergent properties of the system?