The Networked Professional

After re-reading Reader 3 and the additional readings, I actually found the ideas and concepts of networking and connectivity really interesting.

Cooperation:

I think, in general, cooperation is vital. Axelrod started a research about cooperating, wondering about the concept on a personal level and on a business level. He made up a game, the Prisoner’s dilemma. When should one be selfish? When should one cooperate? Those are the questions that formed the starting point of Axelrod’s theory. He found out that the winning combination was starting with cooperation and ending in imitation, ‘TIT FOR TAT’.

In a way, I feel like we should cooperate to fulfil personal desires. Sometimes working together with people for a cause that is fair is the best feeling.

In a business point of view, I’d say that’s when cooperation really comes into play. Of course, being a business shark is going to bring you a lot of money and that is no one’s secret, but at the end of the day, is it money that we really want? Instead of making money on top of people’s back, businesses should consider primary industries (farming). Ethical businesses are starting to grow but it is still not enough.

Affiliation:

The idea of affiliation is something that I think affects me generally in my life. It’s a hard one! First it needs to be balanced, so one needs to be conscious of the amount of affiliation that one needs in order to be content. That is already a hard job, and on top of all of that, one can also be rejected by others (even though one feels like there is some affiliation there). The idea of the ability to affiliate with people being genetic is quite interesting. I can indeed relate to my parents and their relations to others in the way I interact with people. Once one finds their perfect amount of affiliation, it is full of positive outcomes as one starts to belong (share views, opinions, being challenged by other’s point of views). Crisp and Turner, in Essential Social Psychology (chap 11), mention that affiliation also depends on culture and countries. I find it really interesting as I have lived in 3 different countries. I actually came to notice that the way to affiliate with people was so different in each of those countries. I, personally, take time to connect with people but when I am finally affiliated to them, the outcome is usually a deep, rich and meaningful friendship.

Social Constructionism:

This concept is almost disturbing nevertheless so interesting. It makes sense somehow that all our knowledge is built from interacting with other people and seeing the world as such.  Michael Crotty’s Constructionism: The making of meaning is a really good read. It really opens the possibilities of how to see the world. What I like is that it makes you doubt about what you know and also makes you realise that each person has a different ‘knowledge’ that is built on a different social background and interactions.

Connectivism:

This concept goes hand in hand with the concept of Web 2.0. Although Siemens’ Connectivism,  A learning Theory for the Digital Age was a challenging read, I appreciated his theory. I am not sure whether I agree with it fully, I feel like the basic ways of learning (objectivism, pragmatism, interpretivism) are still more valid.  I feel like Connectivism, although it makes knowledge accessible in a glimpse, almost restricts the kind of knowledge that one receives. If one is now part of an Internet community, then the knowledge acquired is usually just meant to be accessed by one certain community (one’s vision of the world can become narrow). To me, it somehow limits human interactions.

Communities of practice

As an aspiring choreographer, the Community of practice is a major concept to me. If I want to put my own work on the stage it is not only the choreography that matters, in fact it does not matter at all if this one doesn’t fit with all the other departments involved. I made a list of all the people that I would need to put on my on show, and the list is quite long. From designer, to stage manager without forgetting lighting designer and producer … everyone has a role to play and that is the beauty of art. I want to be a bridge in between all these people creating beauty around my choreography. And they are people with whom I need to share a similar vision of art and of the particular show that I have in mind. It’s no easy task!

To sum up, I think networking is essential in every field, especially in art. Reading more about affiliation and relationships made me learn new ways of approaching the world. I cannot wait to use those principles into directing my own show with my ‘Community of Practice’ (Although I still dislike the word ‘community’).  To me the thing that makes great art is the mix of different art forms, because it is all linked, there is no point in staying within our own artistic community. There is actually not much difference between a dancer, a painter, a comedian … it is all art. It is all people sharing their souls. The Canadian film director Xavier Dolan uses that concept as well, he is the linking idea thread of everything. He surrounds himself with a team of brilliant actors, designers, technicians, producer …

Networking should only be positive and should not be used to harm anyone. It’s a shame that all brilliant concepts can become our worst enemies if not used properly.

Sources :

Axelrod, R. (1984) The evolution of cooperation. London: Penguin. Serendip (2005) ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma’, Available from:

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/playground/pd.html.


Crisp, J & Turner, R. (2007) Essential social psychology. London: Sage

Crotty. M. (2005) The foundations of social research: meaning and perspectives in the research process, London: Sage.

Siemens, G. (2004) Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm (Accessed 25 July 2012)