Comments on: Got Space? http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/got-space/ Sanborn and Associates Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:39:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris Witt http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/got-space/comment-page-1/#comment-749 Chris Witt Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:30:16 +0000 http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/?p=327#comment-749 Mark, I was (and still am) deeply affected by a book that's even older than the one you cite. In 1962 Walter Kerr, the NYC drama critic, wrote The Decline of Pleasure. He blames our contemporary inability to enjoy life on our wholesale adoption of utilitarianism, a philosophy developed in Britain during the 19th century. It has taught us to determine value by utility: things, activities, relationships, etc. are deemed good not in and by themselves, but in terms of the results they produce. I agree with you that not rushing things -- conversations, reading, reflection -- is essential. And a la Kerr, I would add that doing them simply for their own sake or even for their own enjoyment is equally essential. In today's world what we need most is what we have so much trouble pursuing: space and the willingness to inhabit it without the expectation of a return on investment. Mark, I was (and still am) deeply affected by a book that’s even older than the one you cite. In 1962 Walter Kerr, the NYC drama critic, wrote The Decline of Pleasure. He blames our contemporary inability to enjoy life on our wholesale adoption of utilitarianism, a philosophy developed in Britain during the 19th century. It has taught us to determine value by utility: things, activities, relationships, etc. are deemed good not in and by themselves, but in terms of the results they produce.

I agree with you that not rushing things — conversations, reading, reflection — is essential. And a la Kerr, I would add that doing them simply for their own sake or even for their own enjoyment is equally essential. In today’s world what we need most is what we have so much trouble pursuing: space and the willingness to inhabit it without the expectation of a return on investment.

]]> By: Enrique Mora http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/got-space/comment-page-1/#comment-746 Enrique Mora Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:53:44 +0000 http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/?p=327#comment-746 Mark, Having been a management and manufacturing consultant for more than 20 years now, I understand the need for TIME! Actually this was a discovery that happened when for some reason I did not have enough work. That "margin" gave me an interesting break to regroup ideas and after that I now create those spaces in my agenda as "booked." This has helped me and my customers enormously. I am better equipped all the time to respond to their expectations and I am more satisfied. Right ON! Mark,
Having been a management and manufacturing consultant for more than 20 years now, I understand the need for TIME! Actually this was a discovery that happened when for some reason I did not have enough work. That “margin” gave me an interesting break to regroup ideas and after that I now create those spaces in my agenda as “booked.” This has helped me and my customers enormously. I am better equipped all the time to respond to their expectations and I am more satisfied.
Right ON!

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