The edge is here

I just finished reading John Hagel’s blog post, revolution from the edge, and though I’d comment a bit more about it here.

In his article, John discusses how people at the edge are self organizing through technology and common ground to make change possible. Clay Shirky also talks about this. It’s apparent now that citizens, where’d they’re on the edge or not, have a greater cognitive surplus now than in past times and can come together to solve these ‘wicked problems.’

John discusses how people in these environment, with wicked problems, need to be exposed to accelerated learning experiences to help them cope with those situations. I tend to disagree with this statement, as it forms part of a mindset which continues to see people with hold action because of their apparent need for structured learning.

This ‘edge’, which we all discuss, is everywhere around us. It’s pervasive, and pulses through each human on our planet. People resonate at different frequencies all the time, which allows them to cope with different levels of complexity. Within these environments, people learn from those people that are a ‘half step’ ahead of them. Perhaps they’re peers, perhaps teachers – what ever the case, these lessons about how to organisers and strive for change exists within all of us, at every point. Accelerated learning is happening all the time, and no program will be able to match what is now provided by the collective. Those operating at a higher level of consciousness, those a half step ahead, will always offer faster, greater learning than a structured environment can provide.

So, I ask some real edge questions. What does the world that you know look like without formal education? (What do children do between 5-18?) What about a world where government doesn’t exist? (What do we rally against then?) Or work is not defined by existing boundaries? (What is money?)

These questions are already being answered somewhere in the world right now, by people living those lives. It’s our job to find them, and connect them to a broader collective for their impact to spread. And these edge questions, though different, are alive within you right now. 

What are they?