********* FROM CHUCK TUCKER 930622 *********
I have not read the body of any post since 930617. I was in
Baltimore playing with my grandchildren (and Clark's grandchild)
for the weekend. Clark has been out of town (and is out of town
as I write). I think that Danny and Kent are teaching Summer
school (like I am) but I can't account for the other sociologists.
When I looked a my screen today and saw 73 posts my first thought
was "Call a 'time out' so those of us who work can catch up" but
I doubt that I could influence anyone to stop for a moment. So
until I can read everything and formulate a statement which will
demonstrate that all of you are into a semantic swamp up to your
eyebrows I offer these statements:
THE FIVE CONCLUSIONS OF SOCIOLOGY
People influence each other
When people influence each other they generate/create/construct
culture (i.e., language)
When people influence each other they generate/create/construct
relationships (i.e., groups)
When people influence each other they generate/create/construct
sets of relationships (i.e., organizations)
When people influence each other they generate/create/construct
relationships among sets of relationships (i.e., systems or
structures)
A SHORT QUOTE ON ORGANIZATIONS
Karl Weick says "Organizations keep people busy, occasionally
entertains them, gives them a variety of experiences, keeps them
off the streets, provides pretexts for storytelling and allows
socializing. They haven't anything else to give."
More later,
Chuck