Riding the Wave; still ( Part 1)

There are many it seems ,still flipping their lid,  over   those who have insisted on using the name ME , as opposed to ME/CFS in Scotland ; their argument goes something like this : ME is not taken seriously by the medical establishment,  Scottish MP's  advise  that their support can  only realistically be maintained if both ME and CFS are acknowledged- and given the context : a heady mix  of politicking  baggage and "background"; this initiative is not just jerking people around, it is a "serious risk" to all that has been achieved .

Indeed, on Oct 24 it was announced that  the Cross Party Group now no longer exists.

I imagine that, like me,  those of us outside the situation find the details difficult to fully get a grip on  ; what we do know is that passions are running high; it is  the most extraordinary situation. You'd expect flags , bagpipes and dancing in the streets, not the place to be in an uproar - with resignations, confusion and  very public conflict.

Actually no. What is going on is terribly predictable. 

Says he, digging around in the bottom of his wardrobe for an old magazine, here it is ! Community Living , July 1991. I used to write for the magazine- which is still going, I am pleased to note -  back in the day, when I was heavily involved in the Learning Disability movement. 

Let me read you this paragraph :

"Is the issue - (apply this to Scotland) - fundamentally about our capacity to cope with change ? We persist with our systems and structures (or lack of them) and it is incredible the resistance to change. Often change which is accompanied by some sort of crisis , results in organizations persisting in digging in, doing "more of the same", though even harder. Lynch and Kordis (1990) write about organisational "stupidity", defined very precisely , as the inability to accept useful information , learn from it and act intelligently. The effect of this, they argue is entrophy - loss of movement - resulting in organisations frantically trying to preserve the status quo, frightened and disturbed by change."

We can all learn a lot from Lynch and Kordis - their book - Strategy of the Dolphin ( http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strategy-Dolphin-Scoring-Chaotic-World/dp/0449905292) is a rare  life changer.I have to say I've been well guided by its insights all these years.

Faced with change, as in Scotland, you can either harness group energy - synergy and move powerfully forwards or alternatively find yourself  beating  a  retreat to the lowest common denominator : organisational stupidity - and then - oh dear, here comes the mob,  in a panic - their "decisions"  an ill considered jumble - not reflecting any apparent logic...

Here's the thing  though, tragically when the dust finally settles, its often same old, same old; things limp on much as before- which is not good news for people with ME, more desperate than anyone for  something good to happen.

In Part 2 I would like to go into this in more depth - and ask you some questions. Be warned, they could change your life.