[Ailist] Re: "staying positive"

[Michael L. Schwartz]

Are "positive" and "negative" emotions opposites?

Consider the Eastern philosophy of yin yang. These are "opposing" forces that are "rooted together". Without darkness there can be on light. Without summer there can be no winter. Or, maybe, it's really that without darkness light has no meaning and without winter summer has no meaning.

Ca we extrapolate, the, and say that negative emotions (sadness, depression, etc) are what give positive emotions (happiness, joy, etc) meaning?

Michael L Schwartz, PE, PMP
President
Positive Concepts, Inc.
Phone: 248 828 7701
Fax: 248 828 7708
Email: MSchwartz at PositiveConcepts.biz
Web: www.PositiveConcepts.biz


Enhancing the positive.

-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu [mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu] On Behalf Of Cheri
Sent: Saturday, November 22, 2008 3:43 PM
To: Plummer, Carolyn; Howard Ditkoff; ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: RE: [Ailist] Re: "staying positive"

Carolyn,

You gave me pause to wonder....

Do we really need "the negative" emotion in order to feel "the positive" emotion or is that merely the result of dualistic thinking?  I have no idea, but I am curious...

Thoughts?

Cheri
-----Original message-----
From: "Plummer, Carolyn" Carolyn.Plummer at uhn.on.ca
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:16:04 -0500
To: "Howard Ditkoff" howard at emergentassociates.com, ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: RE: [Ailist] Re: "staying positive"

I agree that the word "positive" needs clarification, as does it's
"negative" counterpart. Working in healthcare (including a background in
Oncology), I have come to know that being with people in their journey can
be a very positive experience for all parties, even if this means being with
them through times of sorrow (which could be labelled as "negative"). Joy
cannot exist without sorrow. What has worked for me has been "being with" in
a meaningful way - not judging, not trying to "direct" persons to be a
certain way (especially not directing them to be the way I want them to
be...), but rather acknowledging their experience, listening, and being
truly present with them. This can have a phenomenally positive impact.

-----Original Message-----
From: ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu
[mailto:ailist-bounces at lists.business.utah.edu]On Behalf Of Howard
Ditkoff
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 11:16 PM
To: ailist at lists.business.utah.edu
Subject: [Ailist] Re: "staying positive"


Personally, I find the word "positive" very vague. What is positive? Many
malicious people feel that whatever is their agenda is positive. One of the
main things in AI that could be improved is changing the wording from
"positive" to something less manipulable.

Best,
Howard
Website: http://www.SystemsThinker.com
Blog: http://blog.SystemsThinker.com
 Subscribe to SystemsThinker.com Blog

This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review or distribution by anyone other than the person for whom it was originally intended is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please contact the sender and delete all copies. Opinions, conclusions or other information contained in this e-mail may not be that of the organization.

_______________________________________________
The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to:
http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist


***
Cheri B. Torres
www.mobileteamchallenge.com
865-681-0146

_______________________________________________
The Appreciative Inquiry Discussion List is hosted by the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. Jack Brittain is the list administrator. For subscription information, go to:
http://mailman.business.utah.edu:8080/mailman/listinfo/ailist