the collaborative self

the collaborative(kəˈlab(ə)rədiv) self

By Henry Walker

what motivates(ˈmōdəˌvāt) us–
to choose?
to work?
to apply the gifts of ourselves
to be just what the world has been wanting?

perhaps competition?
competition defined as being better than another?
selfishness?
the self as individual and its desire the mundane(ˌmənˈdān)
of what feels rich and good at the moment?

I think, though, we sell ourselves short
when we stop at the zero-sum of games,
when we equate(əˈkwāt) worth with wealth(welTH),
prestige(preˈstēZH, preˈstēj) with product,

I am intrigued(inˈtrēɡ) by a counter-revolution within the Internet
where people work & create & freely share sections of enabling(enˈābəl) code,
tools created and offered in a corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) search for what works,
shared footholds(ˈfo͝otˌhōld) for the climb(klīm) up
where somehow being best as individuals
can enable us to be best together,
as many hands lighten the lifting
and we can feel good as part of a whole
moving forward and upward
without stopping it all to say “me.”

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2008/12/counter-revolution-within-internet.html