We Learn to Stick Our Necks Out

Andrius Kulikauskas
Minciu Sodas Laboratory

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     Last modified: October 7, 2005

Abstract
Minciu Sodas is an open laboratory serving and organizing independent thinkers. Since 1998, the lab has grown to 100 active and 1000 supportive participants. It is preparing to organize “working openly” at institutes in India serving 50,000 students. This paper documents and maps the lab's dynamics by which it fosters the growth of independent thinkers as leaders. This growth is observed to unfold through distinct stages. They may be considered a “giraffe scale” of the degree to which an individual is willing to “stick their neck out” as an independent thinker. Individuals grow in their disposition to challenge themselves and then help others challenge themselves as well. Working openly is key to standing up to the world. Social networking tools that help include gateway groups, personal archives, profiles for projects, tools for organizing thoughts, one-on-one chats, working groups, wiki spaces, galleries, sorting piles and glossaries.