Vectors of Commitment and Relationship

Vectors of Commitment and Relationship
Inspired by and adapted from AutoBioPhilosophy: An intimate story of what it means to be human by Robert Rowland Smith

Each of these triangles has a different story about relationship and belonging, agency and ownership, action and ambition

ILLUSTRATION A

Here we see Me and You have a relationship (blue line) which may be good, cordial or poor (maybe friends, colleagues or frenemies)
We have a shared goal, and my commitment (green line) is about the same as your commitment (yellow line)
We can have a shared goal without being friends, indeed any relationship that has a goal is utilitarian, if there was no goal it would be a connection between people (which may be good, bad or indifferent)

Example Me (Mark) and  You (Yvonne)
Good story: Mark and Yvonne are friends and decide to build a boat together and want to sail together.
Cordial story: Mark and Yvonne are work colleagues and have a shared team task, maybe to satisfy the boss.
Poor story: Mark and Yvonne may not know, or even like each-other, but have a mutual interest in getting out of a fix, say… climate change!

ILLUSTRATION B

Similar to A, but in this illustration it is my commitment (green line) which may be in question, despite my commitment I may not have a good relationship with the goal (maybe due to coercion, reluctance or fear)
Here the You and Me relationship (blue line) seems more distant (less committed) than Example A
Here the Your commitment (yellow line)  is also less than Example A

Example Me (Mark) and You (Yvonne)
Good commitment: Mark really wants to achieve this goal, it’s a personal dream
Cordial commitment: Mark realizes doing this is good for career, heath, duty, relationship
Poor commitment: Mark doesn't really want to do this, but will if told, or maybe out of loyalty or duty to Yvonne

ILLUSTRATION C

Here we see Me and You have a relationship (blue line) which is good
We have a shared goal, and my commitment (green line) greater than your commitment (yellow line)
Similar to Illustration B, but this time it is your commitment (yellow line) that may be questionable.

Example Me (Mark) and You (Yvonne)
Good commitment: Mark really wants to achieve this goal, it’s a personal dream
Cordial commitment: Mark realizes doing this is good for career, heath, duty, relationship
Poor commitment: Mark doesn't really want to do this, but will if told, or maybe out of loyalty or duty to Yvonne

ILLUSTRATION D

We have a confluence of goals and relationships.
We have some goals in common and others which are personal, collaborative, competitive or distracting.
We may be more or less inclined to help with each-others personal goals as opposed to those with stronger common interest.
We may have a complex  love or hate relationship with the person or their performance of a task (they way they load the dishwasher!)

This is the complex reality of alliances and partnerships, now my enemies enemy might be my friend. It is how both world wars were fought and the basis of plots in Star Wars and Harry Potter. This is life and the complex relationship between people, persona, process, principles, product (goal) and purpose.

TimHJRogers
Thinking Feeling Being
https://www.linkedin.com/company/thinkingfeelingbeing
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