The answer, of course, is that it won't and can't.
In order to preserve an open outlook, the ability to
change and grow, to anticipate, the group needs to admit
new members with new perspectives. These members also
become reconciled to "the way we do things around
here". If the group is to be successful, this "way"
will also begin to change a little, while retaining
its principal elements.
And here is the paradox of successful groups, communities,
societies-the dilemma known as the "EVE" dilemma:
balancing exploitation (of what they know and can do)
with exploration (of new ideas, structures, processes).
How to achieve that balance?
The answers are neither obvious nor easy. They are
to do with diversity, "churn rate" (rate of
admittance of new members), rate of information flow,
and other variables. Some small progress is being made
in understanding these factors, but there is much work
to do.
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The process, and problems, replicate at the community
and societal levels. Failure to balance new exploration
with exploitation of the known can lead to many failures
and problems. Jared Diamond, public intellectual and
author of Guns And Steel, points out four ways
in which a society can fail to solve a problem: It can
fail to anticipate a problem, it can fail to perceive
an already-arisen problem, it can fail to try to solve
a perceived problem, or it can actually fail to solve
the problem itself.
By sticking too narrowly to "the way we do things
around here", groups, communities and societies
can fail to solve the EVE dilemma, and ultimately fail
to survive as a coherent unit. "Norms" both
help and hinder this process of societal decision-making:
morals, rules, codes, traditions all need balancing
with change processes, fringe activities, "leading
edge" activism and other societal counterbalances.
Embrace and value our norms, our codes, our rules,
our law and lore-they are all a part of the mysterious,
dynamic balance of a successful society.
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