Connections are important – whether we think if links, bonds, or relationships – we can understand nothing if we ignore the connections.
Christakis describes the importance of social connections in “Connected”
Barabasi describes this beautifully in “Linked” where he shows the usefulness of thinking about “nodes” and “links”.
Bloom describes the essential “social” nature of the universe by focusing on connections in “The God Problem“.
McTaggart comprehensively focuses on connections in “The Bond”
But, you know, there is a special kind of link, bond or connection which lies at the heart of all healthy, flourishing, growing organisms, all forms of Life, and all aspects of Nature – its the kind we see when we look at “integration”
Here’s a definition of “integration” – the creation of mutually beneficial bonds between well-differentiated parts.
There’s the key – “mutually beneficial bonds” (or links, or relationships)
I’m thinking this might be THE touchstone value – if you want something to grow, create mutually beneficial links between whatever it is and the rest of the world. If you want a relationship to thrive, create mutually beneficial links. If you want to know how to choose between different possible actions, ask yourself, do these actions create, or enhance, mutually beneficial links?
Heroes Not Zombies 