George Land: Grow or Die
Grow or Die
The Unifying Principle of Transformation
George Land
Back in the late sixties, when I was a young man, I became a partner in a visually oriented think tank called the Farsight Group. Farsight was mentored by partner George Land who has influenced my career in countless ways. It was George who got me interested in a life long study of the creative process. His teachings included a multi-disciplinary approach to creativity, a systems approach to creative problem solving and new ways to look at human behavior. Land taught that creating is a synthesizing process and that the more we have to synthesize the greater the chances are for coming up with an innovation and he invented a system to do just that. I have integrated some of this thinking into Heartstorming. It was George Land's book Grow or Die (Random House, 1973) that influenced me the most. This book was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize 33 years ago. A few copies are available at Amazon. Some of you may remember that I used Grow or Die! as a motto several years ago. I believe that Land's theory of creative mutuality contains solutions for many of the world's problems. Read this book!
From the dust jacket:My article on Storytelling is a good example of how to use synthesizing to come up with an infinite number of innovative ideas.
In this immensely creative synthesis, George T. Lock Land presents a set of laws through which mankind cannot only control its destiny but also extend its freedom. GROW OR DIE -- that is nature's single mandate -- and that is the basis of this new theory of human beahvior and evolution. "Transformational Theory" is a redefinition of the process of growth to which every life and life form is subject. Impelled by the most basic and universal drive -- the drive to grow -- all biological, physical, chemical, psychological, and cultural processes are intrinsically equivalent. Cell biology, says Mr. Land, is the template for man's psychological drives and the key to understanding individual and social behavior of atoms, molecules, and cells. Creativity, mental illness, urban decay, self-sacrifice, colonialism, revolution, sadism, beauty, and human love all thus obey Nature's command to grow or perish.
For information about my coaching services and teleconferences click the heart.