In the Pink!

Abstract

I have gone through at least three different attitudes about the relationship of my own thinking to traditional theory?a white, a green, and now a pink period. Not only are they historical stages, but also I choose to see them as quasi-evolutionary. The pink period in me sees theorizing-as-it-should be (not the traditional version) as an artistic or poetic activity, where the intended benefits-for-PA are limited to space clearing for practice to turn more resolutely toward the truly human. By truly human, I mean where each and every individual is treated in her fullest human dimensions (psycho, socio, bio, spiritual and other dimensions)?treated as if each person were a poet. The pink period in me sees traditional theory, in terms of the aim of fostering the fully human, not only as basically irrelevant but also as distracting or harmful. This stage declares my independence. Forget traditional theory?and forget the attitudes and practice that engender it! At least, that's how it seems to me now. The poetic imagination is too much of a stranger in traditional theory, even in the context of discovery it seems to me?similar to the way I imagine that such poetry as is involved in theoretical chemistry or physics is alien to alchemy. The poetic imagination, as I understand it (2003), is part of what Aristotle called contemplation. It includes what that involves, e.g. being thoroughly open to surprises in seeking what is truly human. At a minimum, the poetic imagination has the utility of not being chained to optimism about the prospects for?and to what seems useful for?making gold out of the baser metals of public administration experience. For instance, which traditional conference will be the first to adopt as its theme PA and Agnatology? Alien sounding for traditional PA, agnatology is the study of the cultural production