An open world

Lately I am thinking a lot about openness in our society, about how we are moving into a way of life which demands us that we are open and share to levels that have not been seen before.

The last few years have made us realize that sharing is not an ideological or moral option but rather a core attribute or reality a sudden realization of our role in our environment. At the most obvious point, we all share a planet and all its potential and limitations. If you just landed from any other planet and want to know how to live here, you can learn by playing consumer consequences.

In this shared world, openness seems to be a beneficial attribute, as societies more open to trade and exchange seem to fare better than closed ones. Just compare the two Koreas. The same applies to cities and neighborhoods, where open and rich multicultural environments with open labour markets also fair better.

Just as well corporations are also opening up to relationships with unlikely partners far beyond suppliers and general outsourcing. Where has vertical integration gone? Currently, the most dynamic enterprises are opening its innovation process to include anything from technology to business models. Hear about open innovation from Henry Chessbrough himself.

I would further argue that families are also opening up. In my corner of the world immigration is changing our cities and our families. From the arranged marriages with distant cousins no so uncommon a century ago, today hard to pronounce last names are perking up in families everywhere. And if you include the all time high international adoptions, the most traditional nucleus of the family is also open to the world.

So, here’s my question: If all this opening up is taking place at all kinds of levels, what does that mean for individuals? Should we also be more open? What does being “more open” mean?