External Analysis

EXTERNAL

Interaction is the involvement of the individual with people and places such as the working of jobs, volunteer work, membership in or creation of organizations, affiliations of various kinds or politics. The advantages of interaction is the real experience of involvement, in social relationships or circumstance wherein knowledge is the result. Interaction is limited in that one can only be in one place at one time and can only do so much in a single lifetime. It may also be limited in terms of the access one can have to different social strata, to the degree of monetary resources the individual may possess, the amount of education one has, and other limitations. Interaction can also be very mundane and ordinary wherein not much exceptional occurs that would produce beneficial knowledge. In these cases the use of subjective uninvolved observation, as already mentioned, may be useful. However interaction can give a more direct reading of people and circumstances so that one may come to a feeling and knowledge of the true reality of things fairly quickly. The individual may learn how things really work and operate, how things get done and what is involved in the practical aspects of things like social organization, business entities, the production of any kind goods and services, the political dynamics inherent in group relationships, the operations of organizations such as government, business or education. The activity of interaction also possesses the asset of real consequence to one's words and actions and the positions and roles one assumes, or for others that one observes. This consequence provides a depth of understanding in the sense that while people in general may think and believe one thing in the abstract, when real consequence is involved, reactions may take on an entirely different dimension. The activity of interaction can also be viewed as playing roles, wherein the person may be able to move from one position and circumstance to another, assuming the functions of job and volunteer or acting out parts of one's own making, especially when circumstance may enhance and contribute to such undertakings. For example if the individual found themselves to be living in a national capital for whatever reason, this ambiance of politics and power may be conducive for the individual to play roles such as spy, reporter, advisor, revolutionary, that are totally unrealistic, but represent a context of mind from which to investigate problems such as the nature of power, betrayal, information, influence, change or politics in general.

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