The word “PO” changes mindsets

As an educator in global affairs for the past 20 years I have noted a number of anomalies that I would like to bring to your attention. The first you are likely aware of. The attachment of rights and responsibilities. This occurred in my life between the Planetary Initiative for the World We Choose in 1983 and the actual reading in the final Vienna Conference documents in 1994. This I can proudly say I contributed to.

The second was the discovery of the word PO and its application and use to assist in changing mindsets. A “po” is an idea which moves thinking forward to a new place from where new ideas or solutions may be found. The term was created by Edward de Bono as part of a lateral thinking technique to suggest forward movement, that is, making a statement and seeing where it leads to. It is an extraction from words such as hypothesis, suppose, possible and poetry, all of which indicate forward movement and contain the syllable “po.”

Po can be taken to refer to any of the following: provoking operation, provocative operation or provocation operation. I have found that PO can be even more useful. A PO is another way of looking at any situation. Not yes. Not no. But other. Not in between, not maybe. Opening the room for discussion of all possibilities, Physically, mentally emotionally, and spiritually. Looking at economics, ethics, energy and health aspects. Use PO when not 100% knowing. PO is more than a noun, it is a verb, an adjective, and a hammer and a screwdriver all at the same time.

It is with this in mind that I write to you. We are looking for a spokesperson for PO. We are asking you, and other leading figures, to adopt PO into their personal use of language in order to affect change. We trust you will do the right thing, and educate all your staff in the use of PO and discover new ways for the word to work in the field of social change. I believe you have the attention of people that will listen to your thoughts. Please take the time necessary to understand PO as we present it to you, and to assist in finding other uses of the word for the common good.

Peace

— Mitchell L Gold