An Introduction To Spiral Dynamics
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The document introduces the concept of spiral dynamics, which proposes that human psychology evolves through progressive stages represented by different "memes" or value systems. These memes emerge in response to changing life conditions and form an upward spiraling pattern of increasing complexity. The document describes the core qualities and historical manifestations of different memes like beige, purple, red, blue, orange, green, yellow, and turquoise.
An Introduction To Spiral Dynamics
- 1. An Introduction to Spiral Dynamics
- 2. The pathfinder ‘ Briefly, what I am proposing is that the psychology of the mature human being is an unfolding, emergent, oscillating spiralling process marked by progressive subordination of older, lower-order behaviour systems to newer, high-order systems as man’s existential problems change’ Dr. Clare W. Graves (1914 – 1986)
- 3. The implementers Don Beck Christopher Cowan
- 4. Many models of staged development, many domains of application Certainty Variety Significance Connection Personal growth Contribution Forming Storming Norming Performing Adjourning Egocentric Ethnocentric Worldcentric Survivalist/Instinctive Magical/Animistic Egocentric/Impulsive Purposeful/Authoritarian Achievist/Strategic Humanistic/Egalitarian Integral/Ecological Holistic/Global Pre-conventional Conventional Post-conventional
- 5. The oscillating Spiral Egalitarian order Absolute order Global order Tribal order Survival sense Powerful self Enterprising self Integrated self First Tier Second Tier AN CP ER GT BO DQ FS HU
- 6. The V Meme attractor Each V MEME is an organising principle, centre of gravity, self-replicating force and magnetic field that attracts content-rich little memes
- 7. Beige V meme Survivalist/Instinctive Meme - starting 100,000 years ago Worldwide: A natural milieu where humans rely on instincts to survive Mindset: Do what you must to stay alive. Food warmth, sex, and safety have priority Manifestations: First human societies, starving masses, African Bushmen, street people
- 8. Purple V Meme Magical/Animistic Meme - starting 50,000 years ago Worldwide: A magical place alive with spirit beings and mystical signs Mindset: Keep the tribe’s nest safe and warm; observe tribal customs and seasonal cycles Manifestations: Family rituals, shamans, blood oaths, magical New Age beliefs
- 9. Red V Meme Egocentric/Impulsive Meme - starting 10,000 years ago Worldwide: A jungle where the strongest and most cunning survive Mindset: Avoid shame, get respect, and do what you want Manifestations: Feudal kingdoms, rebellious youth, epic heroes, “terrible twos”
- 10. Blue V Meme Purposeful/Authoritarian Meme – starting 5,000 years ago Worldwide: An ordered existence under the control of the ultimate truth Mindset: Life has meaning, direction, and purpose; enforcing principles of rightful living Manifestations: Puritan America, codes of honour
- 11. Orange V Meme Achievist/Strategic Meme – starting 300 years ago Worldwide: A marketplace full of possibilities and opportunities Mindset: Play the game to win; cultivate optimistic and risk-taking self-reliance Manifestations: The Enlightenment, Silicon Valley, Fortune magazine, corporate states
- 12. Green V Meme Humanistic/Egalitarian Meme – starting 150 years ago Worldwide: A human habitat in which we share life’s experiences, freed from dogma Mindset: Seek peace in the inner self and explore the caring dimensions of community Manifestations: Human rights movements, communes, Woodstock, multiculturalism
- 13. New Life Conditions cause new Adaptive Capabilities to emerge “ The problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them” Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) “ We are shaping the world faster than we can change ourselves and we are applying to the present the habits of the past” Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965) “ Any challenge as complex and multifaceted as climate change is not susceptible to simple solutions. It requires a holistic approach and the combined efforts of the global community to both mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change” Roger Ferguson – Vice chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System till 2006
- 14. Yellow V Meme Integral/Ecological Meme – starting 50 years ago Worldwide: The world is a chaotic organism forged by differences and change Mindset: Flexibility, functionality, self-responsibility and spontaneity have highest priority Manifestations: Integrative structures, systems thinking, “Third Way” politics
- 15. Turquoise V Meme Holistic/Global Meme – starting 30 years ago Worldwide: An elegantly balanced system of interlocking forces Mindset: Experience the wholeness of existence through mind and spirit Manifestations: Holonic, intuitive thinking; global networks for global results
- 16. Enters minds of prophets & visionaries Becomes “cutting edge” Attacked by antibodies of earlier V MEMEs Residue remains Codified by truth-keepers Starts to become calcified & rigidised Becomes symbols & rituals Modus operandi no longer handles problem Spreads widely FIRST AWAKENING ENTERING DOMINANT THINKING PEAK EXITING A V MEME’s life cycle
- 17. Descending V MEME Ascending V MEME Wave-like development of V MEME’s
- 18. Individual potential for change Open Arrested Closed Relief from immediate problems Create some relief from current problems to allow some freedom and excess energy to explore the next more complex systems Discomfort with the status quo Awareness of the growing gap between the life conditions and the current means for handling these problems. Enough turbulence to create a sense that ‘something is wrong’ without so much chaos that the whole world seems to be coming apart. Insights into alternatives What went wrong with the previous system and why What resources are available for handling the problems better Barriers identified and resolved Eliminate By-passed Neutralised Reframed Endurance Overcoming the confusion, false starts, long learning curves and awkward assimilation Moving from high energy awakenings to mature expressions Moving from the individual to the collective shift The six conditions for change
- 19. The seven variations of change Quantum Movement in a number of v Memes simultaneously Seen in era-shifts like the Industrial Revolution or Information Age Shift Up Evolution of critical mass to the next v Meme Break Out Assault on barriers Risks regressions Stretch Up Dominant thinking remains in current v Meme but incorporates some elements of more complex v Meme Stretch Down Temporary reawakening of earlier v Meme Expand Out Richer content Enhanced thinking Fine Tune Same thinking Improve techniques
- 20. Historical worldviews Cognition Behavioural Cultural Social Turquoise holarchical integral mature worldcentric informational Yellow holistic systemic mature worldcentric informational Green pluralistic postmodern worldcentric informational Orange rational modern worldcentric industrial Blue traditional conformist ethnocentric agrarian Red power predatory egocentric horticultural Purple magical animistic egocentric foraging Beige instinctual archaic pre-egocentric foraging
- 21. Some Dr. Clare W. Graves quotes “ I am not saying in this conception of adult behaviour that one style of being, one form of human existence is inevitably and in all circumstances superior to or better than another form of human existence, another style of being. What I am saying is that when one form of being is more congruent with the realities of existence, then it is the better form of living for those realities. And what I am saying is that when one form of existence ceases to be functional for the realities of existence then some other form, either higher or lower in the hierarchy, is the better style of living. I do suggest, however, and this I deeply believe is so, that for the overall welfare of total man’s existence in this world, over the long run of time, higher levels are better than lower levels and that the prime good of any society’s governing figures should be to promote human movement up the levels of human existence.”
- 22. The marks of Spiral Wizards Spiral Wizards Think in OPEN Systems rather than CLOSED Final States. Spiral wizards Live and work within Natural Flows and Rhythms. The Ultimate Goal of Spiral Wizards is to Keep the Spiral Healthy. Spiral Wizards Interact Comfortably with Many Conceptual Worlds. Spiral Wizards Possess a Full Complement of Resources, Strategies, and Skills. Spiral Wizards are Systemic Thinkers and Integrative Problem Solvers. Spiral Wizards Possess a Unique Blend of Personal Beliefs and Values.
- 23. Principle I: Humans possess the capacity to create new V MEMEs Principle II: Life conditions awaken V MEMEs which may emerge, surge, regress, or fade in response Principle III: V MEMEs zigzag between Express-self and Sacrifice-self themes Principle IV: V MEMEs emerge along the Spiral in a wave-like fashion Principle V: V MEMEs spiral up and down through levels of complexity Principle VI: V MEMEs coexist within our onion-like profiles Principle VII: V MEMEs cluster in Tiers of Six along the Spiral Principles
- 24. v Meme qualities V MEMEs manifest the core intelligences that form systems and impact human behaviour V MEMEs impact all of life’s choices V MEMEs express both healthy (for-better) and unhealthy (for-worse) qualities V MEMEs are structures of thinking V MEMEs can brighten and dim as Life Conditions change
- 25. A V MEMEs transposes itself into a world view , a value system , a level of psychological existence, a belief structure , organising principles , a way of thinking, and a mode of living. v Meme qualities V MEMEs express both healthy (for-better) and unhealthy (for-worse) qualities V MEMEs can brighten and dim as Life Conditions change V MEMEs are structures of thinking V MEMEs impact all of life’s choices V MEMEs manifest the core intelligences that form systems and impact human behaviour. V MEME QUALITIES
- 26. VMEME Detection: A Check-List of Recognition Principles Step outside your own V MEME profile Identify the prevailing Life Conditions Ask the ‘why?’ question Different V MEMEs may brighten in different situations Realise that an organisation is also a mixture of V MEMEs, not a simple type Remember that V MEMEs ebb and flow as conditions get better or worse.