Monday, May 2, 2011
STRUCTURES OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND CANADAIN POLITICS
I need your help to flesh out this analysis! Confirm, support, challenge, suggest!
This article is about the subjectivity behind our apparent political objectivity. According to Integral Theory, based on Ken Wilber's work, and now the work of numerous researchers, our view of the world is seen through the filter of our structure of consciousness. And so too, our political views are shaped by that background structure, which we usually can't see very well.
Let's start with the assumption that no single party can be completely wrong. This also means, that they each have a piece of the truth, but how do the truths fit together? Here's my first stab at answering that question for the Canadian political scene. Please forgive this bare bones essay; for those who want to find out more about Integral Theory, I recommend starting with A Brief History of Everything (Wilber). For a fascinating video, watch "Ken Wilber and Integral Politics", above.
We want to explore what is the relationship between developmental "structures of consciousness" and the parties. Remember growth is "a fluid and messy affair" so we're not talking about a rigid approach. In addition to levels of consciousness, there are other variables when it comes to looking at political parties, such as interiors (values) and exteriors (economic system), and individual and collective.
Structures of Consciousness
Red - egocentric, power, magic-mythic
Amber - mythic, ethnocentric, traditional
Orange - rational, worldcentric, pragmatic, modern
Green - pluralistic, multicultural, postmodern
Turquoise - global mind, high vision-logic, higher mind
Structures of Consciousness and the Parties
Harper Conservatives - "Egocentric/Mythic/Rational Consciousness"; focus on interiors ("responsibility")
Liberals - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"), some mention of interiors ("help individuals reach their full potential")
NDP - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"), some mention of interiors ("recognize local heroes"); focus on the national collective
Greens - "Rational/Pluralistic/Turquoise(?)" consciousness; interior (recognize "beauty" and "meaningful work") and exterior ("opportunity"); balance between individuals and national collective
Marxist Leninist - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"); focus on collective
There are elements of all parties that are positive:
Harper Conservatives - recognize healthy interior develoment, but up to a point; "law and order" and "punishment fit the crime"; no long gun registry needed because we should be teaching our kids how to make up their minds
Liberals - egalitarian social and cultural policy
NDP - egalitarian social and cultural policy
Greens - egalitarian social and cultural policy; also recognize need for interior development ("sense of responsibility in offender" and "concerns that voluntary self regulation" are inadequate); best balance between interior and exterior
Marxist Leninist - egalitarian social and cultural policy
There are elements of all the parties that are problematic:
Harper Conservatives -disregard of law, narrow self interest, pro-business elite, excessive focus on law and order, arising from Red/Mythic/Rational structure of consciousness
Liberals - still cater to big business; don't stress interior development enough; focus on exterior social conditions only
NDP - don't stress interior development enough, so focus mainly on exterior social conditions
Greens - striking a balance between interior and exterior is applaudable but tricky; is there too much emphasis on the interior at the expense of the exterior?
Marxist Leninist - their rhetoric seems frozen in the early 20th century, only exterior realities matter, almost exclusive focus on the collective
Well, the research shows that 70% of the world is at the ethnocentric level or lower. I don't know what the breakdown of Canadians would be, but with some 40% voting conservative and 60% voting for the liberal/pluralistic parties, we have an indication. Remember, it's ok to be at any level! All of the levels are to be cherished and honored as staions in life. We want, however, to set up a government at the highest level of development, so that it can provide the greatest fairness for the greatest number of human beings. Unfortunately, we have now in Canada, a government at the lowest level of development, providing fairness for the least number of human beings.
Again, feedback appreciated. This is an ongoing project!
This article is about the subjectivity behind our apparent political objectivity. According to Integral Theory, based on Ken Wilber's work, and now the work of numerous researchers, our view of the world is seen through the filter of our structure of consciousness. And so too, our political views are shaped by that background structure, which we usually can't see very well.
Let's start with the assumption that no single party can be completely wrong. This also means, that they each have a piece of the truth, but how do the truths fit together? Here's my first stab at answering that question for the Canadian political scene. Please forgive this bare bones essay; for those who want to find out more about Integral Theory, I recommend starting with A Brief History of Everything (Wilber). For a fascinating video, watch "Ken Wilber and Integral Politics", above.
We want to explore what is the relationship between developmental "structures of consciousness" and the parties. Remember growth is "a fluid and messy affair" so we're not talking about a rigid approach. In addition to levels of consciousness, there are other variables when it comes to looking at political parties, such as interiors (values) and exteriors (economic system), and individual and collective.
Structures of Consciousness
Red - egocentric, power, magic-mythic
Amber - mythic, ethnocentric, traditional
Orange - rational, worldcentric, pragmatic, modern
Green - pluralistic, multicultural, postmodern
Turquoise - global mind, high vision-logic, higher mind
Structures of Consciousness and the Parties
Harper Conservatives - "Egocentric/Mythic/Rational Consciousness"; focus on interiors ("responsibility")
Liberals - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"), some mention of interiors ("help individuals reach their full potential")
NDP - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"), some mention of interiors ("recognize local heroes"); focus on the national collective
Greens - "Rational/Pluralistic/Turquoise(?)" consciousness; interior (recognize "beauty" and "meaningful work") and exterior ("opportunity"); balance between individuals and national collective
Marxist Leninist - "Rational/Pluralistic" consciousness; focus on exteriors ("opportunity"); focus on collective
There are elements of all parties that are positive:
Harper Conservatives - recognize healthy interior develoment, but up to a point; "law and order" and "punishment fit the crime"; no long gun registry needed because we should be teaching our kids how to make up their minds
Liberals - egalitarian social and cultural policy
NDP - egalitarian social and cultural policy
Greens - egalitarian social and cultural policy; also recognize need for interior development ("sense of responsibility in offender" and "concerns that voluntary self regulation" are inadequate); best balance between interior and exterior
Marxist Leninist - egalitarian social and cultural policy
There are elements of all the parties that are problematic:
Harper Conservatives -disregard of law, narrow self interest, pro-business elite, excessive focus on law and order, arising from Red/Mythic/Rational structure of consciousness
Liberals - still cater to big business; don't stress interior development enough; focus on exterior social conditions only
NDP - don't stress interior development enough, so focus mainly on exterior social conditions
Greens - striking a balance between interior and exterior is applaudable but tricky; is there too much emphasis on the interior at the expense of the exterior?
Marxist Leninist - their rhetoric seems frozen in the early 20th century, only exterior realities matter, almost exclusive focus on the collective
Well, the research shows that 70% of the world is at the ethnocentric level or lower. I don't know what the breakdown of Canadians would be, but with some 40% voting conservative and 60% voting for the liberal/pluralistic parties, we have an indication. Remember, it's ok to be at any level! All of the levels are to be cherished and honored as staions in life. We want, however, to set up a government at the highest level of development, so that it can provide the greatest fairness for the greatest number of human beings. Unfortunately, we have now in Canada, a government at the lowest level of development, providing fairness for the least number of human beings.
Again, feedback appreciated. This is an ongoing project!
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