Reflexive Applications
A few months ago I encountered a chance to be interviewed about a sort of practical applications of the Spiral Dynamics model and its related Integral Approaches. That was just happened unexpectedly and coincidentally. And it was not sure that I was really a suitable person to answer for such interviewing. However, it was also true that that must be one of the valuable opportunities for me to reflect on how to develop such practical applications.
Though my experience on this matter is still partial and quite limited, I made the following writings in such a way to answer the interviewed questions. While the original questions and answers were more specific and detailed in referring to some particular institutes and proper names. But here in this blog I just post the modified version -- modified in such a way that the descriptions including the questions themselves are simplified, generalized; and become anonymous and an essay style.
To read through the following writings, however, first you need be familiar with each Meme color of Spiral Dynamics model and its implications. For this, therefore, while you should visit some famous Spiral Dynamics related sites. But then, just for a quick grasp, you can also visit the following pages within my website 1) Spiral Dynamics Image and 2) Meme Table. These are what I have made and summarized based on my understanding of Spiral Dynamics. And if you can understand Japanese, you can also visit this.
Q1. What are the ways in which you apply the principle of Spiral Dynamics that is so integral to your business? Could you give specific examples of the ways in which these principles are applied at (a) the individual level (b) the group or team level (c) the individual or interpersonal level?
A1. One of the valuable significances that Spiral Dynamics, aside from the other theories and reflexive models of evolutional / developmental views, could present is as follows. It has the multi-dimensional perspectives of micro and macro; and of the growth of the individuals, organizations, and socio-historical-civilizations. And one of the important components to explain Spiral Dynamics is what is called Meme. That is a sort of code that explains the individual value systems / maturity levels, the organizational value principles / life-cycles, and the paradigmatic perspectives of the civilization / socio-cultural settings.
By using such Meme code, then, Spiral Dynamics can map out a simultaneous whole picture where these three (individual, organizational, and socio-cultural) dimensions are fully presented. And in so doing we can figure out a series of specific Life Conditions (not necessarily one but the combinations of several Life Conditions) with which these three dimensions have been struggling consciously or unconsciously. Since Life Conditions are what described in each Meme as the series of life related, existential, and evolutional challenges in the above-mentioned multiple dimensional perspectives, realizing where you (you as the individual, your group, and your community) are placed or have reached so far in your reflexive view through Memes / Life Conditions (See this) is one of the primary requisites to clarify and understand where you (you as the individual, your group, and your community) should be aligned with the right direction of the consciousness evolution or the growth.
In the individual level, what the so-called integral evaluation of the Spiral Dynamics approach uses are 1) requiring the clients to answer the questionnaires (each question implies the respective Meme value but not obviously indicated); and 2) conducting the intensive interview to let the clients speak or write freely (and if possible existentially) by using their own words.
The reasons why we use this two-step approach is as follows: If we use the questionnaires alone to find out their imbedded, internalized Meme value, we have often encountered the incorrect result; the result does not show the correct Meme value the clients must have. It is because of the so-called structure/content gap. For example, if you read the explanation of Spiral Dynamics, then you can probably understand its theoretical contents. And then, for example you can see the ideal characteristics that the Second Tier Yellow Meme can manifest. You can know how the Second Tier Yellow Meme matured person looks, behaves, and speaks like. In short, you can know the "content" of the Second Tier Yellow Meme value. Knowing the "content" of this Yellow Meme, however, does not necessarily mean that even your "structure" has also achieved at the same Yellow Meme level. You can know what the Yellow Meme is; and probably you can even pretend to be the Yellow Meme person. But, even so, you can not live like the Yellow Meme person in a true sense.
Thus, if we rely on the questionnaire alone, we cannot grasp the true maturity of the clients (Memes or Life Conditions they face). If the clients are smart enough and know some extent about Spiral Dynamics as its knowledge, then they can probably choose some questions that indicate the Yellow Meme value, even though they have not been the Yellow Meme yet as far as their "structure" is concerned. In fact, most of the readers, when they read the explanations Spiral Dynamics, tend to believe that they have reached more or less the Orange to Green to Yellow levels if not Turquoise yet. The reason why this misunderstanding happens is the confusion that such readers (and clients) think if they could understand the "explanation" about Yellow Meme, then they conclude that they could achieve at Yellow Meme. But, the truth is that while their "content" is at the Yellow Meme level, their "structure" is not yet at the same Yellow Meme level.
In the field of mathematics, for example, if you can understand the explanations of one advanced mathematical theory, it follows that you could achieve at that advanced level. In the case of Meme understanding, however, this is not the same as such mathematical understanding. To reach the Yellow Meme level is not that you understand the "explanation" of Yellow Meme, but rather that you can live as the Yellow Meme individual.
As for Enneagram, for instance, probably the method of questionnaire can work, because the categorization of its nine personalities is rather horizontal; it is not the matter of "one is more matured than the other." Thus, in the questionnaire of Enneagram, the clients are not bothered by such ego-oriented self-conscious stress as to whether or not and what extent they have already matured etc. On the other hand, in the case of Spiral Dynamics, the Meme categorization is vertical; it does show the maturity level. This means that the higher / broader your Meme can become, the more you are matured and integrated. And if you could understand the "explanation" of the higher Meme, then you tend to think that you have already achieved at such higher / broader Meme level. But as explained above, it is not correct.
It is somewhat the similar case to the religious fanaticism or the ego-inflation of fundamental believers; they think they are superior, enlightened, or saved because they understand and/or believe the "explanation" of their particular doctrine, etc. If, for example, they know the teaching of "love your neighbors as you love yourself," then in this "knowing" they blame (or even kill) their neighbors who do not know (or do not believe) this teaching. Since we are all selfish in one way or another, we like to think that we can see many things by the explanations and the interpretations, but the truth is that we can only know the "extent" that we can see and vice versa. Because of this "tautological reality," such vertical (expanding the worldview) maturity cannot be figured out by the self-answered questionnaires. Ultimately, it is that only the Yellow Meme person can see whether or not the client has been already achieved at the Yellow Meme level; whether or not they pretend to be a Second Tier, Yellow person.
If so, then should those uses who use the Spiral Dynamics evaluation be all in the Yellow Meme level? And if so, who could know on earth that those users have been already in the Yellow Meme level? In reality, those users themselves cannot be free from the above-mentioned ego-oriented self-deception and dilemma, either. How can we go about this difficulty that one can not see one's maturity by oneself? This is the dilemma of the self-evaluate one's own maturity level and even when one evaluates others.
Thus, the second method is the intensive interview and the sort of free-writing or free-speaking exercises using one's own words. It is easy for us to repeat and duplicate what we have learned (it is a way of having, not being if we use the term of Erich Fromm). For example, it is easy for us to describe how the Second Tier Yellow Meme person looks / behaves / speaks like and what his/her personality may be based on his/her own reading about the Spiral Dynamics and some other ethical, religious descriptions. However, if you have to talk your own value systems, aside from those explanations you know about Spiral Dynamics, but by using your own words. It is not so easy. For example, if your interviewer asks you such questions like "What is the most important thing in your life?" or "What is the definition of your success in your life?" And if you answer to your interviewer, "It is my family," or "It is my job," and so on, then, your interviewer has to ask you again "Why do you think so?" Or, even your interviewer should not ask any questions in the first place, but let you choose even the theme itself that you are going to talk about. In this way, a sort of miniature of how you live in your own life has to be manifested. In short, not relying on your way of having, your way of being should be manifested.
In this situation you can not help but show your own value systems and existential commitments to your life and to what you think as the most important thing in your life. This inevitably shows your maturity in one way or another. Of course, it is still easy to say and difficult to conduct this kind of interview for the following reasons: 1) depending on the relationship (trustfulness, rapport, mutual respect, etc.) between the interviewer and the client, still the diagnosis may be changed. 2) And depending on the physical and psychological conditions of the clients, the answers (free-writing / free-speaking) of the client may be changed, too. If the client is in the quite stress-free, optimum condition, then he or she can speak / behave / write as a more matured person. (In the same way, the conditions of the interviewer are also important. It also affects the clients and how they react.) If the client is under the stressful situation and having some personal problems, then the answer would be more negative and cannot show the true maturity that the client is supposed to have.
Thus, though it is a difficult task, such intensive interview is still much better than merely conducting the questionnaire alone. And the bottom line of this approach after all is "To understand the maturity of the person, do not listen to what he speaks, but see how he lives in his life." It is just like saying, "Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7: 20)
And, the diagnosis of the group / team maturity level actually relies on the result of the individual one. If we know the Meme level of each member, then what we do next is focus on the so-called Meme ratio (or Meme portfolio) of the group. For example, if we deal with the fifty members of the group, then we will figure out how many are Green Meme, Orange Meme and Blue Meme, out of those fifty, etc. and will see the so-called center of gravity of this group. If the majority of the members (let's say more then 50% of them) are still Blue Meme. Then, the value system of this group is more based on the Blue Meme (group-centric behavior). Thus, our role is let the members realize their typical (especially Mean) Blue Meme value oriented behaviors; and let them think why and how they are so; and eventually let them suggest their own resolutions to overcome their current Life Conditions caused by the Mean Blue Meme with the conflicts with the other Mean Memes.
Here, please note that the Spiral Dynamics evaluation or approach is not what to provide the resolution or a "magic formula" to enable them to elevate the next Meme level and so on. In the Spiral Dynamics or more generally Integral Approaches as such, the problem caused by their Meme maturity level is actually "their own problem" not someone else's. In this regard, they cannot go to the next level unless and until they can solve their own problem and overcome their own Life Conditions by themselves. We call this stance "We take care of the processes of your problem, but you have to be responsible with the contents of your problem." It is not that we are irresponsible for our consulting and evaluating task; rather, we think this is one of the most effective approaches of being facilitators as far as the vertical growth / maturity of both individual (each member) and group (all members) is concerned.
In the inter-personal level, of course, we focus on the so-called inter-Meme conflicts. In the perspective of Spiral Dynamics, as long as you are in the First Tier Memes, you cannot avoid such conflicts. It is because each Meme is derived from the resolution to overcome the Life Condition of the previous lower Mean Meme. For example, the modern science and technology of Orange Meme was emerged to overcome the pre-modern dehumanized traditional doctrines of Mean Blue Meme. And the post-modern, ecological, environmental, hermeneutic qualitative approach was emerged to overcome the dehumanized materialism and consumerism of Mean Orange Meme. And because of this, Green Meme hates Orange Meme; Orange Meme hates Blue Meme; Blue Meme hates Red Meme; and Green Meme misunderstands Blue Meme, and so on.
These conflicts happen even in the micro individual level. In the group, for example, the individualistic, materialistic Orange Meme rationalistic young employee hates his boss since the mentality of his boss is the Blue Meme old-type traditional loyalist devoting his life entirely to his company and ignoring his family, etc. The Green Meme ecological young employee who is spending her spare time for NPO volunteer works in her community level does not respect her Orange Meme officemates since they have lost themselves in the trend of shallow consumerism, etc.
These cases are just describing the general, simplified Meme-related personality patterns. In the real work place, the more work-related ways of such inter-Meme conflicts must take place. If so, what those facilitators and evaluators can do is let them realize their own Life Conditions; and let them think or find out their own resolutions of how to overcome these Life Conditions. Actually such recognition of inter-Meme conflicts from the higher / boarder perspective is the Life Conditions of Green Meme, which may lead the Green Meme people to the Second Tier if they can successfully overcome their particular problems. But again, we need to emphasize that these are their own problems of maturity; therefore, there is no "magic formula" but they can solve their own problems only when they can fully commit themselves to this problems wholeheartedly and existentially. Only what we can do is to evaluate the Meme and to facilitate the process of their existential problems, while they are committing and struggling with the very contents of their existential problems.
Q2. When you have organizations as your clients, how might you diagnose the stage of their life cycle? Do you have unique definitions for the way in which you conduct organizational consultation?
A2. The general approach of our diagnosis or evaluation is as follows: 1) conducting the questionnaires; 2) conducting the intensive interview of each members of the organization; 3) figuring out the center of gravity of the Meme of each member as well as the whole organization; 4) figuring out the so-called Meme ratio of the organization and indicate the stage of the life-cycle of the organization; 5) conducting the presentation / workshop so as to let them realize their own Meme related problems / Life Conditions. In the workshop, we let them deal with their own (each member and the whole group) Life Conditions and figure out the resolutions by themselves.
Actually it is similar to the approach of Community Development in one way or another. In the awareness phase we let them realize their own problems (Life Conditions) that they have taken for granted. And also we let them realize the fact that these problems have been caused by and/or related to the level of their maturity and value system (Meme). And in the action phase, we let them realize the fact that these problems are their own problem; hence, there is no "magic formula" provided by someone else outside; no one else can solve these problems but they themselves alone have to go about them with their full commitments. And it is also the way for them to leap into the next Meme and actualize their own maturity. And in the follow-up phase we also emphasize the fact that this kind of Meme related problem-solving needs to take time; hence, cannot expect the quick resolution. And also we emphasize the fact that even if they could overcome their own Life Conditions, that is still not the end. Another awareness phase will come out for your continuous, spiral growth and development. But the next time, perhaps, the situation is not unnecessarily stressful (it does not necessarily mean easy, though) since they have already known the whole perspective of the growth and the evolution.
However, it does not necessarily mean easy to go about the next problem. As it is repeatedly pointed out, the higher / broader our maturity level may reach, the more serious and more difficult problems we have to face. For example, the nuclear weapons become only available in the emergence of Orange Meme; such weapons did not exist during the Purple Meme period. Or, rocks do not die, but amebas do; amebas do not get cancer but dogs do; dogs do not commit suicide but humans do, etc.
Q3. How might Integral Approach be implemented in your work? For example, can it be applied for the integration of business work and spirituality?
A3. Just like Spiral Dynamics is part of it, one of the significances of Integral Approach is embracing all the paradigmatic, methodological conflicts in one reflexive model; and showing that there is actually no conflict as to one theory / methodology over another, but it is that each of them is just representing the partiality of the whole pictures. Thus, the important thing or the truth is not "Which is right?" but "Everything is true but partial." As mentioned above in answering the previous questions, in the post-modern, multi-cultural, relativistic situation we have been bombarded by a number of diverse theories, applications, practices, methods, tools, and perspectives, etc. And this fact has bothered the business sector when some companies try to choose which consultation may be correct or more effective; how one of the consolations can work especially when the office environment is multi-cultural and multi-dimensional as far as each member's personal and inter-personal growth is concerned.
In this post-modern confused situation, then, by introducing and implementing the Integral Approach, we can let the clients realize that actually "Everything is available for them." Thus, the important thing is neither "Which is better?" nor "How to cover such everything?" but rather "How correctly to reflect upon the reflexive map of such everything?" and this is the attitude of reflexivity. And, the important part is whether or not they have a correct reflexive map that can teach us the significance and each approach and the mature stance that we do not attach each of them. Indeed, such reflexive attitude is the possibility to lead us to the Second Tier realization of Spiral Dynamics.
And as you have already noticed, this approach itself is quite spiritual. Attempting spiritual practices is not necessarily going to meditation centers, workshop seminars, traditional churches / temples / shrines / mosques, or seeking for your won guru, etc. (while these are also important partially as long as you can avoid the religious ethnocentrism and post-modern narcissistic spiritualism) but rather the continuous effort to place yourself on the reflexive perspective. For, if we stick to the former convenient practices, then, contrary to our intention to have the reflexive, integral non-attachment, we tend to inflate our ego in knowing that we are practicing spiritual exercises in a special conditions and tend to forget the truth that spirituality is also (always already) rested even in our everyday life, not confined to the special occasions, places, practices, and so on.
The way to integrate spirituality and work, therefore, is first try to have an above-mentioned open-mined attitude and humbleness to see "Everything is correct / true but partial." (It is easy to know and possess this knowledge of that way, but it is really difficult to live that way.) And second, try to find the true spirituality in your everyday life and work places. And then third, without attaching to any particular methods (schools, dominations, traditions), find your committed time to contemplate on the true spirituality. Thus, it is not stick to one particular way. (What I explained here might be also the particular way. But again, knowing this continuous self-referential reflection, reflexive attitude would be the key to overcome this dilemma.)
Q4. How such Integral Approach or Perspective, for example, could be applied for some ways in which Eastern and Western ideas have been integrated?
A4. In this Integral Approach or Perspective, we should not be specifically concerned with such dichotomy between Eastern ideas and Western ones. Rather than focusing on the integration of these two extremes, we have tried to work on the very Integration as such. This means that as described above, the priority is place ourselves on the Integral Attitude where "Everything is true but partial" has been fully appreciated. And as the result of this Attitude, it follows that we can also practice the integration of Eastern ideas and Western ones rather from the Second Tier perspective.
The effort of such Eastern / Western integration sounds quite post-modern and/or (Mean) Green Meme. When the Westerners think of the Eastern ideas especially for those Americans in San Francisco (or the West Coast area), these are the so-called Eastern ideas interpreted and re-evaluated by the Western people in the intention of their own self-criticism. When the Westerners have faced the mean side of their Orange Meme such as materialism, consumerism and individualism, they start looking for the Green Meme value as a resolution in the outside of themselves. To overcome their own Mean Orange Meme, they start looking for Green Meme in the Eastern ideas that they have taken for granted for a long while. When they realized that their Orange Meme focused cultures have lost anything spiritual, they start looking for something spiritual in the Eastern ideas.
Thus, as we well-known, a lot of Americans during 1960s (up to the present probably) became so eager to learn the Eastern spiritual ideas about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamic Sufism and so on. A lot of Americans tried to visit the Eastern countries such as India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, and so on. Or else, they also tried to visit those countries in Central / Latin Americas to seek for something spiritual. Or, even in their own countries they start appreciating the Native American cultures.
All those movements are derived from the Westerners' self-criticism that what they have lost in their Orange / Modern paradigm must be still remained in those Eastern traditional cultures. And they are so eager to reevaluate those Eastern cultures to overcome their own Mean Orange Meme (materialism, consumerism, individualism, modern flatland, etc.). And some Westerners have gotten confused in the pre/trans-fallacy. This means, they thought that something pre-modern or some Blue Meme traditions, superstitions, tribal sorceries, etc. must be "something really Green" that can save them from the Mean Orange Meme.
The irony is that while those Westerns have confused in their Blue/Green Meme (pre/trans) fallacy in their obsessive, narcissistic self-criticism and post-modern reflections, those Eastern people themselves have still been seeking for the Orange Meme based individualistic, materialistic prosperities. This was a sort of ironic twist that while Westerners appreciate the Eastern ideals, those Eastern people still envy the Western cultures. We should be keenly aware of this kind of twist and the fact that this must cause the series of the efforts for the post-modern (Green) Western / Eastern "integration" during the last quarter of the 20th century.
And the recent scene of such inter-cultural efforts in the Mean Green Meme, we can see what is called "strategic essentialism." This is a counter reaction of the Eastern side (not only Eastern but also any non-Western cultures) towards the Westerners' narcissistic appreciation of the Eastern ideas. Knowing the fact that their own cultures and ideas have been appreciated by the Westerners, then, taking advantage of this fact, those non-Westerners try to emphasize the right and the value of their own non-Western cultures more strategically and even politically. It is that those non-Westerners take advantage of the Westerns' self-criticism. Moreover, those non-Westerners also try to criticize the Westerns and their Mean Orange Meme value together with the Westerns who try to overcome this Mean Orange Meme and try to leap into the Green Meme. (Also please note that this effort of the self-criticism by the Westerners themselves is already the Green Meme or even the Mean Green Meme, which tries to attack to anything about Orange Meme and necessarily appreciates the Mean Blue Meme of non-Western traditional cultures.)
And the Meme of those non-Westerners who utilize such situation is not necessarily Green Meme but rather mostly either Blue Meme or Orange Meme. For, their true intention is neither to overcome the Mean Orange Meme nor even to reach the Green Meme multicultural perspectives. But rather, their intention is just to insist their own ethnocentric value (Blue Meme) and align themselves with the Western context of materialism and commercialism (Orange Meme). You can easily think of so-called non-Western, exotic, ethnic artifacts and fashions can be the important profitable items in the Western market places and can be easily utilized by the materialistic intention of non-Westerns themselves
Thus, the attitude of Integral Approach on the "integration" of Eastern and Western ideas is derived neither from such Western self-criticism (post-modern narcissism) nor from the Eastern (Non-Western) strategic essentialism. In others words, we neither intend to introduce the Eastern "spiritual" ideas to those Green Meme Westerns, nor to install the (Orange) Western business scientific theories in those Blue Meme non-Western people.
Probably the post-modern (Green Meme) multiculturalism might be misleading in this point. It might have given an impression that it emphasizes the Oriental exoticism in the context of both Western narcissism and Non-Western strategic essentialism. But then, to be clear, considering the meat of the Integral Approaches, it does not intend to place ourselves on such Meme Green Meme oriented multiculturalism, relativism, transpersonal psychologies, or any Eastern / Western sort of esoteric spiritual excises, practices and so on, so fourth.
Of course, we do not deny the value of those Green Meme based approaches. But again, they are just "partially true and correct." More clearly, our attitude on the Eastern / Western integration is rather to point out those partiality and/or fallacy of the Mean Green Meme based approaches of multiculturalism, etc. and seek for (or let the clients seek for) the truly Integral Second Tier perspective by such above-mentioned, free-writing / free-speaking interviews and workshops etc.
Q5. Were there instances when clients thought the integration of Eastern practices was inappropriate for your work? Could you give examples of when this occurred, and how were the problems resolved?
A5. As I have explained in my answers to the previous questions, the aim of Integral Approach in the "integration" of Western and Eastern ideas is neither to introduce the Eastern ideas / practices to the clients, nor to install the Western practices / theories at them. The aim is lead the clients to the Integral Perspectives where such Western / Eastern dichotomy (post-modern narcissism and/or strategic essentialism) is no longer existing or bothering both clients and ourselves. In this regard, I do not think that the Integral Approach has ever encountered the situation described in the above-mentioned question. This does not mean, however, that we have never encountered any complaints of our clients. More often, what we have encountered is a sort of misunderstanding that the clients do not fully grasp our Integral Approaches.
Based on the first impression that the Integral Approach shows especially on the unique, exotic Oriental implications under the post-modern environment, it is more likely that the clients tend to expect some special Eastern ideas that could work as a sort of "magic formula" to solve the problem of the clients instantly. As I explained above, however, this is really misunderstanding. We neither introduce any Eastern ideas nor emphasize that such ideas (approaches, methodologies, theories and practices) can work as an instant "magic formula," nor lead the clients to the Western / Eastern dichotomy, which is common in the post-modern mentality (Mean Green Meme) or in the ethnocentric exoticism (Mean Blue Meme). This is probably the difficulty the Integral Approach tends to encounter in the first contact with the clients.
Thus, in the first contact, to avoid such misunderstanding and distorted expectation in the clients' side, what we have to do are the following two things.
1) We do not introduce any Eastern ideas and approaches to the clients. Rather, what we do introduce is the Integral Perspective where such post-modern multiculturalism is no longer the serious problems but the soundly integrated. In other words, the Westerners no longer mystify the Eastern ideas and approaches; at the same time the non-Westerners no longer attach the Western ideas and approaches; and they no longer use their own Eastern ideas and approaches in the way of strategic essentialism.
In short, the Integral Approach is the perspective where the Mean Green Meme value can be resolved and to lead us to the Second Tier Yellow perspectives. But of course, it is impossible to lead the Blue Meme traditional people to such Second Tier level in one single move. And yet, as least as the content aspect (not structure) we can introduce such explanation.
2) Also we do not let the clients expect that what we will provide can work as an instant "magic formula" that can solve their problem immediately. Rather, we will emphasize and let them realize that their problem is related to their own maturity level (Meme); therefore, to overcome their problem what they can do is only to wait for their own growth (or the time to be manifested). And their growth is not that we can let them grow, but rather the only "business" that they themselves must fully commit in their own path. What we can do is show them the cause of the problem and let them realize that it is their own problem not our problem. Although we can show the path that they have to go through, but it is the path that they have to walk by themselves; it is not the path that we can carry them on the way. Or, ultimately and paradoxically it is the path that they can go through by letting themselves go.
Perhaps from the Orange Meme oriented perspective, this way of consulting or facilitating looks irresponsible. However, as we know the typical problem of the personal growth in the field of psychotherapy or any counseling, etc. the problem of the growth is the kind of issue that one can never solve unless and until they can fully commit oneself to it (and ultimately or paradoxically unless and until they can fully let go of their very intentions.) And our Integral Approach is let the individuals, the groups, the organizations and the communities climb the ladder of Meme; and eventually let them realize the Second Tier Integral perspective.
Q6. Has your unique approach to your work affected your personal life and in what ways?
A6. Yes, it has. As I have explained so far in answering all the previous questions, the Integral Approach is to avoid such post-modern narcissism (Mean Green Meme) that people appreciate each other's cultures in projecting one's ego-oriented attachments to the other. Again, the way that Westerners appreciate the Eastern ideas in their own self-projection is quite post-modern (Mean Green Meme). Also the way that non-Westerns take advantage of their own non-Western ideas to satisfy their own ethnocentrism is pre-modern (Mean Blue Meme), otherwise if it is materialistically motivated to put themselves in the Western prosperity, it is modern (Mean Orange Meme). Actually such combinations of Mean Green, Mean Orange and Mean Blue have made our inter-cultural approaches difficult to handle and incidentally so does for the filed of area studies.
But, if we focus on the Integral Approaches, then we can clearly recognize where the problems of the inter-cultural approaches have located and how we should handle them. And such Integral Approaches could also help my personal life since I also live in the inter-cultural environments – living in the Philippines and working in the multi-national companies. Because of such Integral Approaches, I can avoid the tendency to stereotype and generalize any nationalities and ethnicities based on my narrow experiential biases and/or conventional shallow perceptions.
In the multicultural environments whether it is in the community, the office, or even the academia, we witness a lot of stereotyping and generalizing one another's cultural aspects especially when the Meme level of each member and its entity (the center of gravity) is quite low. But even in such low Mean Meme environment if you can keep the reflexive Integral Perspective, then you can protect yourself from such negative influences as inter-Meme conflicts, etc.
Another point that our Integral Approaches have influenced my personal life is my attitude on the personal growth. Every time when I encounter the problems in my life, then because of such Integral Approaches, I can think that the problems look like serious problems because of my negative distorted view caused by my immaturity. Also I can think that those problems are actually and essentially my own problems not anyone else's.
In this way, I can be encouraged to (using Nietzsche's words) have the attitude of "love your fate" despite the adversities to be faced for my own growth. I can see such perspective that everything and everyone have been prepared for my own growth and in the same way for the growth of others. Only by accepting such perspective, then, I can courageously without fears to accept everything and everyone as is. And only in this attitude, I can truly understand the importance to connect myself with the spiritual dimension always. It sounds esoteric. But I believe this is the really important point.
Q7. What additional comments would you like to add?
A7. Please note that what I have described in answering all these questions is my personal understanding on the Spiral Dynamics Applications. Therefore, this is not to represent the official policy. Probably some of my statements might be deviated from the general stance that the other practitioners hold. However, I believe that providing my own personal view on this must have a certain contribution to its further understanding. And because of this, also please note that I am solely responsible for what I have stated here in answering all your questions.
Though my experience on this matter is still partial and quite limited, I made the following writings in such a way to answer the interviewed questions. While the original questions and answers were more specific and detailed in referring to some particular institutes and proper names. But here in this blog I just post the modified version -- modified in such a way that the descriptions including the questions themselves are simplified, generalized; and become anonymous and an essay style.
To read through the following writings, however, first you need be familiar with each Meme color of Spiral Dynamics model and its implications. For this, therefore, while you should visit some famous Spiral Dynamics related sites. But then, just for a quick grasp, you can also visit the following pages within my website 1) Spiral Dynamics Image and 2) Meme Table. These are what I have made and summarized based on my understanding of Spiral Dynamics. And if you can understand Japanese, you can also visit this.
Q1. What are the ways in which you apply the principle of Spiral Dynamics that is so integral to your business? Could you give specific examples of the ways in which these principles are applied at (a) the individual level (b) the group or team level (c) the individual or interpersonal level?
A1. One of the valuable significances that Spiral Dynamics, aside from the other theories and reflexive models of evolutional / developmental views, could present is as follows. It has the multi-dimensional perspectives of micro and macro; and of the growth of the individuals, organizations, and socio-historical-civilizations. And one of the important components to explain Spiral Dynamics is what is called Meme. That is a sort of code that explains the individual value systems / maturity levels, the organizational value principles / life-cycles, and the paradigmatic perspectives of the civilization / socio-cultural settings.
By using such Meme code, then, Spiral Dynamics can map out a simultaneous whole picture where these three (individual, organizational, and socio-cultural) dimensions are fully presented. And in so doing we can figure out a series of specific Life Conditions (not necessarily one but the combinations of several Life Conditions) with which these three dimensions have been struggling consciously or unconsciously. Since Life Conditions are what described in each Meme as the series of life related, existential, and evolutional challenges in the above-mentioned multiple dimensional perspectives, realizing where you (you as the individual, your group, and your community) are placed or have reached so far in your reflexive view through Memes / Life Conditions (See this) is one of the primary requisites to clarify and understand where you (you as the individual, your group, and your community) should be aligned with the right direction of the consciousness evolution or the growth.
In the individual level, what the so-called integral evaluation of the Spiral Dynamics approach uses are 1) requiring the clients to answer the questionnaires (each question implies the respective Meme value but not obviously indicated); and 2) conducting the intensive interview to let the clients speak or write freely (and if possible existentially) by using their own words.
The reasons why we use this two-step approach is as follows: If we use the questionnaires alone to find out their imbedded, internalized Meme value, we have often encountered the incorrect result; the result does not show the correct Meme value the clients must have. It is because of the so-called structure/content gap. For example, if you read the explanation of Spiral Dynamics, then you can probably understand its theoretical contents. And then, for example you can see the ideal characteristics that the Second Tier Yellow Meme can manifest. You can know how the Second Tier Yellow Meme matured person looks, behaves, and speaks like. In short, you can know the "content" of the Second Tier Yellow Meme value. Knowing the "content" of this Yellow Meme, however, does not necessarily mean that even your "structure" has also achieved at the same Yellow Meme level. You can know what the Yellow Meme is; and probably you can even pretend to be the Yellow Meme person. But, even so, you can not live like the Yellow Meme person in a true sense.
Thus, if we rely on the questionnaire alone, we cannot grasp the true maturity of the clients (Memes or Life Conditions they face). If the clients are smart enough and know some extent about Spiral Dynamics as its knowledge, then they can probably choose some questions that indicate the Yellow Meme value, even though they have not been the Yellow Meme yet as far as their "structure" is concerned. In fact, most of the readers, when they read the explanations Spiral Dynamics, tend to believe that they have reached more or less the Orange to Green to Yellow levels if not Turquoise yet. The reason why this misunderstanding happens is the confusion that such readers (and clients) think if they could understand the "explanation" about Yellow Meme, then they conclude that they could achieve at Yellow Meme. But, the truth is that while their "content" is at the Yellow Meme level, their "structure" is not yet at the same Yellow Meme level.
In the field of mathematics, for example, if you can understand the explanations of one advanced mathematical theory, it follows that you could achieve at that advanced level. In the case of Meme understanding, however, this is not the same as such mathematical understanding. To reach the Yellow Meme level is not that you understand the "explanation" of Yellow Meme, but rather that you can live as the Yellow Meme individual.
As for Enneagram, for instance, probably the method of questionnaire can work, because the categorization of its nine personalities is rather horizontal; it is not the matter of "one is more matured than the other." Thus, in the questionnaire of Enneagram, the clients are not bothered by such ego-oriented self-conscious stress as to whether or not and what extent they have already matured etc. On the other hand, in the case of Spiral Dynamics, the Meme categorization is vertical; it does show the maturity level. This means that the higher / broader your Meme can become, the more you are matured and integrated. And if you could understand the "explanation" of the higher Meme, then you tend to think that you have already achieved at such higher / broader Meme level. But as explained above, it is not correct.
It is somewhat the similar case to the religious fanaticism or the ego-inflation of fundamental believers; they think they are superior, enlightened, or saved because they understand and/or believe the "explanation" of their particular doctrine, etc. If, for example, they know the teaching of "love your neighbors as you love yourself," then in this "knowing" they blame (or even kill) their neighbors who do not know (or do not believe) this teaching. Since we are all selfish in one way or another, we like to think that we can see many things by the explanations and the interpretations, but the truth is that we can only know the "extent" that we can see and vice versa. Because of this "tautological reality," such vertical (expanding the worldview) maturity cannot be figured out by the self-answered questionnaires. Ultimately, it is that only the Yellow Meme person can see whether or not the client has been already achieved at the Yellow Meme level; whether or not they pretend to be a Second Tier, Yellow person.
If so, then should those uses who use the Spiral Dynamics evaluation be all in the Yellow Meme level? And if so, who could know on earth that those users have been already in the Yellow Meme level? In reality, those users themselves cannot be free from the above-mentioned ego-oriented self-deception and dilemma, either. How can we go about this difficulty that one can not see one's maturity by oneself? This is the dilemma of the self-evaluate one's own maturity level and even when one evaluates others.
Thus, the second method is the intensive interview and the sort of free-writing or free-speaking exercises using one's own words. It is easy for us to repeat and duplicate what we have learned (it is a way of having, not being if we use the term of Erich Fromm). For example, it is easy for us to describe how the Second Tier Yellow Meme person looks / behaves / speaks like and what his/her personality may be based on his/her own reading about the Spiral Dynamics and some other ethical, religious descriptions. However, if you have to talk your own value systems, aside from those explanations you know about Spiral Dynamics, but by using your own words. It is not so easy. For example, if your interviewer asks you such questions like "What is the most important thing in your life?" or "What is the definition of your success in your life?" And if you answer to your interviewer, "It is my family," or "It is my job," and so on, then, your interviewer has to ask you again "Why do you think so?" Or, even your interviewer should not ask any questions in the first place, but let you choose even the theme itself that you are going to talk about. In this way, a sort of miniature of how you live in your own life has to be manifested. In short, not relying on your way of having, your way of being should be manifested.
In this situation you can not help but show your own value systems and existential commitments to your life and to what you think as the most important thing in your life. This inevitably shows your maturity in one way or another. Of course, it is still easy to say and difficult to conduct this kind of interview for the following reasons: 1) depending on the relationship (trustfulness, rapport, mutual respect, etc.) between the interviewer and the client, still the diagnosis may be changed. 2) And depending on the physical and psychological conditions of the clients, the answers (free-writing / free-speaking) of the client may be changed, too. If the client is in the quite stress-free, optimum condition, then he or she can speak / behave / write as a more matured person. (In the same way, the conditions of the interviewer are also important. It also affects the clients and how they react.) If the client is under the stressful situation and having some personal problems, then the answer would be more negative and cannot show the true maturity that the client is supposed to have.
Thus, though it is a difficult task, such intensive interview is still much better than merely conducting the questionnaire alone. And the bottom line of this approach after all is "To understand the maturity of the person, do not listen to what he speaks, but see how he lives in his life." It is just like saying, "Therefore by their fruits you will know them." (Matthew 7: 20)
And, the diagnosis of the group / team maturity level actually relies on the result of the individual one. If we know the Meme level of each member, then what we do next is focus on the so-called Meme ratio (or Meme portfolio) of the group. For example, if we deal with the fifty members of the group, then we will figure out how many are Green Meme, Orange Meme and Blue Meme, out of those fifty, etc. and will see the so-called center of gravity of this group. If the majority of the members (let's say more then 50% of them) are still Blue Meme. Then, the value system of this group is more based on the Blue Meme (group-centric behavior). Thus, our role is let the members realize their typical (especially Mean) Blue Meme value oriented behaviors; and let them think why and how they are so; and eventually let them suggest their own resolutions to overcome their current Life Conditions caused by the Mean Blue Meme with the conflicts with the other Mean Memes.
Here, please note that the Spiral Dynamics evaluation or approach is not what to provide the resolution or a "magic formula" to enable them to elevate the next Meme level and so on. In the Spiral Dynamics or more generally Integral Approaches as such, the problem caused by their Meme maturity level is actually "their own problem" not someone else's. In this regard, they cannot go to the next level unless and until they can solve their own problem and overcome their own Life Conditions by themselves. We call this stance "We take care of the processes of your problem, but you have to be responsible with the contents of your problem." It is not that we are irresponsible for our consulting and evaluating task; rather, we think this is one of the most effective approaches of being facilitators as far as the vertical growth / maturity of both individual (each member) and group (all members) is concerned.
In the inter-personal level, of course, we focus on the so-called inter-Meme conflicts. In the perspective of Spiral Dynamics, as long as you are in the First Tier Memes, you cannot avoid such conflicts. It is because each Meme is derived from the resolution to overcome the Life Condition of the previous lower Mean Meme. For example, the modern science and technology of Orange Meme was emerged to overcome the pre-modern dehumanized traditional doctrines of Mean Blue Meme. And the post-modern, ecological, environmental, hermeneutic qualitative approach was emerged to overcome the dehumanized materialism and consumerism of Mean Orange Meme. And because of this, Green Meme hates Orange Meme; Orange Meme hates Blue Meme; Blue Meme hates Red Meme; and Green Meme misunderstands Blue Meme, and so on.
These conflicts happen even in the micro individual level. In the group, for example, the individualistic, materialistic Orange Meme rationalistic young employee hates his boss since the mentality of his boss is the Blue Meme old-type traditional loyalist devoting his life entirely to his company and ignoring his family, etc. The Green Meme ecological young employee who is spending her spare time for NPO volunteer works in her community level does not respect her Orange Meme officemates since they have lost themselves in the trend of shallow consumerism, etc.
These cases are just describing the general, simplified Meme-related personality patterns. In the real work place, the more work-related ways of such inter-Meme conflicts must take place. If so, what those facilitators and evaluators can do is let them realize their own Life Conditions; and let them think or find out their own resolutions of how to overcome these Life Conditions. Actually such recognition of inter-Meme conflicts from the higher / boarder perspective is the Life Conditions of Green Meme, which may lead the Green Meme people to the Second Tier if they can successfully overcome their particular problems. But again, we need to emphasize that these are their own problems of maturity; therefore, there is no "magic formula" but they can solve their own problems only when they can fully commit themselves to this problems wholeheartedly and existentially. Only what we can do is to evaluate the Meme and to facilitate the process of their existential problems, while they are committing and struggling with the very contents of their existential problems.
Q2. When you have organizations as your clients, how might you diagnose the stage of their life cycle? Do you have unique definitions for the way in which you conduct organizational consultation?
A2. The general approach of our diagnosis or evaluation is as follows: 1) conducting the questionnaires; 2) conducting the intensive interview of each members of the organization; 3) figuring out the center of gravity of the Meme of each member as well as the whole organization; 4) figuring out the so-called Meme ratio of the organization and indicate the stage of the life-cycle of the organization; 5) conducting the presentation / workshop so as to let them realize their own Meme related problems / Life Conditions. In the workshop, we let them deal with their own (each member and the whole group) Life Conditions and figure out the resolutions by themselves.
Actually it is similar to the approach of Community Development in one way or another. In the awareness phase we let them realize their own problems (Life Conditions) that they have taken for granted. And also we let them realize the fact that these problems have been caused by and/or related to the level of their maturity and value system (Meme). And in the action phase, we let them realize the fact that these problems are their own problem; hence, there is no "magic formula" provided by someone else outside; no one else can solve these problems but they themselves alone have to go about them with their full commitments. And it is also the way for them to leap into the next Meme and actualize their own maturity. And in the follow-up phase we also emphasize the fact that this kind of Meme related problem-solving needs to take time; hence, cannot expect the quick resolution. And also we emphasize the fact that even if they could overcome their own Life Conditions, that is still not the end. Another awareness phase will come out for your continuous, spiral growth and development. But the next time, perhaps, the situation is not unnecessarily stressful (it does not necessarily mean easy, though) since they have already known the whole perspective of the growth and the evolution.
However, it does not necessarily mean easy to go about the next problem. As it is repeatedly pointed out, the higher / broader our maturity level may reach, the more serious and more difficult problems we have to face. For example, the nuclear weapons become only available in the emergence of Orange Meme; such weapons did not exist during the Purple Meme period. Or, rocks do not die, but amebas do; amebas do not get cancer but dogs do; dogs do not commit suicide but humans do, etc.
Q3. How might Integral Approach be implemented in your work? For example, can it be applied for the integration of business work and spirituality?
A3. Just like Spiral Dynamics is part of it, one of the significances of Integral Approach is embracing all the paradigmatic, methodological conflicts in one reflexive model; and showing that there is actually no conflict as to one theory / methodology over another, but it is that each of them is just representing the partiality of the whole pictures. Thus, the important thing or the truth is not "Which is right?" but "Everything is true but partial." As mentioned above in answering the previous questions, in the post-modern, multi-cultural, relativistic situation we have been bombarded by a number of diverse theories, applications, practices, methods, tools, and perspectives, etc. And this fact has bothered the business sector when some companies try to choose which consultation may be correct or more effective; how one of the consolations can work especially when the office environment is multi-cultural and multi-dimensional as far as each member's personal and inter-personal growth is concerned.
In this post-modern confused situation, then, by introducing and implementing the Integral Approach, we can let the clients realize that actually "Everything is available for them." Thus, the important thing is neither "Which is better?" nor "How to cover such everything?" but rather "How correctly to reflect upon the reflexive map of such everything?" and this is the attitude of reflexivity. And, the important part is whether or not they have a correct reflexive map that can teach us the significance and each approach and the mature stance that we do not attach each of them. Indeed, such reflexive attitude is the possibility to lead us to the Second Tier realization of Spiral Dynamics.
And as you have already noticed, this approach itself is quite spiritual. Attempting spiritual practices is not necessarily going to meditation centers, workshop seminars, traditional churches / temples / shrines / mosques, or seeking for your won guru, etc. (while these are also important partially as long as you can avoid the religious ethnocentrism and post-modern narcissistic spiritualism) but rather the continuous effort to place yourself on the reflexive perspective. For, if we stick to the former convenient practices, then, contrary to our intention to have the reflexive, integral non-attachment, we tend to inflate our ego in knowing that we are practicing spiritual exercises in a special conditions and tend to forget the truth that spirituality is also (always already) rested even in our everyday life, not confined to the special occasions, places, practices, and so on.
The way to integrate spirituality and work, therefore, is first try to have an above-mentioned open-mined attitude and humbleness to see "Everything is correct / true but partial." (It is easy to know and possess this knowledge of that way, but it is really difficult to live that way.) And second, try to find the true spirituality in your everyday life and work places. And then third, without attaching to any particular methods (schools, dominations, traditions), find your committed time to contemplate on the true spirituality. Thus, it is not stick to one particular way. (What I explained here might be also the particular way. But again, knowing this continuous self-referential reflection, reflexive attitude would be the key to overcome this dilemma.)
Q4. How such Integral Approach or Perspective, for example, could be applied for some ways in which Eastern and Western ideas have been integrated?
A4. In this Integral Approach or Perspective, we should not be specifically concerned with such dichotomy between Eastern ideas and Western ones. Rather than focusing on the integration of these two extremes, we have tried to work on the very Integration as such. This means that as described above, the priority is place ourselves on the Integral Attitude where "Everything is true but partial" has been fully appreciated. And as the result of this Attitude, it follows that we can also practice the integration of Eastern ideas and Western ones rather from the Second Tier perspective.
The effort of such Eastern / Western integration sounds quite post-modern and/or (Mean) Green Meme. When the Westerners think of the Eastern ideas especially for those Americans in San Francisco (or the West Coast area), these are the so-called Eastern ideas interpreted and re-evaluated by the Western people in the intention of their own self-criticism. When the Westerners have faced the mean side of their Orange Meme such as materialism, consumerism and individualism, they start looking for the Green Meme value as a resolution in the outside of themselves. To overcome their own Mean Orange Meme, they start looking for Green Meme in the Eastern ideas that they have taken for granted for a long while. When they realized that their Orange Meme focused cultures have lost anything spiritual, they start looking for something spiritual in the Eastern ideas.
Thus, as we well-known, a lot of Americans during 1960s (up to the present probably) became so eager to learn the Eastern spiritual ideas about Buddhism, Hinduism, Islamic Sufism and so on. A lot of Americans tried to visit the Eastern countries such as India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Korea, Japan, and so on. Or else, they also tried to visit those countries in Central / Latin Americas to seek for something spiritual. Or, even in their own countries they start appreciating the Native American cultures.
All those movements are derived from the Westerners' self-criticism that what they have lost in their Orange / Modern paradigm must be still remained in those Eastern traditional cultures. And they are so eager to reevaluate those Eastern cultures to overcome their own Mean Orange Meme (materialism, consumerism, individualism, modern flatland, etc.). And some Westerners have gotten confused in the pre/trans-fallacy. This means, they thought that something pre-modern or some Blue Meme traditions, superstitions, tribal sorceries, etc. must be "something really Green" that can save them from the Mean Orange Meme.
The irony is that while those Westerns have confused in their Blue/Green Meme (pre/trans) fallacy in their obsessive, narcissistic self-criticism and post-modern reflections, those Eastern people themselves have still been seeking for the Orange Meme based individualistic, materialistic prosperities. This was a sort of ironic twist that while Westerners appreciate the Eastern ideals, those Eastern people still envy the Western cultures. We should be keenly aware of this kind of twist and the fact that this must cause the series of the efforts for the post-modern (Green) Western / Eastern "integration" during the last quarter of the 20th century.
And the recent scene of such inter-cultural efforts in the Mean Green Meme, we can see what is called "strategic essentialism." This is a counter reaction of the Eastern side (not only Eastern but also any non-Western cultures) towards the Westerners' narcissistic appreciation of the Eastern ideas. Knowing the fact that their own cultures and ideas have been appreciated by the Westerners, then, taking advantage of this fact, those non-Westerners try to emphasize the right and the value of their own non-Western cultures more strategically and even politically. It is that those non-Westerners take advantage of the Westerns' self-criticism. Moreover, those non-Westerners also try to criticize the Westerns and their Mean Orange Meme value together with the Westerns who try to overcome this Mean Orange Meme and try to leap into the Green Meme. (Also please note that this effort of the self-criticism by the Westerners themselves is already the Green Meme or even the Mean Green Meme, which tries to attack to anything about Orange Meme and necessarily appreciates the Mean Blue Meme of non-Western traditional cultures.)
And the Meme of those non-Westerners who utilize such situation is not necessarily Green Meme but rather mostly either Blue Meme or Orange Meme. For, their true intention is neither to overcome the Mean Orange Meme nor even to reach the Green Meme multicultural perspectives. But rather, their intention is just to insist their own ethnocentric value (Blue Meme) and align themselves with the Western context of materialism and commercialism (Orange Meme). You can easily think of so-called non-Western, exotic, ethnic artifacts and fashions can be the important profitable items in the Western market places and can be easily utilized by the materialistic intention of non-Westerns themselves
Thus, the attitude of Integral Approach on the "integration" of Eastern and Western ideas is derived neither from such Western self-criticism (post-modern narcissism) nor from the Eastern (Non-Western) strategic essentialism. In others words, we neither intend to introduce the Eastern "spiritual" ideas to those Green Meme Westerns, nor to install the (Orange) Western business scientific theories in those Blue Meme non-Western people.
Probably the post-modern (Green Meme) multiculturalism might be misleading in this point. It might have given an impression that it emphasizes the Oriental exoticism in the context of both Western narcissism and Non-Western strategic essentialism. But then, to be clear, considering the meat of the Integral Approaches, it does not intend to place ourselves on such Meme Green Meme oriented multiculturalism, relativism, transpersonal psychologies, or any Eastern / Western sort of esoteric spiritual excises, practices and so on, so fourth.
Of course, we do not deny the value of those Green Meme based approaches. But again, they are just "partially true and correct." More clearly, our attitude on the Eastern / Western integration is rather to point out those partiality and/or fallacy of the Mean Green Meme based approaches of multiculturalism, etc. and seek for (or let the clients seek for) the truly Integral Second Tier perspective by such above-mentioned, free-writing / free-speaking interviews and workshops etc.
Q5. Were there instances when clients thought the integration of Eastern practices was inappropriate for your work? Could you give examples of when this occurred, and how were the problems resolved?
A5. As I have explained in my answers to the previous questions, the aim of Integral Approach in the "integration" of Western and Eastern ideas is neither to introduce the Eastern ideas / practices to the clients, nor to install the Western practices / theories at them. The aim is lead the clients to the Integral Perspectives where such Western / Eastern dichotomy (post-modern narcissism and/or strategic essentialism) is no longer existing or bothering both clients and ourselves. In this regard, I do not think that the Integral Approach has ever encountered the situation described in the above-mentioned question. This does not mean, however, that we have never encountered any complaints of our clients. More often, what we have encountered is a sort of misunderstanding that the clients do not fully grasp our Integral Approaches.
Based on the first impression that the Integral Approach shows especially on the unique, exotic Oriental implications under the post-modern environment, it is more likely that the clients tend to expect some special Eastern ideas that could work as a sort of "magic formula" to solve the problem of the clients instantly. As I explained above, however, this is really misunderstanding. We neither introduce any Eastern ideas nor emphasize that such ideas (approaches, methodologies, theories and practices) can work as an instant "magic formula," nor lead the clients to the Western / Eastern dichotomy, which is common in the post-modern mentality (Mean Green Meme) or in the ethnocentric exoticism (Mean Blue Meme). This is probably the difficulty the Integral Approach tends to encounter in the first contact with the clients.
Thus, in the first contact, to avoid such misunderstanding and distorted expectation in the clients' side, what we have to do are the following two things.
1) We do not introduce any Eastern ideas and approaches to the clients. Rather, what we do introduce is the Integral Perspective where such post-modern multiculturalism is no longer the serious problems but the soundly integrated. In other words, the Westerners no longer mystify the Eastern ideas and approaches; at the same time the non-Westerners no longer attach the Western ideas and approaches; and they no longer use their own Eastern ideas and approaches in the way of strategic essentialism.
In short, the Integral Approach is the perspective where the Mean Green Meme value can be resolved and to lead us to the Second Tier Yellow perspectives. But of course, it is impossible to lead the Blue Meme traditional people to such Second Tier level in one single move. And yet, as least as the content aspect (not structure) we can introduce such explanation.
2) Also we do not let the clients expect that what we will provide can work as an instant "magic formula" that can solve their problem immediately. Rather, we will emphasize and let them realize that their problem is related to their own maturity level (Meme); therefore, to overcome their problem what they can do is only to wait for their own growth (or the time to be manifested). And their growth is not that we can let them grow, but rather the only "business" that they themselves must fully commit in their own path. What we can do is show them the cause of the problem and let them realize that it is their own problem not our problem. Although we can show the path that they have to go through, but it is the path that they have to walk by themselves; it is not the path that we can carry them on the way. Or, ultimately and paradoxically it is the path that they can go through by letting themselves go.
Perhaps from the Orange Meme oriented perspective, this way of consulting or facilitating looks irresponsible. However, as we know the typical problem of the personal growth in the field of psychotherapy or any counseling, etc. the problem of the growth is the kind of issue that one can never solve unless and until they can fully commit oneself to it (and ultimately or paradoxically unless and until they can fully let go of their very intentions.) And our Integral Approach is let the individuals, the groups, the organizations and the communities climb the ladder of Meme; and eventually let them realize the Second Tier Integral perspective.
Q6. Has your unique approach to your work affected your personal life and in what ways?
A6. Yes, it has. As I have explained so far in answering all the previous questions, the Integral Approach is to avoid such post-modern narcissism (Mean Green Meme) that people appreciate each other's cultures in projecting one's ego-oriented attachments to the other. Again, the way that Westerners appreciate the Eastern ideas in their own self-projection is quite post-modern (Mean Green Meme). Also the way that non-Westerns take advantage of their own non-Western ideas to satisfy their own ethnocentrism is pre-modern (Mean Blue Meme), otherwise if it is materialistically motivated to put themselves in the Western prosperity, it is modern (Mean Orange Meme). Actually such combinations of Mean Green, Mean Orange and Mean Blue have made our inter-cultural approaches difficult to handle and incidentally so does for the filed of area studies.
But, if we focus on the Integral Approaches, then we can clearly recognize where the problems of the inter-cultural approaches have located and how we should handle them. And such Integral Approaches could also help my personal life since I also live in the inter-cultural environments – living in the Philippines and working in the multi-national companies. Because of such Integral Approaches, I can avoid the tendency to stereotype and generalize any nationalities and ethnicities based on my narrow experiential biases and/or conventional shallow perceptions.
In the multicultural environments whether it is in the community, the office, or even the academia, we witness a lot of stereotyping and generalizing one another's cultural aspects especially when the Meme level of each member and its entity (the center of gravity) is quite low. But even in such low Mean Meme environment if you can keep the reflexive Integral Perspective, then you can protect yourself from such negative influences as inter-Meme conflicts, etc.
Another point that our Integral Approaches have influenced my personal life is my attitude on the personal growth. Every time when I encounter the problems in my life, then because of such Integral Approaches, I can think that the problems look like serious problems because of my negative distorted view caused by my immaturity. Also I can think that those problems are actually and essentially my own problems not anyone else's.
In this way, I can be encouraged to (using Nietzsche's words) have the attitude of "love your fate" despite the adversities to be faced for my own growth. I can see such perspective that everything and everyone have been prepared for my own growth and in the same way for the growth of others. Only by accepting such perspective, then, I can courageously without fears to accept everything and everyone as is. And only in this attitude, I can truly understand the importance to connect myself with the spiritual dimension always. It sounds esoteric. But I believe this is the really important point.
Q7. What additional comments would you like to add?
A7. Please note that what I have described in answering all these questions is my personal understanding on the Spiral Dynamics Applications. Therefore, this is not to represent the official policy. Probably some of my statements might be deviated from the general stance that the other practitioners hold. However, I believe that providing my own personal view on this must have a certain contribution to its further understanding. And because of this, also please note that I am solely responsible for what I have stated here in answering all your questions.
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