In addressing the challenges of our rapidly (and radically) changing world(s) we must be willing to take an "omni-considerate" approach to the evaluation of our systems and the implementation of solutions to problems. To achieve a "comprehensively livable world" requires of us to consciously consider all strata of physical-social-spiritual human experience. There are a number of significant frameworks and systems of evaluation being developed which provide a variety of pathways for addressing ''the whole" of a given situation or problem. Below are some that I have become familiar with, labeled by their basic moniker of application.
Behaviors
Systems
Minds
Codes (values, memes)
Life ConditionsOut of the Life Conditions emerge the Codes that impact the Minds of people and groups which create the Systems in relation to which Behaviors are generated. To address our challenges only at the layers of Behaviors or Systems just scratches the surface of what is actually at play in a given situation. By determining and visually mapping the Life Conditions and Codes (in a Vital Signs Monitor) first it is much more immediately apparent what will and will not work when seeking appropriate solutions. There are no generic solutions that apply to all people and conditions equally. (from Don Beck, see also 8 Levels below.)
The sectors of human social experience represent a pragmatic framework for mapping the whole of our needs, problems, breakthroughs, and resources. In the work of the Foundation for Conscious Evolution and other organizations there is an exploration into what the best set of top-level sector names is that represents the whole of social experience. There are a few models being considered, one of which (based upon the work of Ben Lipman of the Solstice Institute in Boulder, CO.) includes these 12 sectors:
Spirituality, Religion & Values
Art, Culture, Media
Environment & Natural Habitat
Healing & Wellness
Community, Family, Youth
Food, Water, Agriculture
Economics & Business
Science & Technology
Land Use Planning & Architecture
Governance
Social Justice & Security
Education
The concept of the Peace Room uses this framework as the organizing basis for scanning, mapping, tracking, and communicating all that is working, and needs work, in our societies, from an evolutionary perspective (as does the Synergistic Convergence (syncon) process of face-to-face whole-system interaction for matching of projects, needs and resources, also developed by Barbara Marx Hubbard in the 1970s and 80's).
Ken Wilber has conceived of a framework of consideration which uses four quadrants that "simply refer to four of the most important dimensions of the Kosmos, namely, the interior and the exterior of the individual and the collective." His premise is that in considering any field of investigation, if we want to be sure we have addressed our inquiry comprehensively we must thoroughly assess our investigation within each quadrant. Though it appears simplistic in its basic diagrammatic representation, this framework offers a profoundly deep and broad approach.
Holistic-Global turquoise Integrative-Principles yellow Sensitive-Humanistic green Strategic-Materialistic orange Purposeful-Saintly blue Powerful-Impulsive red Magical-Mystical purple Basic-Instinctive beige Spiral Dynamics is the name of the value system (memetic codes) framework developed by Dr. Don Beck and Christopher Cowan (based upon the pioneering work of Dr. Clare W. Graves). It charts out the values of individuals, groups, cultures, etc. across 8 levels ranging from basic survival to holistic global views. Spiral Dynamics offers a profound values-based assessment of the dynamic forces of conflict and change at play in the world today, and how to (and NOT to) most effectively address them. I see it as one of the most important keys to successfully navigating the challenging road ahead and cannot recommend this work more highly for its critical relevance. (Download a short Introduction to Spiral Dynamics in PDF format, 116K)
There are 8 relative scales of natural and human experience to be considered as we evaluate the resources, trends and needs of humanity and Earth. These are, from macro to micro:
Cosmic (whole picture, universal consciousness, etc.)
Solar (sun energy, impact of solar flares, gravity, planets, space exploration, etc.)
Global (population, natural systems, continents, etc.)
National (countries, corporations, etc.)
Regional (bio-region, geo-political, etc.)
Community (small group to city)
Individual (person, organism)
Elemental (nuclear, molecular, cellular, etc.)
The frequency with which we turn our attention to the cycles of manifesting reality is a factor of "sample rate". A long-term, evolutionary-scale trend is a high-amplitude, low-frequency sample rate. A shorter time-span trend is a lower-amplitude, higher-frequency sample rate. The lower the amplitude and higher the frequency, the more our consciousness tracks manifesting reality at a higher resolution of sample rate. Conversely, the higher-amplitude, lower frequency sampling rate is useful when consciousness is tracking long-term evolutionary trends of manifesting reality.
For the purposes of the World Cocreative Design Science Century we consider these sample rates as a basic framework:
One Century - 2001 to 2100.
Ten Decades - each with its own set of priorities, goals, milestones, and actions based upon the successes and lessons learned from preceding decades.
Ten Years - setting milestones and goals within each decade year by year....and on in ever finer degrees of sample rate wherein consciousness becomes present to ever emerging reality in full cocreative awareness, experiencing life as a constant flow of synchronicity.
(Thanks go to Mel Toomey and Tantra Maat for this consideration.)
The Design Science Planning Process is a method by which individuals or small groups can design alternative paths for themselves and society as a whole. Below is a diagram illustrating this process. Click on the diagram to view a larger version.
copyright©2001 Marshall Lefferts
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The earlier solutions cannot handle the complexity they created.
- Don Beck, 2000