Spiral Dynamicsvaluesystems
Spiral Dynamics and Value Systems
“Our thinking creates problems that the same type of thinking will not solve” Albert Einstein “Without some sort of worldview, we remain lost in the blooming buzzing confusion of experience, as William James put it. In other words, all of our individual perceptions are, to some extent, embedded in particular worldviews. Within these worldviews, we still possess abundant freedom of choice, but worldviews generally constrain what we are even considering choosing.” (Ken Wilber, p262 One Taste)
The spiral evolution of worldviews, cultures and value systems
Multiplistic Egocentric Instinctive
Survival self AN Powerful self CP Tribal order BO Enterprising self ER Integrated self GT
Individual focus Will emphasis Expressive systems
Systemic
Animistic
Adapted from Spiral Dynamics, Beck & Cowan (1996)
Absolute order DQ
Egalitarian order FS
Global order HU
Absolutist
Relativistic
Holistic
Collective focus Love emphasis Sacrificial systems
Spiral Dynamics (developed by Dr Don Beck and Chris Cowan and based on the work of the late Professor Clare W Graves) is an approach to understanding the development of individual people, organisations and societies. This system goes the closest of any I have come across to revealing the ‘hidden codes’ or underlying patterns behind how and why people, organisations and societies, change and evolve. The basic Spiral Dynamics evolutionary value systems are described below. In reading the table, start at the bottom (AN) and work upward:
The 8 Value Systems 8 Turquoise: Holistic (HU) 7 Yellow: Systemic (GT) 6 Green: Relativistic (FS) 5 Orange: Multiplistic (ER) 4 Blue: Absolutist (DQ) 3 Red: Egocentric (CP) 2 Purple: Animistic (BO) Basic motives
Attention to whole-Earth dynamics and macro level actions Flexible adaptation to change through connected, big picture views Well-being of people and building consensus gets highest priority Possibility thinking focused on making
“Our thinking creates problems that the same type of thinking will not solve” Albert Einstein “Without some sort of worldview, we remain lost in the blooming buzzing confusion of experience, as William James put it. In other words, all of our individual perceptions are, to some extent, embedded in particular worldviews. Within these worldviews, we still possess abundant freedom of choice, but worldviews generally constrain what we are even considering choosing.” (Ken Wilber, p262 One Taste)
The spiral evolution of worldviews, cultures and value systems
Multiplistic Egocentric Instinctive
Survival self AN Powerful self CP Tribal order BO Enterprising self ER Integrated self GT
Individual focus Will emphasis Expressive systems
Systemic
Animistic
Adapted from Spiral Dynamics, Beck & Cowan (1996)
Absolute order DQ
Egalitarian order FS
Global order HU
Absolutist
Relativistic
Holistic
Collective focus Love emphasis Sacrificial systems
Spiral Dynamics (developed by Dr Don Beck and Chris Cowan and based on the work of the late Professor Clare W Graves) is an approach to understanding the development of individual people, organisations and societies. This system goes the closest of any I have come across to revealing the ‘hidden codes’ or underlying patterns behind how and why people, organisations and societies, change and evolve. The basic Spiral Dynamics evolutionary value systems are described below. In reading the table, start at the bottom (AN) and work upward:
The 8 Value Systems 8 Turquoise: Holistic (HU) 7 Yellow: Systemic (GT) 6 Green: Relativistic (FS) 5 Orange: Multiplistic (ER) 4 Blue: Absolutist (DQ) 3 Red: Egocentric (CP) 2 Purple: Animistic (BO) Basic motives
Attention to whole-Earth dynamics and macro level actions Flexible adaptation to change through connected, big picture views Well-being of people and building consensus gets highest priority Possibility thinking focused on making