WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?

I have been concerned about this administration since Trump was elected. See my blog from November 2016. In trying to make sense of it all, I have returned to my understanding of Spiral Dynamics.  So here is my take on it. 

 I am going to suggest that you listen to the video on Spiral Dynamics or study the attached presentation to become familiar with the concepts of Spiral Dynamics. See links at the bottom. 

 In the United States we moved into the industrial revolution through the Orange meme and up until the mid 1800s we were predominantly Blue and Orange. The Orange meme created the separation of church and state which was to counteract theocratic blue influences.  We moved into the Green in the late 1800’s as a reaction to the exploitation of workers which came from the profit motive and its unwillingness to attend to collective needs. So, we passed child labor laws, workplace rules, sanitation standards and safety standards. The Green influences, including unions, caused laws to be passed that counteracted the Orange capitalistic mentality that valued only profits. Green environmentalism impact profits and is resisted.

Throughout the 20th century despite all of the chaos and bloodshed caused by world wars (Red, Blue and Orange) the trend was still moving through Green. By the 21st century with a Green president Obama, the reaction from Orange, primarily the capitalistic dynamics, rose dramatically. So that there is a reaction to “democratic socialism” by the (largely Orange and blue) body politic which is realizing that the demographics and the strength of the Green influences are growing because more voters coming from a Green thinking. Immigrants are more Green and young people are Greener. The survival reaction of Orange has now shifting all way back down to Red in order to protect itself. And so, we have Blue/Orange using a president who is Red to counter this demographic change and the growing influence of Green. This includes voting suppression, and attacks on other democratic principles such as the Bill of Rights and the balance of powers in the constitution, and stopping freedom of choice. The Orange mentality is tolerating Red authoritarianism in order to protect itself and maintain the influence of the moneyed class. Monied self-interest (don’t raise my taxes) is more important than democratic ideals. The blue mentality is using Red to promote theocratic change in laws. 

 No one is making any overall decisions about this. It totally outside the control of anyone individual or group of individuals control. It’s a dynamic process with millions of complex competing forces constantly shifting and changing the shape of direction of our body politic, society and culture. I am not going to enumerate these multiple influences that are occurring. You can figure that out yourself.

Understanding what is going on through a Spiral Dynamics will allow you to step outside of the process and look at it as  whole, realizing that fundamentally you as an individual don’t have any control in same way an individual cell in a huge pulsating organism does not have any control.

 You do have influence, not much, but some. It also means that you can become more tolerant of others because they are caught up in the same dynamic as you. I guess the message is to chill out. Easier said than done.

HERE IS THE POWER POINT ON SPRIAL DYNAMICS.

HERE IS THE VIDEO PRESENTATION ON SPIRAL DYNAMICS.