Chapter 11 --  Spiral Dynamics:  Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change
Red (PowerGods)  The Egocentric Meme

• In a world of have and have-nots, it's good to be a have
• Avoid shame, defend reputation, be respected
• Gratify impulses and senses immediately
• Fight remorselessly and without guilt to break constraints
• Don't worry about consequences that may not occur

Safety and relative security are resolved with Purple so the meme loses some of its magical, fear-based control and frees individual energies.

Red is the first clearly express-self, "I"-oriented meme.

For children, the thinking begins to awaken at the end of the first year and flares in the "terrible twos" and again around middle school time.

Red stubbornly resists power exercised over it.

Magic becomes a weapon for control of people and events.

Red intensifies, strong individuals take unilateral control.

When red is the dominant express-self meme and purple the sacrifice-self back-up, certain assumptions pertain:

• Red's desires are met by the powerless since their reverence was got by being strong.
• Red uses intimidation, charisma, and physical force to impose his/her will without guilt or compunction.
• Red guiltlessly exploits Purple's superstitions.
• Red spawned the absolute rights of monarchs, reciprocal feudalism where knights protected serfs who fed them.

Survivors of violent Red conflict may be taken as slaves or prizes.

Red is a normal part of the human meme repertoire.

The Purple to purple/RED transition continues in youngsters between 3 and 5 years.

One of the greatest challenges facing the developed nations today is finding new horizons where Red energy can be released constructively.

Reds tend to locate the cause of difficulties and failures outside self.

Red wants to be bigger than life.  Ultimately the objective is to challenge death and win.

Strong self-assertiveness, claims of power, and assumed prerogative are nte norm since there is neither guilt nor concern for others.

Red thinking is non-consequential.

The concentration on immediate gratification and refusal to think about negative outcomes escalates.

When Purple families break down and no other communal, sacrifice-self system is available to take place, a surge of Red follows.

Peak Red does not learn through punishment since actions do not connect to deferred consequences, guilt is absent, and problems are always someone else's fault.

The weak will lose and they deserve to because they are weak.

A Red society consists of a few dominant haves and many have-nots.

The behavior of Red have-nots is often clandestine and devious.

The Red meme is a vital part of human nature, neither inherently good nor bad.

Healthy Red is fun loving, creative, and free enough to explore and enjoy life to its fullest.

Red cannot look at itself objectively.  Ego involvement is very high.

RED/blue:  Exiting Phase

Where guilt begins sneaking in and the meme is desperately hanging on to dominance.

Calculated bad deeds are the proof of awareness that Blue is watching.

Formal rules appear and a militant deny-self theme is imposed with an iron fist.

Retribution is swift, but under the Law instead of the liege.

Those centered at RED/blue show concern over self-serving impulses since awareness of others is creeping in.

Obedience to the ultimate authority is the essence of BLUE.

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Beck, D.E. & Cowan, C.C.  Spiral Dynamics:  Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change.