Chapter 4 --  Spiral Dynamics:  Mastering Values, Leadership, and Change
Change and the Spiral

The central theme of Spiral Dynamics is that we are suffering from the Humpty Dumpty Effect because we are missing the key mechanisms that impact human dynamics in the first place.

This is especially the case when addressing critical issues of race, crime, education, societal imbalances, and large-scale systems in transition.

Three approaches fail to address the deepest human dynamics:

• Concrete Actions, Behaviors, and Attachments
• Concepts, Systems, Beliefs and Schemes
• Core Intelligences (Memes)-  Changes in how people think will naturally impact what people think and why they behave.

As memes change, so do thinking and behavioral choices.

This discussion about change will deal directly with the memes through these questions:

• How and under what conditions are new memes awakened and placed online?
• How can you increase or decrease the poser of specific memes in influencing beliefs and behaviors in a particular situation?
• Why are some memes amenable to influence while others seem to resist any attempt at change?
• How can you recognize, understand, and in come cases influence the processes of natural meme change and transition?
• How do the various memes on the spiral impact each other, especially when profound change is occurring in many of them all at the same time?

Spiral Dynamics is based on these perspectives regarding memes:

• Six necessary conditions for meme change
• Five stepping stones along the path of memes in transition
• Seven variations of the degree of change.

Principles of Spiral Change

The spiral is best viewed as a moving picture, not a snapshot.

When a person experiences "change" by repairing old systems, strengthening others, or awakening new ones, the total social atom will be disturbed.

The Six conditions for meme change

Six conditions apply throughout the spiral.

1. Potential in the individual or collective brain syndicate to change.
   People vary in terms of their change potentials along a continuum from OPEN to ARRESTED to CLOSED (OAC).
   If you can assess the OAC status of an individual or organization's meme profile you can predict the likelihood of movement and what would need to be done to facilitate it.
   The OPEN spiral is like a computer-monitored automatic transmission.  Arrested is like a standard ship.  Closed is "on or off".
   Signs of closed thinking
   • Inappropriateness
   • Instability
   • Exclusivity
   • Undue response to frustration
   • Fulfills tasks to extremes
   • Builds a shell
2. Solutions for current existence problems
   To satisfy condition 1 be certain that:
   • Problems of the memes at the current spiral level are being adequately managed.
   • A zone of comfort has been reached and relative balance achieved.
   • Excess energy is available to explore the next more complex system.
3. Dissonance is present within the current meme system
   Factors that produce the sensation of dissonance:
   • Awareness of the growing gab between LCs and current means for handling those problems
   • Enough turbulence to create a sense that something is wrong
   • Abject failure of odd solutions to solve the problems of new LCs may stimulate fresh thinking.
4. Insight into probable causes and viable alternatives
   Understanding:
   • what went wrong with the previous system
   • what resources are now available for handling the problems better
5. Barriers to change identified and overcome
   Barriers are identified correctly in step two.
6. Consolidation and Support during transition

When all of the six conditions are met, new memes may awaken and movement along the spiral may occur.

1. Potential in the mind/brain
2. Solutions to current problems
3. Dissonance and uncertainty
4. Insight and alternatives
5. Barriers identified and resolved
6. Consolidation and support

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