Robert Kegan, a Harvard expert on adult development, teams up with philosopher Ken Wilber to dive deep into the evolving self. They discuss how interior development fosters inclusivity, shaping a more integrated world. The conversation shifts from the interplay of postmodernism and social consciousness to the nuances of human development within social movements. They also tackle the challenges of personal growth in the context of cultural norms and longevity, emphasizing the crucial role of community in enhancing self-authorship.
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insights INSIGHT
Constructive Postmodernism
Postmodernism accepts the relativity of knowledge, but not absolutely.
This nuance creates a middle ground between objective truth and complete relativism.
insights INSIGHT
The Downside of Relativism
The shift from orange to green in consciousness brought positive changes like social movements.
However, it also led to difficulty in making value judgments, hindering clear decision-making.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Forced Busing in Boston
Forced busing in Boston aimed to improve educational equity.
However, it sparked strong opposition, highlighting the clash between individual and collective identities.
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Robert Kegan's "The Evolving Self" is a groundbreaking work in the field of developmental psychology. Kegan presents a comprehensive theory of human development, emphasizing the evolving nature of the self and its relationship to the world. He introduces the concept of "stages of consciousness," arguing that individuals progress through distinct levels of understanding and self-awareness throughout their lives. The book explores the implications of this developmental model for various aspects of human experience, including relationships, work, and spirituality. Kegan's work has been highly influential in fields such as education, psychotherapy, and organizational development. It offers a profound and insightful perspective on the complexities of human growth and transformation.
How the way we talk can change the way we work
Lisa Laskow Lahey
Robert Kegan
In "How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work," Robert Kegan explores the profound impact of communication on organizational effectiveness. He argues that the way we communicate shapes our understanding of ourselves, our relationships, and our work. The book emphasizes the importance of mindful communication to foster collaboration, innovation, and personal growth within organizations. Kegan provides practical tools and frameworks for improving communication and creating more effective workplaces. This work is essential for leaders and individuals seeking to enhance their communication skills and build stronger teams.
In over our heads
The Mental Demands of Modern Life
Robert Kegan
In this book, Robert Kegan assesses the fit between the complex demands of modern life and our mental capacities. He guides readers through the 'curriculum' of modern life, showing how we often find ourselves 'in over our heads.' Kegan applies his theory of evolving ways of knowing to adulthood, discussing various cultural controversies such as the 'abstinence vs. safe sex' debate, the diversity movement, communication across genders, and the meaning of postmodernism. The book emphasizes the need for a 'structural' mode of thinking to succeed in different spheres of life, such as parenting, partnering, and professional roles[1][3][4].
Robert Kegan, the author of The Evolving Self and In Over Our Heads, explores the vital role of interior development in creating a more inclusive and integrated world, as well as the importance of the appropriate use of discriminating awareness.
Robert Kegan is a founding member of Integral Institute and the author of the critically acclaimed books The Evolving Self, In Over Our Heads, and How the Way We Talk Can Change the Way We Work. Bob is also the first-ever Meehan Professor of Adult Learning and Professional Development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. As the holder of this endowed chair, Bob has the official support of HGSE to pursue developmental studies for the rest of his career.
This is significant. For the past several decades developmental studies have fallen upon some hard times in academia. For many, to have a developmental view is to be hierarchical—and to be hierarchical is to be oppressive, regressive, patriarchal, and a direct contributor to the suffering of untold millions. The fact the HGSE has decided to so clearly support Bob’s work is a welcome sign that the winds may be shifting.
It’s important to note that there are (at least) two significantly different ways that “hierarchy” can be understood: as it exists in the exterior structure of a society and as it exists in the interior structure of an individual. Historically, enormous abuses of power have occurred by those at the top of a societal hierarchy—but those who would do so are by definition not at the higher stages of the interior, developmental hierarchy.
Psychologically, people grow through stages of increasing competence, care, and concern. Each stage transcends and includes the function of what came before, but excludes an exclusive identity with that function.
In Bob’s work he outlines Five Orders of Consciousness:
First Order: Impulsive—Perceives and responds by emotion.
Second Order: Imperial—Motivated solely by one’s desires.
Third Order: Interpersonal—Defined by the group.
Fourth Order: Institutional—Self directed, self authoring.
Fifth Order: Interindividual—Interpenetration of self systems.
Loosely, one can think of the first and second orders as egocentric (me), the third order as ethnocentric (us), and the fourth and fifth orders as worldcentric (all of us). If one grows from egocentric to ethnocentric, one doesn’t stop caring about oneself, but that care and concern is now extended to one’s family, community, nation, and so on. Likewise with the growth from ethnocentric to worldcentric, that care is now extended to all people regardless of race, class, creed, gender, etc.
As Bob and Ken discuss, an important element of worldcentric consciousness is the contributions of postmodernism, including feminism, civil rights, and, among other things, the understanding that a substantial amount of human knowledge is context dependant and culturally bound. But postmodernism then stepped beyond what it had evidence for and claimed that all knowledge was relative, and therefore nothing could be said to be better than anything else. In fact, a fellow researcher, Clare Graves, called this level of development relativistic (Spiral Dynamics green), which research has shown accounts for about 20% of the American population.
But as Ken points out, that means that about 20% of the population has gotten confused about how to make conscious, explicit judgments. Most of the people in this group would agree that a worldcentric embrace of all cultures is better than ethnocentric racism, but postmodern relativism won’t be able tell them why it’s okay to think this way. When all judgments have been outlawed, even sensible examples of discriminating awareness rightly applied have nothing to stand on.
Originally published on 12/20/2004