Integral Britain? How can this be? Do we find teal in the home of orange? Yes market thinking has been dominating Britain for 40 years, AND that is generating energy towards teal. I`ve been shocked at how little integral networking there seems to be in the UK and will be going to the Integral European Conference in Hungary in May, hoping to network.
I`ve written a book about integral Britain: The Britain Potential-a Politics Inspired by a New Stage of Human Consciousness (In the USA available via Barnes and Noble). It shows just how much movement away from market thinking is going on at grass roots across the UK. It also does some integral genealogy by going back to the industrial revolution, then on to welfare state Britain, then to market thinking Britain. What this suggests is a civil society centred Britain is not far fethced.
Heres how the presentation at the IEC in May will go: Can Britain point towards what a post-capitalistic economy with a post-democratic collective governance system look like? Working with communities of many different kinds for 40 years and both experiencing the collective systems of the country externally and internally, the individual view (top left quadrant) is about three distinct aspects of daily life: where you live, family, friends and community (civil society); the state (local public services, central government, national politics); and business (commerce, trade, markets). These three could be called the building blocks of Britains operating system. So going back in time in Britain we have one configuration of these three with industrial revolution Britain. And that configuration is powered by the new rationalism or orange consciousness. But this changes in 1945 to welfare state Britain with a different consciousness and a big re-configuration of the building blocks. The experience of living in Britain changed radically. Then it changed again in 1981 with marketing thinking Britain dismantling what had gone before and again reshaping the building blocks. And that’s where we are today with a torn social fabric and a polarised politics.
So whats the prognosis? Actually there is another side to Britain that is edging towards teal by breaking out of market thinking. This side of Britain has a life of its own in the arts, in civil society, in business and even state services. These are developments where people want humanity not markets. And so Britain may yet contribute a fourth iteration to its building blocks where a consciousness closer to teal powers a civil society centred Britain in which business and the state support civil society. This is where the country wants to go.
Jim, I too have been surprised - and a bit disappointed - to discover how few Integral-minded people there seem to be here in the UK. In my own personal circle there is only such one person, and I wouldn’t even have known of her interest in Integral theory if I hadn’t published a review of Terry Patten’s new book in a magazine I edit. I shall not be attending the conference but I would love to know how many Brits you find there.
What I am discovering with my book is that there are a lot more teal oriented people in the UK…they just haven’t named it. Once they understand the colour coded consciousnesses properly etc it becomes clear for them.
Just wondering if your magazine is of a kind to take a review of my book (thebritainpotential.co.uk)?
Jim
I would also suggest the case for teal Britain is on the cards. For one, studies of business leaders in the UK show that, proportionally, there are more 2nd tier leaders here than in the US. I imagine many politicians are also 2nd tier due to the nature of the intensity in that arena.
So I am wondering what the “acupuncture” points might be which need to be probed in order for the system to evolve to be fit for Integral.
We live in such interesting times… to say the least.
I’m British living just outside of London. For me finding conservation open to this line of exploration has been about being on the lookout for people who value authentic seeking of either independent sovereignty or collective living that doesn’t externalise harm.
I haven’t found it a hard area to probe with people in positions of power (who haven’t read Wilber) where they either have things to say on the complexity side or governance side and they actuate towards a more integral vector regardless of having semantics for it. It can be interesting to meet “high achievers” who can recognise the topology of spiral dynamics once it’s brought into a conversation as a distinction.
Perhaps my selection has been good but I’ve explored this topic with atleast one person in groups of 10+ since 2015… when I didn’t have wording for it either. Currently people who have complex adaptive systems/ complexity theory on their mind is a good shout. Enabling constraints (Dave Snowden the Cynefin developer) has a lot to offer and is psychologically central (as a pressure) to people who don’t want the pattern of defaulting to hasty governance rules or draconian nonthinking.
Closed loop materials economy in Britain “post” rona may be an entry point to integral-esque in the wild in UK. The breakdown of information ecology and sensemaking “movements” if it can be labelled as such might be one to look out for too although that one isn’t tested by me in person yet.
Hi Baljit
Very good to hear this. Can you point me in the direction of those studies?
Rhythmically I am just writing what could be described as the acupuncture points (its a brief article/post) which I`d like to send you and hear your comments?
I am also linking up with integral lifers in the UK.
Well hi…
that some reaching out…Im in deepest Hampshire and finding some integral minded people to link up with. Im just finalising an integral take on Britain now and would value your comments if you have time?
V best
Jim jim.cowan@thebritainpotential.co.uk
Hi all,
Just dropping in to say hi, I’m from Cambridge, UK and a member of Integral Life, yes very little awareness of spiral dynamics here in the UK.
Anna
I’m glad to stumble across this thread, thanks for the link, Andrew.
Definitely keen to read more about Britain Potential Jim… I am just finishing up Simpol, a book about destructive global competition and the argument for global governance to overcome the global issues facing us today by John Bunzl who’s based in London. Highly recommended.
I am also from Yorkshire, over towards York. Nice to know there is a small group of us contributing to UK’s integral thinking!
I’d like to also make my existence known.
I’m in Scotland. It’s ridiculously easy to find Green friends - especially fellow GenZs/Millenials - and in another lifetime I’d have many of them, but that altitude just doesn’t do it for me anymore. My tongue has almost fallen off from all the biting.
Integral, on the other hand, is in short supply. I’m not sure I’ve met anyone I’d consider truly integral, and I haven’t found any organised groups advertised out there. I am a typical, lonely integral thinker.
What do I have to contribute? Well, I’m in a transition period in my life where I’m not in any long-term profession and am considering my options. I see myself as an integral educator and writer. There is a painful lack of even theoretical knowledge of stages, states, lines, etc.
When I ponder upon the lack of Integral in my circle, I remind myself to be the change I want to see in the world. I then let go and let existence work its magic.
Hi Anna
apologies…I havent been keeping track of this thread…just realised others were commenting…if you want to link up do let me know jim.cowan@thebritainpotential.co.uk
V best Jim
