A visual tour of social development.

One of the guys at Integral Institute did this artistic rendering of the social stage structures of development.










I think it works as a good introduction the the "Gravesian" stages of development however one needs to be careful not to confuse "structures of development" for types which is something that many people in I-I do. For instance the "orange" modernist level of development is about more than just materialism and consumerism. It's about multiplistic thinking and the ability to take a true third person perspective. "Green" postmodernism is about more than just living in harmony with nature. It's also about railing against authority and tearing down not only traditional values but "modern" values as well.

Here's a link to the website with some more info about it...
http://www.formlessmountain.com/collage.html

Here are the levels in greater detail only in reverse order from the images above.

Spiral Dynamics

The Eight-Stage Spiral of Development

First Tier: "Subsistence" valueMEMES

BEIGE Instinctive/Survivalistic MEME - starting 100,000 years ago
Basic theme: Do what you must just to stay alive

* Uses instincts and habits just to survive
* Distinct self is barely awakened or sustained
* Food, water, warmth, sex, and safety have priority
* Forms into survival bands to perpetuate life
* Lives "off the land" much as other animals

Where seen: The first peoples, newborn infants, senile elderly, late-stage Alzheimer's victims, mentally ill street people, starving masses, bad drug trips and 'shell shock'. Described in anthropological fiction like Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear.


PURPLE Magical/Animistic MEME - starting 50,000 years ago
Basic theme: Keep the spirits happy and the tribe's nest warm and safe

* Obeys the desires of the spirit being and mystical signs
* Shows allegiance to chief, elders, ancestors, and the clan
* Individual subsumed in group
* Preserves sacred objects, places, events, and memories
* Observes rites of passage, seasonal cycles, and tribal customs

Where seen: Belief in guardian angels and Voodoo-like curses, blood oaths, ancient grudges, chanting and trance dancing, good luck charms, family rituals and mystical ethnic beliefs and superstitions. Strong in 'Third-World' settings, gangs, athletic teams and corporate 'tribes'.


RED Impulsive/Egocentric MEME - starting 10,000 years ago
Basic theme: Be what you are and do what you want, regardless

* The world is a jungle full of threats and predators
* Breaks free from any domination or constraint to please self as self desires
* Stands tall, expects attention, demands respect, and calls the shots
* Enjoys self to the fullest right now without guilt or remorse
* Conquers, out-foxes, and dominates other aggressive characters

Where seen: The 'terrible twos', rebellious youth, frontier mentalities, feudal kingdoms, James Bond villains, epic heroes, soldiers of fortune, 'Papa' Picasso, wild rock stars, Atilla the Hun, William Golding's Lord of the Flies, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.


BLUE Purposeful/Authoritarian MEME - starting 5,000 years ago
Basic theme: Life has meaning, direction, and purpose with predetermined
outcomes

* One sacrifices self to the transcendent Cause, Truth, or righteous Pathway
* The Order enforces a code of conduct based on eternal, absolute principles
* Righteous living produces stability now and guarantees future reward
* Impulsivity is controlled through guilt; everybody has his or her proper place
* Laws, regulations, and discipline build character and moral fiber

Where seen: Rev. Billy Graham, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life, Puritan America, Confucian China, Hassidic Judaism, Dickensian England, Singapore discipline, codes of chivalry and honor, charitable good deeds, the Salvation Army, Islamic fundamentalism, Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon, Boy and Girl Scouts, patriotism.


ORANGE Achievist/Strategic MEME - starting 300 years ago
Basic theme: Act in your own self-interest by playing the game to win

* Change and advancement are inherent within the scheme of things
* Progresses by learning nature's secrets and seeking out best solutions
* Manipulates Earth's resources to create and spread the abundant good life
* Optimistic, risk-taking, and self-reliant people deserve success
* Societies prosper through strategy, technology, and competitiveness

Where seen: The Enlightenment, 'success' ministries, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, Wall Street, Rodeo Drive, The Riviera, emerging middle classes, the cosmetics industry, trophy hunting, Chambers of Commerce, colonialism, TV infomercials, the Cold War, DeBeers diamond cartel, breast implants, fashion, J.R. Ewing and Dallas.


GREEN Communitarian/Egalitarian MEME - starting 150 years ago
Basic theme: Seek peace within the inner self and explore, with others,
the caring dimensions of community

* The human spirit must be freed from greed, dogma, and divisiveness
* Feelings, sensitivity, and caring supersede cold rationality
* Spreads the Earth's resources and opportunities equally among all
* Reaches decisions through reconciliation and consensus processes
* Refreshes spirituality, brings harmony, and enriches human development

Where seen: John Lennon's music, Netherland's idealism, Rogerian counselling, liberation theology, Doctors without Borders, Canadian health care, ACLU, World Council of Churches, sensitivity training, Boulder (Colorado), GreenPeace, Jimmy Carter, Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate, animal rights, deep ecology, Minneapolis-St Paul social services, the music of Bruce Cogburn, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream company.

Second Tier: "Being" valueMEMES

YELLOW Integrative MEME starting 50 years ago
Basic theme: Live fully and responsibly as what you are and learn to become

* Life is a kaleidoscope of natural hierarchies, systems, and forms
* The magnificence of existence is valued over material possessions
* Flexibility, spontaneity, and functionality have the highest priority
* Differences can be integrated into interdependent, natural flows
* Understands that chaos and change are natural

Where seen: Carl Sagan's astronomy, Peter Senge's organizations, Stephen Hawking's Brief History of Time, W. Edwards Deming's objectives, Paul Newman's version of stardom, chaos theory, appropriate technology, eco-industrial parks (using each others' outflows as raw materials), early episodes of TV's Northern Exposure, Fel-Pro Inc. (a gasket manufacturer), Fred Alan Wolf's 'new physics', Deepak Chopra's Ageless Body.

TURQUOISE Holistic MEME starting 30 years ago
Basic theme: Experience the wholeness of existence through mind and spirit

* The world is a single, dynamic organism with its own collective mind
* Self is both distinct and a blended part of a larger, compassionate whole
* Everything connects to everything else in ecological alignments
* Energy and information permeate the Earth's total environment
* Holistic, intuitive thinking and cooperative actions are to be expected

Where seen: Theories of David Bohn, McLuhan's 'global village', Gregory Stock's Metaman, Rupert sheldrake and morphic fields, Gandhi's ideas a pluralistic harmony, Ken Wilber's 'Spectrum of Consciousness', James Lovelock's 'Gaia hypothesis', Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's 'noosphere'.

For a more detailed introduction to Spiral Dynamics check out this link...

http://www.wie.org/spiral/content/spiraldynamics.pdf