Spiral Dynamics in Action

3The Code Book

“There are not types of people, but there surely are systems in people and different ways of thinking about things.”

Beck, 2017

Introduction

In this book so far, the emphasis has been on the original theory on adult human development as conceptualized mainly by Professor Clare Graves. It was emphasized that the societal dynamics, which form the containing system, should always be considered in any attempt to understand the systemic dynamics, as the values and ways of living which were good for humanity at one time in its development may no longer be optimal due to changing conditions of its existence (Graves 1974).

In this chapter, the emphasis shifts to the contribution made by Beck, lifelong scholar and friend of Graves. If the assumptions studied here are applied at individual, group, and organizational level, there is no deductive reason why these insights cannot be applied to large-scale national and geo-political transformation. In fact, in Part 2 of the book, large-scale transformational applications are illustrated.

The last part of the chapter focuses on the dynamics of large-scale transformation. Bit by bit we can heal the planet. Often difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. If we can, like a puppet master, construct our geo-political and global strategies, with the intent to optimize all, we might unleash the dormant goodwill in social systems in emerging and developed economies alike.

The Eight Codes

A code embodies a number of things. ...