Last time I introduced a developmental model of values which applies to both individuals and social groups. This model is called Spiral Dynamics, and was the subject of my November 2004 talk at the United Nations.

Before I go on, I want to give due credit to Don Beck of the National Values Center. Dr. Beck has been the driving force in carrying on the work of Clare Graves, upon which Spiral Dynamics is based, since GravesÕ death. Several of the examples in the last article were from Dr. BeckÕs book, also called Spiral Dynamics. If you are interested in a deeper understanding of this work, I urge you to get this groundbreaking book, which you can order on Amazon.com. You can also find more information about Spiral Dynamics at .

I also want to add that these articles represent my opinions regarding Spiral Dynamics, and do not necessarily represent Dr. Beck's point of view, though in most cases my view may be the same as his. I am indebted to Don Beck for his comments on this article many of which have been incorporated.

Last time I discussed a few basic principles of Spiral Dynamics and gave an overview of the various values levels. Each of these values levels consists of a set of responses and coping mechanisms which evolve to deal with the problems and challenges of a certain existential situation. As life conditions change, the related responses (and the important values) also change. In other words, people and groups live at and responds from a certain values level as a response to the environmental conditions in which they find themselves.

These values responses have also been called memes. Richard Dawkins and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi have both written extensively about memes, which could be likened to social, cultural, and psychological DNA containing behavioral instructions passed from one generation to the next. Memes are expressed in a large variety of ways: clothing styles, language trends, cultural norms, architectural designs, art forms, religious expressions, social movements, economic models, morals and ethics, and in many other ways.

Because humans and human societies are adaptable, new memes evolve as biological, psychological, and social conditions change, allowing the emergence of new values levels. Memes alternate between expressive/individualistic types and sacrificial/group-oriented types. Beige, Red, Orange, Yellow (values levels one, three, five, and seven) are expressive/individualistic systems. A person operating from these values levels acts in an individualistic and inner-directed manner. On the other hand, Purple, Blue, Green, and Turquoise (values levels two, four, six, and eight) are sacrificial/group-oriented systems. A person operating from these values levels acts in a group-oriented and outer-directed manner, sacrificing oneself for some group-oriented goal or principle.

Different memes or values levels can coexist at the same time in a person or a society. Yet, each will have a center of gravity or fault position. An individual might act from the Red meme in one context or life situation, from Blue in another, and from Green in yet another. In the same way, people or groups operating predominantly from one or another meme or values level can co-exist in the same society. In the US we have the major political parties, both of which are primarily Blue, the environmentalist activists, primarily Green, the scientific and business communities, both primarily Orange, as well as several others.

As more memes have appeared on earth, and faster communication and the increased ability to travel have made the world smaller, opportunities for interaction between different memes has increased and that interaction has become quite complex. As we will see, this has become a source of many problems and conflicts.

Memes affect individuals as well as societies. An individual develops through the various values levels in his own life as his life circumstances change. How many levels of the spiral are expressed depends on the biological, psychological, and social conditions he faces as his life progresses. During infancy, we operate from the Beige survival-oriented meme. We are helpless and require the care of others. In later childhood we move to the Purple meme. We become a member of the family Òtribe," follow the tribal leaders--the parents--and learn to follow its traditions and rituals. During adolescence we move into the Red meme, where we become more individualistic and rebellious.

Hopefully, we move through this rebellious period and progress to Blue, where we begin to follow societal rules and see things in a more group-oriented manner. Later, we might move on to Orange, where we begin to take increased personal initiative to improve our situation in life. If we become dissatisfied with some of the drawbacks of the Orange meme, we may later move into Green. A personÕs development could stop at any values level, depending on the life situations they face and/or their internal capacities and uniqueness.

In this article, I want to look at the first four values levels in more detail, and then in the last article of this series, IÕll look at the last four, and make some comments about how this model offers a new way to look at the world.

The first values meme is Beige. In Beige, all energy is directed toward survival through innate sensory abilities and instinctual reactions. At this level, humans form loosely organized and herd-like survival bands with little structure. This is the first emergence of humans from their animal nature. Food, water, warmth, sex, and safety are the primary focus of attention.

This values level is uncommon today, but is seen in newborns, the senile elderly, late-stage Alzheimers, mentally ill street people, and starving masses in certain parts of the world. Beige is an individualistic system where the motto is Òexpress self now to survive,Ó as at this level there is no attention available for anything but survival. The people in Jane AuelÕs Clan of the Cave Bear books and in the movie Quest for Fire are examples of the Beige values level.

If the habitat no longer supports survival bands as food becomes more scarce, Beige may give way to the second values level, Purple. Purple is the level of Kin Spirits and the tribe. Thinking is magical, and is a response to a mysterious and threatening world. Purple says: ÒNature is powerful and threatening and we must band together to survive.Ó As in Beige, he emphasis continues to be on survival, but in a more cooperative manner, through the tribe. It takes a hunting "team" to drive the woolly mammoth off the cliff.

Purple is a sacrificial and group-oriented system, in which people sacrifice individual needs for the tribe, the elders, and the ancient ways. Propitiating the gods and spirits, maintaining the tribal traditions, and keeping the tribeÕs nest warm and safe become of primary importance. There is no room in Purple for individual thinking or action.

In Purple it is important to obey the desires of spirit beings and to watch and respond to the mystical signs. Purple must sacrifice for, and show allegiance to, the chief, the elders, and the clan; preserve sacred objects, places, events, and memories; observe the traditional rites of passage, the seasonal cycles, and the tribal customs.

There are many places in the world where Purple is the predominant values level, including Africa and many parts of Asia. Many aspects of Purple, however, are found in First World societies, as well. A belief in guardian angels, voodoo, blood oaths, ancient grudges, chanting and trance dancing, good luck charms, family rituals, or superstitions, are all signs of the Purple meme. Fraternities and sororities, fraternal lodges, athletic teams, and certain corporate ÒtribesÓ are all manifestations of Purple, as are street gangs. Much religious thinking is Purple, as are many aspects of the union movement.

Decision making is based on custom and tradition. Decisions are made by a council of elders, often relying on mystical information supplied by a shaman. The average tribal member is uninvolved in decision making. Attempts to introduce democracy into tribal groups does not work because the idea of individual decision-making does not exist in the Purple meme.

When there are spoils or wealth, the clan divides them in a communalistic, regardless of who may have actually created the spoils--the idea being that today I brought meat to the group, but I may not find any more for many weeks, while you might, so we will all share no matter who is successful in the hunt.

Education is paternalistic and relies heavily on rituals and routines. Learners are passive, and individual creativity is not possible. The family is one of extended kinships, marked by strict role relationships. Rules and traditions are designed to protect kin bloodlines. Ritualistic rites of passage are an important aspect of each stage of life.

Since the world is full of powerful spirit beings who must be propitiated, Purple thinking is fearful and mystical. Tribe members must behave in the traditional ways, with no room for individual action or thinking. The taboos must be obeyed, the tribal leaders must be honored with absolute obedience and conformity, with a reverence for seniority and ancestors.

At each values level, wars are fought for different reasons, and in Purple wars are fought for territory. In Purple, functionality can range from societies that are completely lost and controlled by Red leaders--as with Iraq under Saddam Hussein or pre-World War II Germany under Hitler--to well-functioning societies well-fitted to ecological conditions with little disease and little poverty. In a well-functioning Purple society, all members are taken care of.

In Purple, all decisions are made at the top. The chief, though he may consult with other elders, decides. Democracy is therefore not possible. If an outside force brings democracy to a Purple society, people will still look to the chief to tell them how to vote.

Changing conditions may cause Purple to transition into Red. Younger and stronger members of the tribe may begin to think: ÒWhy should we sacrifice when we are stronger and can take what we want? We can take it and we deserve it.Ó This type of thinking can emerge when there is diminishing fear of nature, a weakening of tribal bonds, if the traditional offerings and rituals fail to fend off evil spirits or bring the desired benefits, or if the tribal order for some reason begins to collapse. This is what happened in South Africa as Apartheid ended--the West wanted a transition directly from Purple to Blue, without a transition through Red, which is not possible. Dr. Don Beck, as a expert in Spiral Dynamics, was heavily involved in helping the South African government understand the dynamics of this transition. His book The Crucible: Forging South Africa's Future (with Graham Linscott) was a best seller in Johannesburg in l991 and l992.

The transition from Purple to Red involves the emergence, for the first time, of the individual ego and individual thought. Each time a sacrificial level makes way for an expressive, individual level, it does so because problems emerge which the group cannot solve in a group context. This causes the stronger and more capable individuals to entertain the possibility of individual action. When an expressive, individualistic values level gives way to a group-oriented, sacrificial level, it is because problems of individual action have made group action necessary, causing the formation of new groups, with new values. New values levels are generally a response to problems of the previous values level, as well as the solutions that the previous system was able to accomplish. As we solve on set of problems, we create new ones in their place.

The third values level, Red, is an expressive, individualistic level, and is the first emergence of real and effective individual action and individual ego. Before Red, the idea of individual initiative and individual thought are subsumed within the needs of the group itself. The African term, here, is ubuntu...I am because we are.

Red, the level of impulsive action, is often described as that of Power Gods. Red is interested in power and domination, and enforces power over self, others, and nature through exploitative independent action. The Red motto is Òexpress self now impulsively, and the hell with others.Ó Red grabs what it wants, through personal power, with no guilt and no thought of others. Perhaps the biggest problem facing the world today is how to manage the transition of Purple through Red to Blue. Many world trouble spots involve a mostly Purple population, with Red political leaders and a fanatical Blue religious leaders--and with access to powerful Orange (science and technology-based) weapons.

To Red, the world is a jungle full of threats and predators. Red wants to break free from domination or constraint to please himself as he desires. He wants to stand tall, receive attention from others, demand respect, and call the shots. Red acts without conscience, enjoying himself to the fullest without guilt or remorse. Red operates totally in the now, with no sense of future consequences and no desire or ability to either delay gratification or make personal sacrifices. As we will see, delayed gratification begins in the Blue meme.

Examples of Red include the Òterrible twosÓ, rebellious teenagers, the frontier mentality, feudal kingdoms, James Bond villains, epic heroes, soldiers of fortune, out of control rock stars, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Rap musicians, prison culture, dictators, and gang leaders.

In Red, decisions are made by the most powerful person, and are based on what creates the most respect or what feels good in the moment. The leader must supply immediate gratification to his followers, as there is no such thing in Red as delayed gratification. All information flows downward, from the leader, and little if any information flows upward. A typical Red-dominant leader, such as Hitler or Saddam Hussein, typically does not want the views of his followers. Participatory democracy is not possible in Red while Red may use the appearance of same but will corrupt the vote.

The most powerful gets the spoils and decides how they are distributed, if they are distributed at all. Education is based on tests of worthiness and tough-love tactics. The community is one in which predators are in control, outsiders are in danger, fiefdoms are formed, and turf wars are constantly being fought. For an excellent example of Red gangsters controlling a Purple population (while being harassed by Blue law enforcement), rent the movie City of God, an incredible film describing life in a section of Rio de Janeiro controlled by gangs.

The traditional justice system, created by Blue to deal with Red, is largely ineffective, other than to incarcerate and warehouse Red. Prison populations are largely Red cultures, where guilt feelings are absent, power, instant gratification reins, and shame is the only check on behavior. Street crime, impulsive in nature, is Red, while crimes at the Blue and Orange levels are generally planned. Other common manifestations of Red include exploitation of women, children, and the weak, and total reliance on the power principle.

In terms of societal structures, Red is the level of the empire, examples of which include the Roman Empire, the Persian Empire, and the Third Reich. Julius Caesar was a Red leader, emerging from the Purple Roman Republic and operating as a transition to the more Blue-oriented Roman Empire (though many Purple and Red elements remained for centuries). Elightened despots may do good things.

Red ranges in functionality from the vicious to the heroic, and Red can contain healthy aspects. Healthy people at the Red level are resourceful and powerful. Red breaks society out of Purple, creates the first individualists and the first proactive humans. The individualists and explorers who conquered the wilderness, allowing civilization could come in behind them, were Red. Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great and others like them, uniting a people and making way for the next values level, were Red.

Red can be very unhealthy, however, in that it is selfish, predatory, and violent, and refuses to recognize the limits of individualistic expression. Red also has an unrealistic view of its own abilities and knowledge, and an unrealistic sense of invulnerability, as commonly seen in dictators such as Hitler or Saddam Hussein.

Red is, however, a necessary phase. We all go through it as teenagers, hopefully to emerge into Blue before we drive our parents crazy. Tribal societies, as in the Middle East or Africa, must move through Red to get to Blue, where democracy and typical ÒcivilizedÓ social institutions are possible. How to shepherd this transition is the biggest problem facing the world today.

The transition from Red to Blue happens when Red gets old, and slows down. Red cannot continue to grab what he wants, perhaps gets married, has kids, and begins to become one of the weak. This is where the frontier townÕs citizenry say, ÒThis town needs a mayor and a sheriff!Ó--the beginning of the law and order of Blue. Red may have accumulated some wealth, but now may not have the strength to defend it. The need for law and order becomes apparent. Red begins to realize that "thou, too art mortal" and may well, as in extreme religious conversations, bow to the inevitable "surrender all."

Red can transition to Blue when there is a questioning of personal power, a need for structured discipline, and the have/have-not contract begins to erode as the powerful haves are found wanting. This is exactly what happened as the Roman Republic, a largely Purple society, made the transition through Red as Julius Caesar took power from the Senate, and then was killed and replaced by Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, thus paving the way for an emerging Blue society (though still with plenty of Red and Purple elements).

Blue is the beginning of what most people think of as civilization. The Blue meme is often described as that of the Truth Force because it is organized around an absolute belief in one right way and an obedience to its authority. Examples of Blue Truth Force ideas and groups include the White ManÕs Burden; The British Empire; God, Country and Apple Pie; The Communist Party; the Marine Corps, the Catholic Church, radical Islam--or any other group organized around what they firmly believe is Òthe truth.Ó

The basic theme of Blue is that life has meaning, direction, and purpose, with predetermined outcomes. If the True Meaning is found and followed, everything will be okay. Blue is a sacrificial system, where oneÕs self is sacrificed to the transcendent Cause, Truth, or Righteous Pathway. In Blue, the Order enforces a code of conduct based on eternal, absolute principles. You can see. for instance, that George Bush is strongly Blue, and mentioned (and strongly adhered to) the truth he follows many times during his election campaign. He also has a strong Orange incentive to shape the world in the image of the American version of enterprise and success.

Blue believes that righteous living produces stability now and guarantees future rewards, that impulsivity is controlled through guilt, that everybody has his or her proper place, and that laws, regulations, and discipline build character and moral fiber. Blue society is highly stratified, with each person having their role, and upward mobility is slow or non-existent. Blue is about law and order, a reaction to the lawlessness of Red. Because right and wrong are guiding forces, the spoils in Blue go to the righteous.

Examples of Blue include Rev. Billy Graham, Frank CapraÕs ItÕs a Wonderful Life, Puritan America, Confucian China, Hasidic Judaism, Dickensian England, and Singapore discipline. Blue values are seen in medieval codes of chivalry and honor, the idea of charitable good deeds, the Salvation Army, Islamic fundamentalism, Lake Wobegon, the Boy and Girl Scouts, and patriotism.

Whatever the organizing truth, in Blue there is only one right way, and that right way is enforced with laws, punishments, and guilt. On the other hand, adherence to the Truth is rewarded with guaranteed retirement and the hope of a better future or afterlife.

Education is seen as truth handed down from authority and is accomplished in traditional and hierarchical stair steps. It often takes the form of moralistic lessons reinforced with punishment for errors. Teaching is strict, punitive, and black and white. The motto is: ÒSpare the rod and spoil the childÓ.

The family is the seat of truth and values, teaching moral values and codes of conduct. The community ideals are peace and quiet, law and order, and compliance to rules. The best citizen is a law abiding citizen who knows his place.

Though the theme of Blue is the One True Way, the exact nature of this truth can vary widely. The Cold War, for instance, was a struggle between two different Blue Òtruths,Ó the American Way and the Communist Way, and the conflict between the West and Islam is one of two opposing Blue Truth Forces. These can be as divergent as the Christian Right, Islamic fundamentalism, Hari Krishnas, Communism, the Catholic Church, or "left-wing" causes.

In Blue, there are no shades of gray. Everything is Right or Wrong. Everything is deterministically ordered around the One Truth Force. Because it is so easy to be on the wrong side of the truth in a black and white world, Blue deals with an almost perpetual guilt burden. Yet, it can also display charity in many different forms, and provides the essential institutions, senses of justice, and large zones of forgiveness and basic humanity.

BlueÕs motto is Òsacrifice self as authority dictates to obtain later.Ó This is a move from the ÒnowÓ awareness and instant gratification of Red to an awareness of future consequences. In Blue, the reward is often so delayed that it sometimes only comes in Heaven, as with fundamentalist Christianity and Islam.

Blue comes into being to deal with the excesses of Red, and they are good at it. Law and Order and punishment are a major aspects of Blue. Rather than managing Red and shepherding it through to the next level, the Blue strategy is to educate, reform, and shape Red with either the design of a "good authority" conduit or, if necessay, to use more punitive measures. In one sense this works, in that it depresses Red from acting out, but it does not accomplish the transition to Blue that irrevocably ends the Red problems.

The future of the so-called Third World where Red and Purple, along with a weakned Blue system exists, is to pass through the Second World experience with a robust Blue, one that runs the trains on time, provides safety and security to society, and imposess a form of justice and stability.

The Blue organizational structure is a passive hierarchy, as in the Catholic church or the military, with rigid rules for structure and rank and a strict adherence to the organizational chart. The person with positional power makes decisions, and power accrues to the position, not to the individual. The system, rather than the individual, is of prime importance, and the system, not the individual,is promoted, preserved, and maintained.

Communication is downward, but also horizontal--unlike in Red, where there was no horizontal communication within an organization. Saddam Hussein, for instance, was famous for preventing underlings from communicating with each other, except in his presence. In this way, he could reduce the chance that they would plot against him. In Blue, this horizontal communication is encouraged.

Blue strongly supports the seniority system, one of delayed gratification where everyone has their place. This creates a stratified society with little upward mobility and many bureaucracies. Generally the only way to move up in the organizational chart is for someone to die or retire.

Positive aspects of Blue include control of Red violence and the creation of a more stable society based on laws and rules. In Blue there is an emphasis on fairness, equity, uniform treatment--based, of course, on what is seen to be ÒtruthÓ. In Blue there is an equal application of laws, the motto being: ÒA country of laws, not of men.Ó Blue also has created great progress over Purple and Red societies in eliminating human suffering.

On the negative side, Blue is punitive and inflexible, seeing everything in black and white. Blue gave us the Salem Witch Trials, the Spanish Inquisitions, Joseph McCarthy, fundamentalist religions, racism, and totalitarian Communism. Black and white bipolar thinking loses touch with the middle ground, the gray areas in human experience. Blue can also have a very negative and fault-finding outlook. All Truth Force points of view--including the one you may personally believe to be the ÒtruthÓ--provide automatic defense of prejudices. Outside the box thinking is rare in Blue.

Purple wars, as I said, are fought over territory. Red wars are fought for power and domination. Blue wars are fought to promote or defend ÒtrueÓ beliefs and ideology. In many ways, this makes Blue-inspired wars more vicious and destructive than Purple or Red wars. Wars for territory seek to preserve the wealth of the territory being conquered, which often includes the people and their ability to work for their new masters. Red, though a violent approach, is also often based on principles of honor, and Red warriors often show great respect for their opponents. Blue warriors, on the other hand, generally demonize their opponents, and are quite willing to wipe them out.

Blue can transition to Orange when society has been stabilied because of Blue accomplishments, there is a hunger for autonomy, a lack of purpose offered by the Truth Force, or if guilt becomes too paralyzing. If the Truth no longer guarantees order and the future, and doubt, skepticism and new options appear, and Blue may transition to Orange. In such conditions, the stronger members of society, regardless of their position in the societal hierarchy, begin to say: ÒWhy wait for material abundance? I am smart enough and have enough drive to create rewards for myself now.Ó This leads to the emergence of Orange, the capitalist system of free enterprise, which once again is an individualistic, expressive system.

Don Beck notes, however, that capitalist is not the same thing as the Orange system. It is one expression of the code as content, but there are many other ways this achievment based sysem can impact society. In fact, it is the deep motive behind the entire scientific system, the attempt to explore the secrets of the universe, and the design of high technolgy cures in medicine.

In the next article, I will describe Orange, Green, Yellow, Turquoise, the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth values levels, and make some comments on how this information clarifies many of the situations and conflicts in the world today.

 

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