Subject: Wilber on world conflicts Date: Sat, 22 Mar 2003 23:25:36 +0100 From: Frank Visser To: f.visser3@chello.nl WILBER FRIENDS MAILING LIST =========================== http://www.worldofkenwilber.com Amsterdam, March 22, 2003 Hi Wilber Friend, Since there is as of yet no single integral statement on the current world crisis, I have gathered some key texts written by Wilber in 2001/2002 that can provide pieces of the puzzle. The color terminology is taken from Spiral Dynamics. If you are not familiar with that, please consult the SPIRAL DYNAMICS setion of this website. These articles can be accessed from the link at the top of the WELCOME page. WILBER ON THE WTC ATTACK (Boomeritis Endnote, November 2001, wilber.shambala.com) Analyses how each meme responds to the attack, and how each meme provides a different analysis, with the YELLOW/TURQUOISE meme trying to give a balanced view of the situation. "In short, it seems reasonable to assume that the terrorists were pathological RED inflamed by distorted BLUE ideology--an explosive combination, to be sure. No healthy value system in any culture that we are aware of condones these acts. However, the question then arises, to what extent can these pathologies in the four quadrants be ascribed to others, such as global western capitalism?" WILBER ON MEAN MEMES IN GENERAL (February 2002, worldofkenwilber.com) Suggests why GREEN is powerless in the face of RED attacks, for which strong BLUE can find a remedy, even though the BLUE meme (as do all other memes) has its "mean" version: "GREEN is generally helpless and hapless in the face of RED: all of GREEN's tools and values are clueless in the face of joyous brutality and intentional aggression. Talking, sharing, caring, and dialoging do not impress RED. It takes a BLUE meme to smash RED in the face and not blink." WILBER ON THE RED/BLUE CONFLICT (German interview, Summer 2002, worldofkenwilber.com) The current world situation as seen from a developmental perspective. The world consists of different blocks, which represent different stages of consciousness: RED tribalism, BLUE fundamentalism and ORANGE capitalism. All have their downsides: "The shadow of ORANGE, in which the Western industrialized nations exist, are the exploitation of the Third World, excessive industrial rationalisation, ecological problems and what we call McCulture. We know the shadows of BLUE with its self-righteous ideologies, fundamentalistic structures of belief, homophobia, patriarchical abuse of power, etcetera. And also the shadow of RED is obvious: it is terroristic, it is tribalistic, it is incapable of building durable nations." This interview will soon be posted in its original English version. Frank