They are NOT stages of development. This image from Drexel University does a good job of explaining the differences between the two.
Just like introversion vs. extroversion, or thinking vs. feeling, liberal vs. conservative is an axis spectrum in typology, not in development. Obviously, I am talking more about philosophical perspective than political party, since Democrats and Republicans have very little correlation to being a liberal or a conservative.
Too many people (it seems to me) think of liberal as more developed and conservative as less developed (and I am guilty of this, too, on occasion). That's a false perspective.
I fully believe you can hold a conservative tribal worldview or a liberal tribal worldview, same deal with mythic, rational, and postmodern.
I'm sure many will disagree with this, but it's my theory (until proven false) and I'm sticking to it.
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I think you need to present this to Gagdad Bob so that he can use his general and psychoanalytic erudition to "prove" to you that conservatism is vastly more "developed" than liberalism. :-)
ReplyDeleteHey Steve,
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Bob since our little exchange a couple of years ago - he's so embedded in his little vision of the world it's not even fun to tease him.
Peace,
Bill
Speaking as a conservative, that chart is non-sense. Conservatives more "believing than "skeptical". Please. And same for the rest. Bastardizing conservativism/libertarianism for purposes of false comparison is what liberals do when they want to sound "smart" and it is what Wilberians do when they want to sound "aware".
ReplyDeleteBill: I have been reading you for years, now. I have yet to see you demonstrate a single basic understanding of conservatism that shows you give a damn about it. You and the rest of the small group of Wilberians I continue to read (Dierkes, Coolmel) would pass out of "what is conservatism 101" at the local community college run by conservatives.
Get studying or just stop talking about conservatism, because you obviously don't care about its basics, much less the countless finer points.
Sorry to be so blunt, but cripes, this is too much. There is no demonstrable humility amongst the Wilberians when it comes to thinking they understand political positions they disagree with.
all best,
MD
Ha: I mean, NOT pass out.
ReplyDeleteMD
MD,
ReplyDeleteI haven't been a Wilberian for a long time either - keep up, damn it. :)
I use Wilber where useful, only. I'm not one of the acolytes, no matter what you may think. All you anti-Wilber people are alike . . . yadda, yadda, yadda - ;)
As for the rest, I'll agree to disagree with you.
Peace,
Bill
Do you mean?
ReplyDelete"I fully believe you can hold a conservative tribal worldview or LIBERAL tribal worldview, same deal with mythic, rational, and postmodern."
yes, I meant that - fixed it - thanks!
ReplyDeletepeace,
Bill
so long ago...but i wanted to say that this seems truer to me so far. i kept thinking how can "we" liberals be morer advanced than the other roughly 50% of the pop? that seems unrealistic to me...hopefully i am not just being GREEN on this point. they are different worldviews, but mythic is not lower than rational in my view. the liberal tribe is different, but it is still the values/views that they bond over. rational also has it's "order" level...science for example is very principled in this way. dems are just as group membership oriented as reps. otherwise there would be no dems! Also, dems are just as hell bent on their agendas as reps. so, we should regard these different minds as manifesting at all levels to some extent...maybe less extreme as one goes up into YELLOW.
ReplyDelete