Where Change Happens
In the previous topic, the positioning of paradigms on each TET diagonal was clarified by reference to their basic properties as initially listed. These properties can also be applied to clarify how or where the paradigms envisage that change will happen.
All change situations exist in an environment (or the environment is deemed part of the situation as in ). So any change may be either about the entity bearing the brunt of change or its environment, or some combination.
We appear to have an innate resistance to change and the various paradigms respond to this resistance by handling matters differently. These differences are revealed most clearly in the diagonal sets:
- Domination paradigms expect the environment to change.
- Evolutionary paradigms expect the situation/entity/self to change.
Focus on Changing the Self
The diagonal set that moves from lower left to upper right reveals paradigms that depict interactive evolutionary systems whose coverage is increasingly comprehensive moving up the diagonal. Change for these gets focused internally.
Going up the diagonal there is:
- increasing responsibility accepted for change
- increasing involvement with the environment.
Atomistic
Change focus is internal. Inner evolutionary growth is expected based on maturation and learning, and there is distance from the environment.
Entity-Self: The entity/individual is itself dynamic and so change is inherent, and it will be inevitable, spontaneous and unstoppable. Control is primarily by self-regulation. If any inner state or drive obstructs intentions, then the entity/individual will adjust, avoid, reject or even annihilate it.
Environment: The environment is diverse and will offer opportunities or incentives that encourage a particular change. Individuals may willingly develop and agree regulations or changes with others. If what emerges is undesirable, the individual will re-position, or relocate to an entirely different environment.
Structural
Change focus is internal. The structure will naturally evolve in response to internal and external pressures, and there is dependence on the environment.
Entity-Self: Entity change is expected and occurs by re-organising. Such re-ordering is accepted as long as it is reasonable, gradual and meets practical concerns. Localized and correctable issues are addressed without reference to the environment.
Environment: The environment is taken as given and supportive. It will be actively supported in expectation of reciprocal support.
Dynamic
Change focus is internal. Evolution can be planned, and there is symbiosis with the environment.
Entity-Self: The entity expects to make significant, even radical changes, as part of its own planned evolution, and these may be disruptive internally.
Environment: The environment must be activated, engaged and managed to support the entity in a symbiotic fashion, so both can gain benefit.
Unified
Change focus is internal. Evolution, which happens automatically because the entity is a living part of its environment, can be shaped.
Entity-Self: The entity actively enables a process that appears organic and self-driven while closely co-evolving with its environment.
Environment: The inter-dependence of entity and environment makes for a simultaneous and natural evolutionary transformation of both.
Focus on Changing the Environment
The diagonal set that moves from lower right to upper left reveals paradigms that focus on domination and are increasingly powerful moving up the diagonal. Change for these gets focused externally.
Going up the diagonal there is:
- increasing resistance to any self-change, &
- increasing demands on the environment.
Causal
Change focus is external. The entity seeks out dominance opportunities.
Entity-Self: The entity is not well-defined and some change is accepted as inevitable because control is relatively low. The aim here is to enable controllable predictable change, but not necessarily through self-based change.
Environment: The focus is on encouraging change in the environment that will benefit the entity or deal with the situation. Where possible, the entity takes advantage of its environment, intervening in it if the outcome is reasonably predictable.
Dualistic
Change focus is external. The entity is riven by battles for dominance.
Entity-Self: Change is opposed as much as possible unless beneficial, with the fall-back being maintenance of the status quo.
Environment: The environment is exploited, pressured to change or, if possible, dominated and directly altered to favour one or (occasionally) both of the two opposing components.
Unitary
Change focus is external. The entity asserts total dominance.
Entity-Self: Change is forcefully opposed, even if seemingly beneficial. At the extreme, self-sacrifice might be preferable to changing.
Environment: The environment is perceived as only existing to serve and provide for the entity. It is coerced to change in ways favorable to the entity even if harmful to the environment or to others dependent on that environment.
Entity-Self Protection
On the Evolution Diagonal: although the focus for change is internal, these four depiction methods include protective concerns, each with a distinctive focus:
protects the individual. protects the group. protects the project. protects the environment.
On the Domination Diagonal: because the focus for change is external, these three depiction methods are seemingly self-protective, but each generates a distinctive harm:
harms by neglecting the human element. harms the common good. harms individuals and sub-groups.
Having established where change happens, the next question is how.
- Each depiction paradigm has a different perspective on how change happens.
Originally posted: 30-Jun-2024.