Social Engagement

ClosedJust imagine a new personal endeavour

Having worked out the interplay between my autonomy and external constraints, I must ensure that I am properly plugged into my social setting.

In the four Levels where the autonomous v constrained polarity is fused, the personal v social tension is handled naturally, spontaneously and partly unconsciously within the Centre i.e. simultaneously and progressively as situations are handled. However, the three bipolar levels are more problematic. These present differences that can grow over time, and they must be resolved by active attention and adjustments.

PURPOSE: RL6A  RL6C 

My goals-RL6A must accord broadly with doctrines and norms-RL6C in my relevant social group(s). Ignoring contextual needs: flouting conventions, rejecting obligations, breaking contracts or (at the extreme) breaking laws is predictably deleterious, if not fatal, to an endeavour. The influence is not one way. My group's doctrines and norms ideally legitimate my goal, but my goal also provides legitimacy to the group. After all, a group that generates no activity and has no effects in society wins little respect.

Channel ForceLegitimate

COMMUNICATION: RL5A  RL5C

Any formal specification-RL5C must be based on what is required or involved in the endeavour, and that can only come from informal accounts-RL5A. At the same time, if informal accounts do not refer to and explain technicalities and their relevance, then they will be unsatisfactory. What is evidently required is that each pole of communication must explain the other in its own way.

Channel ForceExplain

CHANGE: RL3C  RL3A

A desired actualizable state-RLA must exist within a complicated socio-physical environment. It therefore looks across the self-situation divide to harness and ride the natural trends and forces in the environment. This is more productive than ignoring or fighting them. Necessary adaptations-RL3C primarily seek to reconcile impersonal forces with preferred states of the endeavour. These also look across the divide to accord with developments that are desired. Both Centres can and should try to help each other.

Channel ForceFacilitate


Originally posted : 13-Aug-2011. Updated 5-Jul-2013