Degeneration and Conclusion

Stage-7: Systemicist

Values of the Systemicist Mode are prone to degeneration like any other mode. The biggest dangers are:

► to deny the necessity of values established in previous stages,
► to apply systems values mechanically without really understanding them.

Dynamic inter-connection degenerates into Over-complication.
i.e. ►

The end result of seeing too many connections can be to over-complicate simple issues: linear analyses with single causes are often perfectly satisfactory.

Evolutionary development degenerates into Passivity.
i.e. ►

Responsibilities for shaping tendencies are avoided; band-wagons are jumped on rather than scrutinized for value and depth; the easy non-systemic path of passive acquiescence is followed.

Strategic intervention degenerates into Disruption.
i.e. ►

Clever strategic interventions stop being integrative and enabling and simply disrupt the status quo. Continuous change that does not feel natural becomes unbearable.

Reflective learning degenerates into Confusion.
i.e. ►

Reflective learning can be time-consuming, expensive, confusing, and still fail to produce useful knowledge.

Common language degenerates into Jargon.
i.e. ►

The common language all too readily degrades into jargon. Rather than being an aid to clarity, special terminology comes to be used inappropriately: as a substitute for thinking or as a weapon

Ethical concern degenerates into Hypocrisy.
i.e. ►

Ethical concerns may become progressively elevated in importance, until some staff forget what the organization is there for. Either people confusedly engage in acrimonious or irrelevant debate, or the apparent ethical stance covers a refined form of hypocrisy.

Self-development degenerates into Mad arrogance. i.e. ►

Self-development emerges as mad arrogance if a person imagines he or she can be and do all things.

Where to next?

There are no more decision modes, but the pattern needs to conclude where it started. The diagram shows the way—click to see:

Cycle-2 takes us back to pragmatism again: the foundation of all tangible achievement. But now it is an unrecognizable and almost paradoxical pragmatism: no longer mindless or disjointed, but guided, informed and dynamic.

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• Now see how the spiral trajectory completes.

Originally posted: 17-Jun-2011