Recorded on Election Night 2024, this Q&A session with Robb Smith offers an in-depth exploration of the profound challenges facing America in the wake of the election results. As the nation grapples with critical questions about the future — such as choosing between reform and revolt, addressing increasing polarization, and recognizing the urgent need for evolved leadership — Robb offers a deep exploration of these complexities through the lens of integral theory.
An Integral Metatheory of Conservatism
Robb SmithIn a time of political upheaval and societal change, understanding the deeper currents that shape our worldviews is more crucial than ever. Join Robb Smith in this enlightening presentation recorded during our recent election watch party, where he delves into the rich tapestry of conservatism through the lens of integral theory.
Polarity Politics and the 2024 Election
Corey deVos and Mark FischlerCorey deVos and Mark Fischler explore the complexities of the 2024 U.S. presidential election through an integral lens, offering insights into how political polarization is shaped by systemic structures, and how these structures influence our individual psyches and sense-making. They introduce practical approaches for navigating political polarities, recognizing personal and collective shadows, and engaging in more nuanced political discourse.
Faces of X: Making Peace with the Culture War
Corey deVos and Stephanie LeppStephanie Lepp talks with Corey deVos about her Faces of X project, which models how we can transcend culture wars by integrating opposing perspectives. The discussion explores how the polarization we see in society mirrors unresolved polarities within ourselves, and emphasizes the need for both personal and social integration. This discussion highlights the limitations of binary thinking and the importance of synthesizing conflicting viewpoints to create more inclusive, nuanced solutions.
The Wonderful (But Flawed) Ideals of DEI
Keith Martin-Smith, Roger Walsh and John DupuyKeith Martin-Smith takes a careful look at the diversity, equity, and inclusion movement when he began to notice the damage it was causing people he knew under the guise of progress, or equity. Putting his keen mind to the task, Keith identified seven key areas where the DEI movement goes markedly astray from the values it aspires to.
The Myth of Evil: Why Polarities, Not Villains, Drive Injustice
Barry JohnsonBarry Johnson introduces the concept of polarity thinking, offering a revolutionary framework for addressing complex societal issues like poverty, racism, and climate change. Rather than viewing problems as having singular solutions or evil sources, Barry explains how mismanaged polarities—such as justice vs. mercy and freedom vs. equality—are at the heart of many dysfunctions. By adopting a both/and mindset, we can break vicious cycles, foster balance, and create more sustainable solutions in our personal and collective lives.
Introducing the Cultural Complexity Index
Brendan Graham Dempsey, Robb Smith and Josh LeonardThe Institute of Applied Metatheory recently chose to organize, fund and incubate a significant new Applied Metatheory Initiative called the Cultural Complexity Index, which we see as holding the potential to act as a high-leverage project for long-term social emancipation.
How America Got Here: A 50 Year Journey to Polarization
Robb Smith and Josh LeonardRobb Smith and Josh Leonard look at the deep structures — in the form of actual events, policies and decisions between 1970 and 2024 — that radically shifted America from one form of system “regime” and associated equilibrium, that of relative national coherence in the early 1970s, into a new, radically- and qualitatively-different regime and equilibrium of extreme polarized decoherence of 2024.
Democracy in Decline? The Supreme Court and the Threat to Public Morality
Mark Fischler, Roger Walsh and John DupuyHow did the democratic process and the values it represents — equality and liberty for all — come to be teetering on the brink? Mark illuminates the fact that the Constitution is not a set-in-stone document, but eminently open to interpretation, and explains that its interpretation is a direct reflection of the worldviews of the Supreme Court justices. In fact, the whole process of democracy needs to be aligned with a certain level of development in order to deliver…
Reintegrating DEI: Beyond the Culture Wars
Keith Martin-SmithKeith Martin-Smith explains the developmental levels in detail that allowed DEI to form in the first place, as well as the levels from which DEI is often expressed (and resisted) from, allowing us to more clearly see and understand the cultural wars we are all experiencing.
Integral Diversity Maturity: Toward a Postconventional Understanding of Diversity Dynamics
Toni Gregory and Michael RaffantiThis article outlines the authors’ ongoing study of diversity, focusing particularly on the AQAL model as a linchpin in an evolving theory of “diversity maturity.” Recognizing the limitations of non-integral approaches to understanding and negotiating diversity dynamics, the authors explain how an integral perspectives come to inform their postconventional understanding. The authors share their preliminary theory of the diversity maturity process in which the integral vision/theory that unites diversity, complexity, and creativity is the dynamic relationship among and between quadrants, levels, lines, states, and types. The article concludes with an agenda for further theoretical and empirical inquiry.
Healing the Infosphere: How Integral Journalism Can Elevate Public Discourse
Stefan Schultz and Corey deVosCorey deVos talks to Stefan Schultz, a journalist at Der Spiegel magazine, about his model for integral journalism that he has been developing over the past few years. This model, staggering in both its depth and its breadth, examines journalism and media literacy through a developmental lens, looking at how the infosphere shapes society and how journalism can positively influence this process.
The Seven Deadly Sins of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion)
Keith Martin-SmithJoin Keith Martin-Smith as we question whether DEI initiatives are achieving their intended goals of increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion, or whether they may be perpetuating any number of unseen biases that take us further away from those shared goals. Are we oversimplifying the narrative around privilege and diversity? How do factors like poverty impact issues like police violence? How might we rethink and reshape the DEI discourse, moving towards more skillful (and more integral) approaches?
Bringing Soul and Integrity to American Politics
Marianne Williamson, John Dupuy and Roger WalshMore than a political talk, Marianne reveals a psychological and spiritual portrait of the United States, referencing the brilliant vision of our founding fathers, Martin Luther King’s goal of Beloved Community, and telling a stirring story of the way Abraham Lincoln’s second inauguration reflects the high morality of the populace at that time.
Between Hope and History: An Integral View on Israel-Palestine
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark Fischler and Corey deVos bring some integral perspective to the Israel-Palestine conflict, navigating the multiple nested contexts that make this issue one of the most enduring and complex in modern history. The conversation explores the critical tensions between different historical legacies, cultural identities, and political intricacies, all contributing to a seemingly intractable conflict that defies simplistic narratives. With deep compassion and empathy, Mark and Corey acknowledge the ongoing violence and suffering experienced by people on both sides, underscoring the urgent need for solutions that address these deep-rooted issues.
Revolutionary Social Transformation
Ken WilberThis never-before published essay by Ken Wilber delves into the intricate dynamics of societal evolution, emphasizing the interplay between technological advancements, cultural worldviews, and governance systems.
Buddhas in Blue: Enlightened Ways to Make Policing Work For Everyone
Ryan Johansen, Chris Orrey, Roger Walsh and John DupuyIn this moving, illuminating, and impassioned discussion, retired Police Lt. Chris Orrey and San Bruno Police Chief Ryan Johansen open our eyes as to the realities of policing in today’s world and offer solutions as to how the entire institution of police work could be transformed to become more effective and sustainable, both for police officers and for the communities they serve.
Meta-Ideological Politics: Bridging the Gaps Between Us
Ryan NakadeRyan’s presentation delves into the complex nature of ideology and its profound impact on our perceptions, interactions, and behaviors. He underscores the human brain’s inherent tendency to seek patterns, elucidating how ideologies aid us in deciphering the world but can also misguide us. Ryan describes the three definitions of “meta” he uses to elucidate the concept of meta-ideological politics: “meta” as transcending, “meta” as between, and “meta” as self-aware or self-referential.
From Socrates to Social Media: Renewing Our Commitment to Free Speech
Nadine Strossen, Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark Fischler and Corey deVos are joined by Nadine Strossen, a renowned advocate for free speech and former president of the ACLU, to traverse the rich history and the evolving frontier of free speech — a legacy that reaches from the philosophical debates of ancient Greece to today’s dynamic platforms of social media. Together, Nadine, Mark, and Corey illuminate the journey of free speech (a crowning achievement of the rational/modern (Orange) stage) celebrating it as a beacon of individual rights and a testament to the unyielding human pursuit of truth and expression.
Diversity, Empathy, and Integration: Reframing and Reclaiming a Movement Toward Healing and Wholeness
Brad KershnerBrad Kershner offers a deep and detailed criticism of standard DEI approaches (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion), highlighting the complexities of ethnicity, race, and cultural evolution. He challenges prevailing educational metaphors grounded in the postmodern perspective, advocating for a more universal application of modern liberal values, and emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding to forge a more genuine and generative path forward for social justice.
Building a Just World: How Our Laws Express Our Collective Values
Mark Fischler, John Dupuy and Roger WalshConstitutional law expert and criminal justice professor Mark Fischler has a thirst for justice and a gift for teaching. With cogency and passion, Mark explains that law is not the absolute that we perhaps thought, but an ever changing reflection of the values we hold as a society. Law is a developmental process, and will benefit from our own dedication to inner moral development.
Peace, Love, and Politics: A Campaign to Transform America
Marianne Williamson, Mark Fischler and Corey deVosIn this episode of Integral Justice Warrior we are joined by special guest, longtime friend, and Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson to take an inside look at her campaign and the core principles of love, peace, and compassion that it is built upon.
Accountability Matters: A Call for Ethics, Empathy, and Equality
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosIn this thought-provoking podcast discussion, Mark Fischler and Corey deVos delve into the intricacies of Trump’s legal battles, the pursuit of accountability in politics, and the complexities of maintaining empathy and justice in a polarized society.
Taking Justice Personally
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey offer an intimate sharing of their personal stories, reflecting on some of the most formative experiences in their own lives that influenced their interest and enactment of justice. It is a tender and heartfelt conversation that we hope not only allows you to better understand their own passions and perspectives, but also invites you to reflect in a similar way on the critical fulcrums in your own life, and how these experiences continue to shape your standards of goodness, integrity, and justice.
Ranked Choice Voting: A Path Toward a More Integral Politics
Jim AnestRanked choice voting (RCV) is a practice that offers considerable promise by creating and protecting a more civil commons where more perspectives are included, respect is encouraged, coercion and distortion are minimized, and intersubjective bridging is rewarded.
Abortion, Freedom, and the Sanctity of Life
Cindy Wigglesworth, Corey deVos and Mark FischlerWatch as Cindy Wigglesworth, Mark Fischler, and Corey deVos take a careful look at the Supreme Court’s deeply controversial decision to overrule Roe vs. Wade, and the subsequent banning of abortion access in dozens of states across the country. How does something like the sanctity of life change from one developmental stage to another? How do integral “metaphysics of wholeness” inform our views? Watch to find out.
Has the Supreme Court Lost Its Way?
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosWatch as Mark and Corey discuss the legitimacy crisis the Court is now faced with, the dangers of an “originalist” reading of the U.S. Constitution, and the failure of the left to produce a coherent legal theory to steer the Court (and the rest of the country) toward a better, more inclusive, and more stable vision of democracy.
Armed Insanity: Getting Real About Guns and Criminality
Jeff SalzmanJeff Salzman shares our collective outrage and heartbreak over the shooting of the Texas schoolchildren and teachers, and offesr some hope that this time it will be different, that this shooting will heighten a social pain-point – unstable young men equipped with weapons of war – sufficiently to transcend political polarities.
Integral Critical Theory: The 8 Zones of Racism
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen and Corey continue their discussion of the 8 critical zones of integral metatheory, and apply them to the ongoing cultural conversation taking place around race, racism, and other kinds of bigotry that we continue to see in the world. This discussion is a great opportunity to not only learn more about these 8 primordial perspectives that are available to us, but also to see how they can be applied to social and cultural challenges and “wicked problems” such as these.
Integral Political Economy
Kevin BowmanAn integral political-economic framework is developed first with a quadrant analysis of the economy. The analysis contains a novel separation by quadrant of the effects that either encourage or discourage economic development. It is then shown what quadrant aspects are recognized or emphasized by liberals and conservatives. A review of the Integral approach to capital then allows for the integration of the radical view. Political-economic understanding is then proposed as a learning line of development where conservative, liberal, or radical emphasis in agents is associated with their political-economic personality types. Distinctions are made between less and more mature versions of each type. Finally, an immature/mature fallacy is discovered where more mature views are often mistakenly reduced to less mature versions of that type by less mature views of another type.
Toward an Integral Analysis of the Iraq Crisis
Gregory WilpertThis article analyzes pro- and anti-war arguments and situates each within an all-quadrant, all-level perspective. I evaluate each perspective according to its probable sincerity, given that some arguments covered deeper, unarticulated interests. This analysis considers the intended and unintended consequences of warring or abstaining on various scales: global, regional, and national. Finally, I argue that an Integral perspective can recommend actions in an ideal scenario and a real world scenario.
An Integral Approach to Constitutional Interpretation
Mark FischlerThe following article outlines the major approaches to constitutional interpretation and explains how either approach on its own ultimately leads to a narrow and incomplete understanding of the law, which ignores the rich reality that both interior and exterior perspectives carry. The author will introduce Integral Legal Theory as a method of interpretation that will allow each perspective its day in court while offering coherence to a jurisprudence gone slightly mad.
Beyond the Culture War: Consciousness Evolves, Politics Can Too
Steve McIntosh, Roger Walsh and John DupuySteve McIntosh outlines an extraordinary framework to make sense of our political conflicts—extraordinary in that it points to ways through and out of our persistent polarity consciousness. Steve convincingly argues our opportunity is right now: to create a synthesis, a cooperative agreement space, that transcends and includes thesis and antithesis, left and right, individual and community.
Integral Journalism in the Disinformation Age
Stefan Schultz and Corey deVosStefan Schultz is a journalist for Der Spiegel magazine since 2008, and a student of integral theory since 2018. In this fun and far-ranging discussion, Corey deVos talks to Stefan about his own integral approach to journalism, taking a careful look at the primary methods and motivations of journalism we see at each major stage of development. They then go on to suggest what a more integral form of journalism might look like, while also exploring a number of related topics — the role of art and aesthetics in journalism, the distinction between orthodox and heterodox sources of information, the collapse of legitimacy in our media institutions, and much more.
An Overview of Integral International Development
Gail HochachkaInternational development is a diverse field attempting to address some of the most pressing global problems facing humanity today. Although the field has come a long way over the past five decades, it is far from perfect. In this article, Gail Hochachka discusses how the quadrants, lines, and levels of Integral Theory assist in this ongoing refinement of international development practice.
Ukrainian Integral Perspectives on the Ongoing Invasion of Ukraine
Kateryna Yasko, Vytautas Bučiūnas and John DupuyKateryna Yasko and Vytautas Bučiūnas crossed the border into Lithuania three days before this conversation took place, after a five-day exodus from Kyiv, following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This conversation is a call for action and support of the incredibly brave Ukrainian people, and illuminates their willingness to fight to the death to throw out the invaders who are there to crush their freedom and make Ukraine a colony of Putin’s Russia.
Polarization, Being Woke, the Universal Agenda, Mindfulness Going Bad, and the Integral Vision
Jeff Salzman, John Dupuy and Roger WalshCulture wars, polarization, discernment versus condemnation, how our psychological development determines political attitudes and values, and how Integral perspectives help us understand them all. A candid conversation, ranging from global current events to personal spiritual turning points, with endearing, brilliant, and optimistic Integral pundit Jeff Salzman.
What Is Integral Justice?
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey go back to basics by returning to some of the guiding principles running through the series — namely, how to enact justice in all four quadrants in order to support more equal opportunities and more equal outcomes, while reducing suffering for the greatest number of people.
Justice Breyer, Originalism, and the Engine of Enfoldment
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey take a look at the life, legacy, and retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, and what distinguished his judgements and legal philosophy from other Supreme Court Justices. We then examine the legal doctrine of “originalism” — the idea that our founding documents should only be interpreted according to the specific contexts and understandings of the time they were written.
Integrating Power
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen and Corey take an in-depth look at the multiple kinds of power we find in all four quadrants — interior and exterior power, individual and collective power — as they are expressed up and down the spiral of development.
What is the Problem with Progressivism?
Ken Wilber and Bert ParleeKen Wilber and Bert Parlee explore the many faults and fractures of political progressivism today, as they simultaneously call for more integral forms of progressive thought that are actually capable of meeting the increasingly complex life conditions we are all facing today.
Wicked Problems: Bringing Wisdom and Compassion to Immigration
Magdalena Smieszek, Mark Fischler and Corey deVosImmigration matters have been viewed by many as a “wicked problem” — implying a complexity that has sets of values in tension, something societies have dealt with since the very dawn of civilization itself. Watch as Magdalena, Mark, and Corey offer their own ideas and reflect on the reasons this issue has become one of the central fault lines in the culture wars.
Integral Politics: A Spiritual Third Way
Gregory WilpertIn this time of ideological upheaval, when the old ideologies of left and right, of socialism, liberalism, and conservatism, no longer capture the political imagination as they once did, new political visions are required. Some have tried to formulate a “third way” between social democracy and conservatism. Others have proposed a more spiritually-oriented approach to transcend left and right. In what follows, Gregory Wilpert presents another vision — Integral Politics, based on Integral Theory.
Afghanistan: Meeting at the Crossroads of Complexity, Chaos, and Compassion
Magdalena Smieszek, Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMagdalena, Mark, and Corey try to bring a bit more wisdom and compassion to the topic of America’s occupation and withdrawal from Afghanistan, while holding a space for all the complexity, chaos, and heartbreak that is flooding our awareness.
Inhabit: Your Wokeness
Corey deVos and Ryan OelkeRyan and Corey invite all of us to inhabit our own most embodied “post-woke” leadership, allowing us to recognize and rescue the most important babies of “social justice” from the bathwater of political extremism.
What’s Wrong With Policing in America?
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosWhy do we see so many cases of apparent police abuse being recorded so frequently, but punished so rarely? What are some possible solutions that can help create more social trust for our police organizations, and a more peaceful society for all of us? Watch as Mark and Corey take a careful look at the Derek Chauvin verdict — and at the state of policing itself in America — as they offer their own personal views and try to sort through the conflicting narratives surrounding this tragically controversial cultural fault line.
From Woke to Awake: An Intersectionality of Perspective
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey have a rich and far-reaching discussion about our present political realities and challenges, dedicating the first half of the discussion to some of the major headlines from the last few weeks, and then exploring ways to elevate “woke culture” into a genuine “post-woke” integral sensibility.
Biden’s First Month, Trump’s Second Impeachment, and Cancelling Cancel Culture
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosHow is the Biden Presidency going so far? Will Donald Trump be convicted in the Senate for his impeachment trial? Now that the political left has regained tentative control of our government, what do we do about “cancel culture” and other illiberal tendencies coming from the left? Watch this latest episode of Integral Justice Warrior as Mark and Corey shine a light upon these three questions.
Insurrection, Censorship, and Madness
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey take an in-depth look at the heart-breaking events at the Capitol, offering their own full-spectrum response to this American travesty. They also discuss the response coming from corporations such as Google, Twitter, and Facebook, who are now beginning to purge their platforms of far-right voices and Q anon supporters. Is censorship ever the right thing to do? If you think you have a simple answer to the question, you might be missing something important.
Inhabit: Your Trust
Corey deVos and Ryan OelkeRyan and Corey take a deep dive into the wicked problem of social trust, looking at this meta-crisis through each of the four quadrants while suggesting some key practices and perspectives within each quadrant that can help us restore our trust in each other, in our institutions, in ourselves, and in the grand evolutionary unfolding itself.
Supreme Court, Systemic Racism, and Sea Monsters
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosMark and Corey discuss the state of Trump’s challenges to the election results (e.g. “The Kraken”), the recent Supreme Court decision around religious liberties in the face of a pandemic, and what it says about Amy Coney Barrett’s future tenure as Supreme Court Justice, and whether Joe Biden’s plans to address racial justice are coming from healthy liberal values and methods of enforcement, or from unhealthy illiberal (woke) values and enforcement.
Putting the Pieces Back Together
Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVosCorey and Keith discuss the psychological and cultural aftermath of the 2020 Presidential Election, and the integral work ahead of us to help put the fragmented pieces of our society back together in the post-Trump era.
Inhabit: Your Election
Ryan Oelke and Corey deVosWatch as Ryan and Corey reflect on the results of the 2020 Presidential Election, exploring its implications for the world and within our own hearts, while also creating a space where we can begin to release some of the fears and anxieties many of us have been struggling with during these chaotic and uncertain times.
Divided Minds, Divided Societies: How ILP Can Help Heal Social Division
Robb SmithIn this compilation of highlights from Divided Minds, Divided Societies: How ILP Can Help Heal Social Division, Integral Life CEO Robb Smith’s session at our recent exhale online retreat, Robb argues that it is partly our responsibility to help others reduce their fears in a world that’s getting more complex and feels more threatening to tens of millions of people — particularly those at earlier stages of development, education and openness.
Integral Panel: Post-Election Wrap-Up
Corey deVos, Jeff Salzman, Cindy Wigglesworth, Mark Fischler and Ryan OelkeJoin Corey deVos, Jeff Salzman, Cindy Wigglesworth, Ryan Oelke, and Mark Fischler as we explore some of the deeper implications of the 2020 election results through a more integral lens.
Inhabit: Your Democracy
Corey deVos and Ryan OelkeIn this very special episode of Inhabit, Ryan and Corey focus on one of the most essential elements of any Integral Life Practice — directly engaging your democratic systems and showing up at the polls to cast your vote.
Mindfulness, Psychotherapy, and Politics
Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVosDr. Keith and Corey lead a fascinating discussion that brings us to the heart of psychotherapy, mindfulness, and spiritual awakening, and then apply this transformational wisdom to the social and political challenges we are surrounded by.
Inhabit: Your Resistance
Justin Miles, Corey deVos and Ryan OelkeSpiritual conversations often emphasize the importance of overcoming our resistance and accepting the world for what it is, exactly as it is. However, there are times when we don’t need to overcome our resistance, we need to fully inhabit our resistance. We can’t simply accept what is, we need to put ourselves on the line for what can and should be. How can we bring more mindfulness, skillfulness, and embodiment to our resistance, even while seeing everything as always-already perfect?
The Transformation Age: America Burning
Robb SmithAmerica has been on fire these past few weeks. A nation struggling with its racist past, its contemporary racial shadow, its deep political and cultural polarization, and a divisive president who will never be capable of leading a nation, we continue to find ourselves in the heart of The Great Release (and this time, not from an economic depression or disease pandemic, but from our deep and terrible racist heritage). In this brief article, I want to use a few lenses of integral metatheory—concepts you’ll be familiar with, but applied in ways you’ve never seen before—to see if we can get a broader view of what’s happening.
#EnoughIsEnough: Overcoming Racism in America
Diane Musho Hamilton, Greg Thomas, Mark Palmer, Gabe Wilson, Rob McNamara and Corey deVosIn light of the recent violent deaths of three black Americans — Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd — at the hands of current and former police officers in the United States, we wanted to deepen our discussion of race and racism and how we as Integralists can contribute to change by becoming powerful anti-racists in our own circles of influence.
Inhabit: Your Truth
Corey deVos and Ryan OelkeRyan and Corey devote an episode to the theme of fully inhabiting, embodying, and enacting truth — how to find it, how to wield it, and how to avoid the false certainties fed to us by both mainstream and fringe media. They don’t try to tell you what to believe, but rather try to help you avoid overly identifying with the contents of our views and to liberate yourself from your beliefs, whatever they happen to be.
Corona, Climate, and Crashes: Welcome to the Transformation Age
Robb Smith and Corey deVosRobb Smith and Corey deVos explore the rising disruption caused by a brand new set of global life conditions emerging across the planet, why only an integral sensibility is capable of managing these many challenges and crises, and how we can begin to cultivate the inner resilience and anti-fragility we need in order to endure and even thrive in the midst of extreme volatility.
Inhabit: Your Politics
Ryan Oelke and Corey deVosRyan and Corey explore ways to bring more embodied awareness and skillful discernment to our political lives, overcoming the corrosive and often paralyzing effects that both our cynicism and our idealism can have upon our political decisions and our willingness to engage our most fundamental civic responsibilities.
Integral Social Justice
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosIn this stunning 3 hour discussion, Ken Wilber offers his own views around healthy and unhealthy forms of social justice, praising the healthy and legitimate efforts to enact social justice over the generations while noting how much of today’s broken discourse around social justice is helping to perpetuate multiple forms of injustice.
Considering Otto Scharmer’s “Axial Shift” Political Theory
Dr. Keith Witt and Jeff SalzmanMany integralists are fans of Otto Scharmer, MIT professor and developer of “Theory U”, a brilliant tool for activating higher stages of consciousness that has gained wide acceptance in organizations.
Speaking and Listening From the Heart
Diane Musho Hamilton and Corey deVosDiane and Corey are joined by Gabe Wilson and Kim Loh, co-authors of Diane’s new book Compassionate Conversations, in this far-ranging discussion about growth, empathy, dignity, and integrity. Join us as we unpack one of the primary polarities at the core of Diane’s book — the polarity between sameness and difference — and how we can draw upon both our uniqueness and our commonalities in our pursuit for social justice and our efforts to reduce suffering within us, between us, and outside of us.
Wicked Problems: Gun Violence
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosIn this exclusive series, Ken and Corey take an in-depth look at America’s ongoing struggle with gun violence, using the four quadrants to track many of the most critical and commonly-blamed factors, conditions, and causes that seem to be contributing to this terribly wicked problem.
Campaign Closeup: Marianne, Bernie, and More Mayor Pete!
Corey deVos and Jeff SalzmanThe Democratic field for US president is taking shape fast. Today I have a freewheeling conversation with Corey deVos of Integral Life about our impressions of the emerging landscape, with a special focus on Marianne Williamson, Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg.
Mayor Pete’s X-Factor: Could It Be Integral Consciousness?
Jeff SalzmanIn less than three months, Pete Buttigieg, the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend Indiana, (population 102,000), has gone from political anonymity to the top tier of candidates in the Democratic race for president of the United States. What accounts for Mayor Pete’s blast out of the political gate?
Doing Justice: Integral Law and the Mueller Report
Mark Fischler and Corey deVosIn this new monthly series with Mark Fischler, we take a look at some of the most pressing and most complex issues of our time through the lens of Integral Law. In this special premiere episode Mark describes his own background, how he arrived at this fascinating intersection between the integral world and the legal world, and what exactly he means by the phrase “integral law”. Mark and Corey then turn their attention to the big story of our day — the Mueller report — offering their own views about the investigation, Attorney General William Barr’s summary of Mueller Report, and how this story might play out in the weeks and months to come.
On the Front Line of the Culture War — Give Me Some Real Examples, Not Just Theories!
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosWatch as Ken and Corey offer their views on some of the most controversial policy debates of our time, each of which has become a battle line in our constantly escalating culture wars.
The Baby and the Bathwater: Saving Liberalism
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosIn this episode of The Ken Show we explore five themes near and dear to the liberal heart — tolerance, nonviolence, power, privilege, and gender — celebrating the healthy aspects of each that we want to include in a more integral embrace, while weeding out the unhealthy regressive narratives that most of these have devolved into.
Beyond the Nation-State: Globalism, Plutocracy, and the Integral World Federation
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen and Corey explore how today’s transnational challenges and realities may be hastening humanity’s eventual growth toward increasingly inclusive and global forms of governance, what government might look like at the level of the global holon, and how we might actually be able to get there from here.
The Major and Minor Scales of Integral Politics
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen Wilber and Corey deVos take an in-depth look at the “major and minor scales” of integral politics — an inventory of the most critical elements, polarities, and patterns of self-organization that are at play within all of the major political systems across the world, from the rise of civilization to today.
Integral Politics: Its Essential Ingredients
Ken WilberKen Wilber offers a summary of his integral political model, exploring the “major and minor scales” that inform and influence our major political orientations while suggesting a revolutionary path toward a far more integrated approach to politics and governance.
The Deconstruction of the World Trade Center
Ken WilberKen Wilber explores the many sorts of reactions people had to the tragedy of 9/11, and offers a theoretical framework within which a genuinely Integral approach to politics and governance might emerge.
From Polarization to Integration
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen Wilber and Corey deVos explore some of the causal factors behind so many of the regressive tendencies in our culture and politics these days, from new social pressures coming from social media technologies like Facebook, to the historic evolutionary trends that have formed and informed our major schools of political thought in the first place.
Immigration, Postmodernism, and Feminism: An Integral Reckoning
Ken Wilber and Corey deVosKen Wilber responds to questions about immigration, the dangerous excesses of the political right, and the regressive tendencies we are seeing in the postmodern left. Ken and Corey then offer a fascinating exploration of feminism and the need for both men and women to better harmonize the public sphere of politics, career, and religion with the private sphere of family, hearth, and home.
What’s MY News?
David RiordanIn this series of dispatches I’m going attempt to give you a basic premier about what is changing about the news. Then I am going to continue to track this story as it continues to emerge.
Big Data in Little China
Robb Smith, Ross Hostetter and Jeff SalzmanAre there fundamentally different ways for countries to progress into and through modernity? After all, the western model has been dominant for 200 years because of its success in doing so. But might Big Data — as controlled either by strong central states, private monopolistic businesses, or both — allow new forms of social regulation that can drive the evolution of non-western societies into modern values and beyond?
Change the Rules: New Structures to Drain the Swamp
Jeff SalzmanJeff visits with integralist Tom Curren, who has launched a new non-profit initiative with the goal to change the rules of the American political system.
The War Among Progressives
Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosToday Jeff and Corey take a close look at an fantastic new article by Valerie Tarico, published to Alternet with the title “Here’s Why Some Progressives Are Tearing Each Other Apart”. In the article Tarico argues that today’s left is largely split into two major factions, each of whom are operating with two very different narratives around social progress and our collective wellbeing.
Conspiracy in the Age of Aperspectival Madness
Corey deVos and Terry PattenCorey deVos and Terry Patten attempt to navigate to the endless web of conspiracy theories with some degree of wisdom and discernment, and to bring a small dose of sanity to the dangerous epidemic of aperspectival madness that is flooding through our world.
What Jordan Peterson (and His Fans and Foes) Can Learn from Integral Theory
Jeff SalzmanThrough subsequent postings critical of “leftist radicals,” Jordan Peterson has become a hero for advocates of free speech, and a idol to people who are opposed to the postmodern promulgation of multiculturalism and gender fluidity. So where does Peterson fit in the integral schema? In these two episodes of the Daily Evolver Jeff examines Peterson’s message as expressed through his book and his most popular lectures and interviews.
A New War for Power
Robb SmithBlack Lives Matter. MeToo. North Korea. Robert Mueller. Fake news. What do these and dozens of other headlines have in common? Join Robb as he explains how they all point to a new war for power that is currently underway: how power is being used and misused, how power is changing, and who will have power when the momentous leap into the transformation age is done.
Never Been Better, Never Felt Worse: Inside the Rise of an Integral Global Operating System for the 21st Century
Robb SmithIntegral Life CEO Robb Smith puts the tumult of 2016 into historical perspective and looks ahead at the “momentous leap into the transformation age” that he believes is underway right now. Taking a long view of history, evolutionary dynamics, culture and economics, Robb argues that we’re at the peak of a Green, pluralistic global operating system, with Orange modernism slipping into our rearview mirror, and Teal integralism just beginning to emerge, holding all the promise of overcoming the evolutionary contradictions that gave rise to populism and leaders like Donald Trump.
The Emergence of a New Activism
Elizabeth DeboldAt this historical moment, as the stakes with climate change and the pressure to regress accelerate across the planet, consciousness work at a collective level may hold new potential for change. What would it mean to hold this realization, not as a deep personal truth, but as a call to action? This is the essence of a new activism.
The Path Ahead: Politics, Globalism, and You
Ken WilberKen Wilber offers an extensive presentation to help us better understand the evolutionary pressures that led to the rise of Trump and the backlash against progressivism, and offers his own ideas around the future of the global economy.
Finding Greater Resilience in the Trump Era
Dr. Keith Witt and Jeff SalzmanDr. Keith Witt talks to Jeff Salzman about the ramifications today’s polarized politics are having upon people’s psychological health, and the strategies you need to become more resilient — and less reactive — to the many stresses of our time.
Mueller, Trump & Collusion: The Rule of Law Pushes Back
Robb Smith, Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosIn today’s Daily Evolver Jeff, Corey and Robb look at today’s groundbreaking headlines to explain how Red and Amber-centered populism, led by President Trump, gained power in order to combat the stagnation brought on by too much cultural and economic power consolidated in too few hands. Today, with indictments being leveled at three people working for the Trump campaign (one of which confirmed collusion with the Russian government), the Orange, Constitutionally-centered rule of law fought back.
Building Bridges: How to Talk to Trump Supporters
Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosIn the wake of the Trump election, many progressives are realizing that one way forward is to reach out to their political opponents, at least to establish a basic human connection. Today Jeff looks at four recent attempts to do that: by comedian Sarah Silverman, philosopher George Lakoff, Vox political correspondent Liz Plank and New York Times columnist David Brooks. Corey also adds some of his own integral tips for good interpersonal hygiene.
How to Vote Integral
Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosIn a political system that is so polarized and seemingly rife with conflict between irreconcilable views, how do we make the best and most integrally-informed choices possible?
The Republic Fights Back (And Even Some Republicans!)
Jeff Salzman and Corey deVosHave American conservatives finally had enough of this Donald Trump guy?
Move Fast and Break Things: Are Facebook, Amazon, and Google Hacking Our Democracy?
Jonathan Taplin and David RiordanA hot topic in the 2016 election was the business and targeting practices of the tech giants Facebook, Google, and Amazon and their possibly corrosive effects upon democracy. One of the excellent new books on this subject is Jonathan Taplin’s Move Fast and Break Things – How Facebook, Google and Amazon Cornered Culture and Undermined Democracy. Jonathan’s book does a really great job tracing the motivations of their founders as they morphed from startup tech innovators to dominant tech monopolies.
Beyond Polarization and White Nationalism: Embracing Our Deeper American Identity
Greg Thomas and Mark FormanGreg Thomas and Dr. Mark Forman dive more deeply into the unique perspective of Ralph Ellison (renowned author of Invisible Man) and his unparalleled value in our time of national crisis.
Finding Sanity in the Post-Truth Era
Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVosDr. Keith Witt talks about our shared emotional reactions to the election and ongoing cultural upheavals, and some strategies help us not only cope, but actually grow through these times.
Inside the Great Release
Robb SmithJoin Integral Life co-founder Robb Smith as he explains the current historical moment as a natural and predictable backlash against the twin dominance of the right-leaning Multinational Capital Holon in economics and the left-leaning Multicultural Culture Holon in culture since the 1970s.
The Great Release
Robb SmithRising populism and the election of President Trump are symptoms of massive irresilience that has been building in the U.S.-led world state since 1945, and may reflect the end of the fourth cycle of economic hegemony of the past 800 years. The Great Recession of 2008 was just a tremor. We wind toward a coming global breakdown, a great release that threatens regression across our lives.
The State of the World 2017: The Wake of Trump
Jim Garrison and Ken WilberJim Garrison and Ken Wilber offer a post-election report on the rise of Donald Trump and the implications for the future, as well as the many failures among the liberal leading edge that contributed to Trump’s election.
Trump and a Post-Truth World
Ken WilberThe election of Donald Trump is an evolutionary self-correction that has been decades in the making, a backlash against the failure of the leading edge of consciousness–postmodernism and pluralism–to acknowledge the lie underlying the progress they’ve pursued: it’s not equal, it’s not consistent and it doesn’t make room for everyone. But a new integral force is emerging that can move beyond the narcissism and nihilism of political correctness to offer genuine leadership and a move towards a developmental-based wisdom of greater wholeness.
Integral Without Borders: International Development in a Post-Trump World
Gail Hochachka, Paul van Schaik and Ken WilberHow might the integral framework help facilitate healthy growth and sustainabilty in developing societies around the planet? Gail Hochachka and Paul van Schaik talk to Ken Wilber about how Integral Without Borders is actively working to meet people’s struggles and challenges head-on and help them to gain more perspective and better adapt to their present circumstances. Gail, Paul, and Ken also discuss the earth-shaking election of Donald Trump, the social trends that carried him into the Presidency, and how his election might impact the further unfolding of integral consciousness around the world.
The Great Divide
Robb SmithPopulism is on the rise. Too many people feel left out of the march of prosperity and more people than ever believe that the future will not see their kids better off than they are today. The rich get richer while the middle class remains stagnant. There is a growing and robust backlash to political correctness and immigration. And artificial intelligence threatens to make the coming jobs war even worse than previously anticipated…
The End of Politics: How Crowdocracy Can Transform Our Government (And Save Us From Ourselves)
Alan Watkins and Ken WilberIs democracy too broken to handle the world’s most wicked problems? If so, what’s the alternative? Listen as Alan Watkins shares his own vision of the future of politics and governance — a vision that is as practical as it is inspiring, and one that might be exactly what we need to help us carry our 250-year old democratic experiment into the 21st century.
ISIS: A Crisis of Modernity
Amir Ahmad Nasr and Ken WilberOur good friend Amir Ahmad Nasr, author of the provocative book My Isl@m: How Fundamentalism Stole My Mind—and Doubt Freed My Soul, recently wrote a wonderful article for Medium.com that offers one of the most complete assessments we’ve seen on the rise of ISIS and its implications for the rest of the world. Listen as Amir and Ken take an in-depth look at the many important truths surfaced by this remarkable article.
The Rise of the Cosmopolitan: Four Steps to Build a Better Democracy
Jack Crittenden and Ken WilberLongtime friends and colleagues Jack Crittenden and Ken Wilber explore a higher-order thought process known as dialectical dialogue, a powerful tool to help bridge the enormous gulf that exists between the many conflicting and entrenched perspectives, values, and ideologies found in modern politics.
Discovering an Integral Civic Consciousness in a Global Age
John BunzlIn an age of global crisis, why does the idea of global governance remain a such a taboo topic? Here John Bunzl posits a civic line of development, suggesting only those possessing a worldcentric level of civic awareness can fully comprehend global problems and the need for binding global governance.
Building a Global Democracy
John Bunzl and Ken WilberJohn Bunzl and Ken Wilber take a look at some of the most difficult obstacles in the way of creating a genuine integral global government, how this world government might function, and how we just might be able to get there from here.
The Spectrum of Political Thought
Ken WilberMore than ever, the world is in need of a new political vision — one that fully honors the brilliant multi-perspectival mechanics of modern democracy, allowing various forms of political thought to inform and influence our decision making, while avoiding the paralysis of ideological gridlock that has become the new norm for American governance.
The Dangers of “One Person, One Vote”
Ken WilberDemocracy is inherently a world-centric system of governance, and “one person, one vote” an ideal way to enact the democratic process. But if the majority of the voters have not themselves achieved a world-centric level of consciousness, it begins to fall apart pretty quickly.
Integral Trans-Partisan Politics
Ken WilberWe do not live in two Americas, but in a single America composed of at least four or five different sets of values, all crammed together into a two-party political system that is becoming increasingly incapable of representing these wildly different perspectives. Many are beginning to recognize this systemic inadequacy and are searching for a genuinely integrative “Third Way” politics.
America as Empire: Politics in the 21st Century
Jim Garrison and Ken WilberKen Wilber and chairman and president of the State of the World Forum Jim Garrison discuss the increasingly dangerous crises happening around the globe, America’s transition from republic to empire, and the capacity for Integral consciousness to face the precarious challenges of the 21st century head-on.
The Integral Transpartisan Imperative
James Turner and Ken WilberJames Turner, a founding pioneer in Integral forms of law, politics, and federal regulation, talks with Ken about his days with Ralph Nader, 18th-century American political history, the essential ingredients of an Integral approach to politics, and the true meaning of “trans-partisanism”.
Nonviolence, Genocide, and the Quest for a U.S. Department of Peace
Marianne Williamson and Bert ParleeAcclaimed author, lecturer, and Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson discusses the Spirit of passive resistance.
A World in Crisis: Practicing For Peace
Deepak Chopra and Ken WilberAIDS, global warming, terrorism—how do we respond in an Integral way? Few issues are as crucial as those discussed in this conversation. And almost nothing is more important than meeting the world’s problems with truly integral consciousness and action. In a world gone slightly mad, how do we begin to cultivate sanity and peace? One of the world’s most successful spiritual teachers offers his own answers….