Spiral Dynamics is a dynamic model of human development and development of memes carrying systems - such as a social network, society or company - introduced in the 1996 book Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck and Chris Cowan. The book was based on the 1970s theories of psychologist Clare W. Graves.
Spiral Dynamics argues that human nature is not fixed: humans are able, when forced by life conditions, to adapt to their environment by constructing new, more complex, conceptual models of the world that allow them to handle the new problems. Each new model transcends and includes all previous models. According to Beck and Cowan, these conceptual models are organized around so-called memes (pronounced "v memes"): systems of core values or collective intelligences, applicable to both individuals and entire cultures.
In spiral dynamics, the term meme refers to a core value system, acting as an organizing principle, which expresses itself through memes (self-propagating ideas, habits, or cultural practices). The superscript letter v indicates these are not basic memes but value systems which include them. The colors act as reminders for the life conditions and mind capacities of each system and alternate between cool and warm colors as a part of the model. Within the model, individuals and cultures do not fall clearly in any single category (color). Each person/culture embodies a mixture of the value patterns, with varying degrees of intensity in each. Spiral Dynamics claims not to be a linear or hierarchical model.
According to Spiral Dynamics, there are infinite stages of progress and regression over time, dependent upon the life circumstances of the person or culture, which are constantly in flux. Attaining higher stages of development is not synonymous with attaining a "better" or "more correct" values system. All stages co-exist in both healthy and unhealthy states, meaning any stage of development can lead to undesirable outcomes with respect to the health of the human and social environment.
First-tier vMemes
First-tier value-systems Memes (vMEMEs) are focused on different themes for existence and include almost all of the worldviews, cultures, and mental attitudes up to today. New systems build on adaptations of previous levels and seek to solve problems created by living in those earlier ways. Attaching concrete examples to these levels of psychological existence is difficult and often misleading because there can be multiple reasons for the same behavior and centralization in a single level regarding all aspects of living is rare. Some advocates of spiral dynamics argue that these are ways of thinking about things, not types of people. Spiral Dynamics explicitly defines a category of people labeled "spiral wizards" who have attained equilibrium around "higher-level" vMEMEs.
Memes at this tier are considered to be "The Levels of Subsistence".
Beige
"Survival/Sense. The Instinctive MEME
:
:* Automatic, autistic, reflexive
:* Centers around satisfaction
:* Driven by deep brain programs, instincts and genetics
:* Little awareness of self as a distinct being (undifferentiated)
:* Lives "off the land" much as other animals
:* Minimal impact on or control over environment"
Purple
"Kin Spirits. The Clannish MEME
:* Obey desires of the mystical spirit beings
:* Show allegiance to elders, custom, clan
:* Preserve sacred places, objects, rituals
:* Bond together to endure and find safety
:* Live in an enchanted, magical village
:* Seek harmony with nature's power"
Red
"PowerGods. The Egocentric MEME
:* In a world of haves and have-nots, it's good to be a have
:* Avoid shame, defend reputation, be respected
:* Gratify impulses and sense immediately
:* Fight remorselessly and without guilt to break constraints
:* Don't worry about consequences that may not come"
Blue
"TruthForce. The Purposeful MEME
:* Find meaning and purpose in living
:* Sacrifice self to the Way for deferred reward
:* Bring order and stability to all things
:* Control impulsivity and respond to guilt
:* Enforce principles of righteous living
:* Divine plan assigns people to their places"
Orange
"StriveDrive. The Strategic MEME
:* Strive for autonomy and independence
:* Seek out "the good life" and material abundance
:* Progress through searching out the best solutions
:* Enhance living for many through science and technology
:* Play to win and enjoy competition
:* Learning through tried-and-true experience"
Green
"HumanBond. The Relativistic MEME
:* Explore the inner beings of self and others
:* Promote a sense of community and unity
:* Share society's resources among all
:* Liberate humans from greed and dogma
:* Reach decisions through consensus
:* Refresh spirituality and bring harmony"
Second-tier vMemes
Spiral dynamics theory sees second-tier MEMEs as emerging levels that gradually move away from a focus on subsistence-level concerns of the first tier and towards a being-level existence. The existence of two different tiers of psychological development was introduced by the founder Graves. Cowan claims it is possible that Graves introduced the tier system as a marketing instrument. Cowan no longer supports the existence of two tiers but claims the only thing now known about the yellow and turquoise systems is that they are more complex versions of orange and green. The open-ended theory suggests that the levels Coral and beyond are not yet substantially formed and will solidify as a greater portion of society develops towards those MEMEs.
Turquoise
"GlobalView. The Holistic MEME
:* Blending and harmonizing a strong collective of individuals
:* Focus on the good of all living entities as integrated systems
:* Expanded use of human brain/mind tools and competencies
:* Self is part of larger, conscious, spiritual whole that also serves self
:* Global networking seen as routine
:* Acts for minimalist living so less actually is more"
Further development
The color system was added in the 1970s as a graphic element to decorate training materials used by Cowan and Beck. The term Meme was introduced by Beck and Cowan in Spiral Dynamics where the color language replaced original Graves terminology. Graves had used letter pairs to refer to each level and had not considered any connection with memetics. Beck and Cowan emphasized "change states" which are part of the Graves theory. They identify landmarks on the transformational path between the levels. Graves's original theory uses a double helix model to show the interrelatedness of an individual's perception of life conditions with their inner neuronal systems, producing a level of psychological existence. This double helix of two interacting forces is referred to as a spiral in Spiral Dynamics.
Following the release of their book, Beck and Cowan taught this theory in two courses, SD I (Spiral Dynamics 1) and SD II (Spiral Dynamics 2). They ceased their formal working relationship in 1999. Since this break, both have continued to offer training courses of various types as well as carrying out consultancy work. Beck spent several years applying the theory of spiral dynamics while working with individuals and groups in South Africa involved in the transition from Apartheid, for which he received a legislative honor from the state of Texas. Beck has continued to facilitate sessions using the model in both business and politics.
Beck and Ken Wilber (with his integral theory) became interested in each other's work, resulting in Beck developing a branch of spiral dynamics that he calls Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDi). This version of the theory uses integral concepts such as the four quadrants. Beck is also associated with the spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen. This approach continues to be applied and further developed in organizational and societal contexts.
Cowan does not subscribe to these developments and promotes a version of the theory which he describes as remaining more faithful to the original research of Clare Graves and extending from it. He continues to use the term "spiral dynamics" to describe his work since he co-created it. With his partner, Natasha Todorovic, he has undertaken work in integrating spiral dynamics with NLP and other models, and in developing corporate strategy and practical applications. He has also suggested an additional second-tier meme Coral which deals with the development of neurological capacities.
In 2013 after working with Beck for more than a decade in research and training at The Center for Human Emergence Middle East, cultural economist Said E. Dawlabani published MEMEnomics; The Next Generation Economic System (with a foreword by Beck). The book frames US economic history, present and future through the different levels of Spiral development and provides numerous examples and analysis that serve as real life applications of the value-systems framework. While his work provides for an evolutionary understanding to the field of economics, Dawlabani acknowledges that over 90% of global economic policies today are still driven by First Tier values. In his book, Dawlabani added a clarification to the MEME Attractor concept based on his experience with Beck. While Beck & Cowan referred to large meme groupings, such as religion, fashion, philosophy, etc.. as " MEME-attractors", Dawlabani re-branded these specialized meta-memes as General category Memes, or MEMEs for short, which gave continuity to the concept of memes for large scale applications such as the economics MEME. Beck considers Dawlabani's work a representation of the Third Generation Gravesian thinking.
In 2014 Elza Maalouf, Beck’s partner since 2003 who pioneered the use of Spiral Dynamics in the Middle East and co-founded the Center for Human Emerge Mideast
Pathologies
According to Don Edward Beck and Ken Wilber, each meme has both healthy and unhealthy versions. The pathologies are sometimes referred to as being "mean" as in "mean green MEME" (MGM) or "mean orange MEME" (MOM) . As examples, the MOM includes the extremes of capitalism like exploitation, environmental devastation and a general lack of ethics and sensitivity, while the MGM includes performative contradictions like anti-hierarchy, anti-competition, etc.
Cowan disputes that any credible evidence exists for the existence of the mean green meme and that it is a misrepresentation of the theory. While he recognizes the problems mentioned above, Cowan argues that they exist in other value systems as well, such that attaching them only to the green MEME is too simplistic. He considers the term "mean" to be inappropriate and a theoretical distortion when questions of adaptation or maladaptation, congruence or ineffectiveness are more to the point. Psychopathology potentially exists at all levels and is a different dimension.
Todorovic offers data and analysis leading to the conclusion that the mean green meme conjecture is contradicted by the data. Todorovic further concludes that MGM is a "failure of analysis" based on a variety of misconceptions about spiral dynamics and constitutes an "alarming misdiagnosis" and brands MGM a harmful "form of spiral fundamentalism."
Dawlabani in his framework argues that the MGM label by Beck and Wilber came from an incomplete set of data gathered during the early onset of the values of the Green system in the West. The psychosocial imprint of the Information Age, which Dawlabani believes is the widest expression of the Green system, was not a part of Grave's seminal work, nor was it examined in depth by Beck or Wilber. In What he calls The Fourth MEMEnomic Cycle, Dawlabani considers the information revolution the quintessential expression of the Growth and Maturity phases of the Green system's life cycle that is driven by the values that seek the democratization of information and resources. He considers this an essential phase for capitalism before it can begin its journey into Second Tier values.
Criticism
Critics point out that the model's implications are political as well as developmental and that while the terminology of the theory is self-consciously inclusive, the practical implications of the model can be seen as socially elitist and authoritarian. In his work on the subject, Beck emphasizes that one of the characteristics of "tier two" individuals, also called "spiral wizards," is their ability to make superior decisions for all parties concerned and to manufacture consent for their approaches at lower levels using resonant terms and ideas. In addition to outlining an underlying developmental theory, Spiral Dynamics gives explicit suggestions to these "wizards" for both consensual and non-consensual management of "lower-tier" individuals. One critic of spiral dynamics, Michel Bauwens, has argued that some conceptions of what it means to be "second tier" have come to resemble Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch. Co-author Cowan has publicly dissociated himself from the ideas that are currently being promoted by his ex-partner Beck in conjunction with Ken Wilber. Many practitioners of Beck's branch of Spiral Dynamics today see Bauwens' views as those of the Green-Egalitarian Sixth level system that is arrested in political correctness and only sees the unhealthy half of the emergent nature of the theory.
Spiral Dynamics argues that human nature is not fixed: humans are able, when forced by life conditions, to adapt to their environment by constructing new, more complex, conceptual models of the world that allow them to handle the new problems. Each new model transcends and includes all previous models. According to Beck and Cowan, these conceptual models are organized around so-called memes (pronounced "v memes"): systems of core values or collective intelligences, applicable to both individuals and entire cultures.
In spiral dynamics, the term meme refers to a core value system, acting as an organizing principle, which expresses itself through memes (self-propagating ideas, habits, or cultural practices). The superscript letter v indicates these are not basic memes but value systems which include them. The colors act as reminders for the life conditions and mind capacities of each system and alternate between cool and warm colors as a part of the model. Within the model, individuals and cultures do not fall clearly in any single category (color). Each person/culture embodies a mixture of the value patterns, with varying degrees of intensity in each. Spiral Dynamics claims not to be a linear or hierarchical model.
According to Spiral Dynamics, there are infinite stages of progress and regression over time, dependent upon the life circumstances of the person or culture, which are constantly in flux. Attaining higher stages of development is not synonymous with attaining a "better" or "more correct" values system. All stages co-exist in both healthy and unhealthy states, meaning any stage of development can lead to undesirable outcomes with respect to the health of the human and social environment.
First-tier vMemes
First-tier value-systems Memes (vMEMEs) are focused on different themes for existence and include almost all of the worldviews, cultures, and mental attitudes up to today. New systems build on adaptations of previous levels and seek to solve problems created by living in those earlier ways. Attaching concrete examples to these levels of psychological existence is difficult and often misleading because there can be multiple reasons for the same behavior and centralization in a single level regarding all aspects of living is rare. Some advocates of spiral dynamics argue that these are ways of thinking about things, not types of people. Spiral Dynamics explicitly defines a category of people labeled "spiral wizards" who have attained equilibrium around "higher-level" vMEMEs.
Memes at this tier are considered to be "The Levels of Subsistence".
Beige
"Survival/Sense. The Instinctive MEME
:
:* Automatic, autistic, reflexive
:* Centers around satisfaction
:* Driven by deep brain programs, instincts and genetics
:* Little awareness of self as a distinct being (undifferentiated)
:* Lives "off the land" much as other animals
:* Minimal impact on or control over environment"
Purple
"Kin Spirits. The Clannish MEME
:* Obey desires of the mystical spirit beings
:* Show allegiance to elders, custom, clan
:* Preserve sacred places, objects, rituals
:* Bond together to endure and find safety
:* Live in an enchanted, magical village
:* Seek harmony with nature's power"
Red
"PowerGods. The Egocentric MEME
:* In a world of haves and have-nots, it's good to be a have
:* Avoid shame, defend reputation, be respected
:* Gratify impulses and sense immediately
:* Fight remorselessly and without guilt to break constraints
:* Don't worry about consequences that may not come"
Blue
"TruthForce. The Purposeful MEME
:* Find meaning and purpose in living
:* Sacrifice self to the Way for deferred reward
:* Bring order and stability to all things
:* Control impulsivity and respond to guilt
:* Enforce principles of righteous living
:* Divine plan assigns people to their places"
Orange
"StriveDrive. The Strategic MEME
:* Strive for autonomy and independence
:* Seek out "the good life" and material abundance
:* Progress through searching out the best solutions
:* Enhance living for many through science and technology
:* Play to win and enjoy competition
:* Learning through tried-and-true experience"
Green
"HumanBond. The Relativistic MEME
:* Explore the inner beings of self and others
:* Promote a sense of community and unity
:* Share society's resources among all
:* Liberate humans from greed and dogma
:* Reach decisions through consensus
:* Refresh spirituality and bring harmony"
Second-tier vMemes
Spiral dynamics theory sees second-tier MEMEs as emerging levels that gradually move away from a focus on subsistence-level concerns of the first tier and towards a being-level existence. The existence of two different tiers of psychological development was introduced by the founder Graves. Cowan claims it is possible that Graves introduced the tier system as a marketing instrument. Cowan no longer supports the existence of two tiers but claims the only thing now known about the yellow and turquoise systems is that they are more complex versions of orange and green. The open-ended theory suggests that the levels Coral and beyond are not yet substantially formed and will solidify as a greater portion of society develops towards those MEMEs.
Turquoise
"GlobalView. The Holistic MEME
:* Blending and harmonizing a strong collective of individuals
:* Focus on the good of all living entities as integrated systems
:* Expanded use of human brain/mind tools and competencies
:* Self is part of larger, conscious, spiritual whole that also serves self
:* Global networking seen as routine
:* Acts for minimalist living so less actually is more"
Further development
The color system was added in the 1970s as a graphic element to decorate training materials used by Cowan and Beck. The term Meme was introduced by Beck and Cowan in Spiral Dynamics where the color language replaced original Graves terminology. Graves had used letter pairs to refer to each level and had not considered any connection with memetics. Beck and Cowan emphasized "change states" which are part of the Graves theory. They identify landmarks on the transformational path between the levels. Graves's original theory uses a double helix model to show the interrelatedness of an individual's perception of life conditions with their inner neuronal systems, producing a level of psychological existence. This double helix of two interacting forces is referred to as a spiral in Spiral Dynamics.
Following the release of their book, Beck and Cowan taught this theory in two courses, SD I (Spiral Dynamics 1) and SD II (Spiral Dynamics 2). They ceased their formal working relationship in 1999. Since this break, both have continued to offer training courses of various types as well as carrying out consultancy work. Beck spent several years applying the theory of spiral dynamics while working with individuals and groups in South Africa involved in the transition from Apartheid, for which he received a legislative honor from the state of Texas. Beck has continued to facilitate sessions using the model in both business and politics.
Beck and Ken Wilber (with his integral theory) became interested in each other's work, resulting in Beck developing a branch of spiral dynamics that he calls Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDi). This version of the theory uses integral concepts such as the four quadrants. Beck is also associated with the spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen. This approach continues to be applied and further developed in organizational and societal contexts.
Cowan does not subscribe to these developments and promotes a version of the theory which he describes as remaining more faithful to the original research of Clare Graves and extending from it. He continues to use the term "spiral dynamics" to describe his work since he co-created it. With his partner, Natasha Todorovic, he has undertaken work in integrating spiral dynamics with NLP and other models, and in developing corporate strategy and practical applications. He has also suggested an additional second-tier meme Coral which deals with the development of neurological capacities.
In 2013 after working with Beck for more than a decade in research and training at The Center for Human Emergence Middle East, cultural economist Said E. Dawlabani published MEMEnomics; The Next Generation Economic System (with a foreword by Beck). The book frames US economic history, present and future through the different levels of Spiral development and provides numerous examples and analysis that serve as real life applications of the value-systems framework. While his work provides for an evolutionary understanding to the field of economics, Dawlabani acknowledges that over 90% of global economic policies today are still driven by First Tier values. In his book, Dawlabani added a clarification to the MEME Attractor concept based on his experience with Beck. While Beck & Cowan referred to large meme groupings, such as religion, fashion, philosophy, etc.. as " MEME-attractors", Dawlabani re-branded these specialized meta-memes as General category Memes, or MEMEs for short, which gave continuity to the concept of memes for large scale applications such as the economics MEME. Beck considers Dawlabani's work a representation of the Third Generation Gravesian thinking.
In 2014 Elza Maalouf, Beck’s partner since 2003 who pioneered the use of Spiral Dynamics in the Middle East and co-founded the Center for Human Emerge Mideast
Pathologies
According to Don Edward Beck and Ken Wilber, each meme has both healthy and unhealthy versions. The pathologies are sometimes referred to as being "mean" as in "mean green MEME" (MGM) or "mean orange MEME" (MOM) . As examples, the MOM includes the extremes of capitalism like exploitation, environmental devastation and a general lack of ethics and sensitivity, while the MGM includes performative contradictions like anti-hierarchy, anti-competition, etc.
Cowan disputes that any credible evidence exists for the existence of the mean green meme and that it is a misrepresentation of the theory. While he recognizes the problems mentioned above, Cowan argues that they exist in other value systems as well, such that attaching them only to the green MEME is too simplistic. He considers the term "mean" to be inappropriate and a theoretical distortion when questions of adaptation or maladaptation, congruence or ineffectiveness are more to the point. Psychopathology potentially exists at all levels and is a different dimension.
Todorovic offers data and analysis leading to the conclusion that the mean green meme conjecture is contradicted by the data. Todorovic further concludes that MGM is a "failure of analysis" based on a variety of misconceptions about spiral dynamics and constitutes an "alarming misdiagnosis" and brands MGM a harmful "form of spiral fundamentalism."
Dawlabani in his framework argues that the MGM label by Beck and Wilber came from an incomplete set of data gathered during the early onset of the values of the Green system in the West. The psychosocial imprint of the Information Age, which Dawlabani believes is the widest expression of the Green system, was not a part of Grave's seminal work, nor was it examined in depth by Beck or Wilber. In What he calls The Fourth MEMEnomic Cycle, Dawlabani considers the information revolution the quintessential expression of the Growth and Maturity phases of the Green system's life cycle that is driven by the values that seek the democratization of information and resources. He considers this an essential phase for capitalism before it can begin its journey into Second Tier values.
Criticism
Critics point out that the model's implications are political as well as developmental and that while the terminology of the theory is self-consciously inclusive, the practical implications of the model can be seen as socially elitist and authoritarian. In his work on the subject, Beck emphasizes that one of the characteristics of "tier two" individuals, also called "spiral wizards," is their ability to make superior decisions for all parties concerned and to manufacture consent for their approaches at lower levels using resonant terms and ideas. In addition to outlining an underlying developmental theory, Spiral Dynamics gives explicit suggestions to these "wizards" for both consensual and non-consensual management of "lower-tier" individuals. One critic of spiral dynamics, Michel Bauwens, has argued that some conceptions of what it means to be "second tier" have come to resemble Nietzsche's idea of the Übermensch. Co-author Cowan has publicly dissociated himself from the ideas that are currently being promoted by his ex-partner Beck in conjunction with Ken Wilber. Many practitioners of Beck's branch of Spiral Dynamics today see Bauwens' views as those of the Green-Egalitarian Sixth level system that is arrested in political correctness and only sees the unhealthy half of the emergent nature of the theory.
Elza S. Maalouf (born 1965 in Zahlé, Lebanon) is a Lebanese-American futurist, social scientist, and cultural development specialist focusing her work on geopolitics, cultural and political reform in the Arab world including Palestine, Kuwait, Dubai, and in Syria through the European Union SHAMS project (Sustainable Human Activities in Mediterranean urban Systems). She is the author of the 2014 book ' (October 2014 SelectBooks, Inc. New York, Publishers). She is a highly sought after keynote speaker and executive trainer.
Influences
Elza S. Maalouf studied the works of philosophers and mythologists like Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts and one of her mentors and a close friend, Jean Houston. She’s a life-long student of depth psychology and consciousness studies, the works of Carl Jung, and Eastern Philosophy. Maalouf is also influenced by integral philosopher Ken Wilber and Eastern philosophers and poets like Averroes, Rumi, Rabia Basri, and May Ziade. Her thinking continues to be shaped by the works of, and private discussions with influential thinkers like Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, Deepak Chopra, and evolutionary biologists Elisabet Sahtouris and Bruce Lipton.
Maalouf studied value systems approach through the prism of the ‘bio-psycho-social systems’ framework of Dr. Clare W. Graves. Since 2002 she has worked with renowned geopolitical advisor Dr. Don E. Beck, Graves’ successor and one of the architects behind South Africa’s transition from Apartheid. Maalouf then pioneered the integral movement and the application of Spiral Dynamics integral in the Middle East.
Career
As one of the foremost futurists and experts on the memetics of the Middle East, Elza Maalouf was elected as a member of the Board of Advisors for Peace Through Commerce and to the Evolutionary Leaders in Service to Conscious Evolution, an organization made up of the leading global minds in the fields of science, spirituality, and related studies with the primary purpose of advancing the conscious evolution of humanity.
Maalouf has been invited to lecture at prominent events hosted by The World Future Society, the Oslo Center for Human Transformation, and the American Society for Training and Development. In her workshops and keynote presentations she examines memetic patterns of emergence in the Middle East and offers analysis of the anatomy of conflicts in the Muslim world based on Muzafer Sherif’s realistic conflict theory. Maalouf has been a keynote speaker at the United Nations twice:
*June 21, 2007, with Dr. Beck at the Values Caucus to a full audience, ‘standing room only’, and
*June 4, 2013, with the Evolutionary Leadership group presentations to the United Nations diplomatic and NGO community at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria.
Having developed a unique value system approach to ‘Functional Governance’ with a focus on multiple emergent constructs within sociocultural systems, she has also lectured at many events presented at the Adizes Graduate School in Santa Barbara, California, as well as the University of Virginia and the University of California at Irvine. In October 2012, she presented at a conference hosted by the Collège de Sorbonne in Paris, France.
Leadership
Elza S. Maalouf helped found and co-found several highly active initiatives:
*The “Build Palestine Initiative” is a mentoring project through which Elza Maalouf has advised the Fateh Third Generation and mentors leaders of the Arab Millennial Generation throughout the Arab world.
*Elza S. Maalouf co-founded The Center for Human Emergence Middle-East, a think tank that emphasizes the scientific understanding of Middle Eastern cultures specifically. The CHE-Middle East is one of several global Centers for Human Emergence including those in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, with activities growing in Canada, Great Britain, and elsewhere. Key thought leaders at CHE include John L. Peterson, founder of the Arlington Institute; Dr. Teddy Larson; Howard Bloom, Dr. Ichak Adizes, and others.
*Global Feminine is a collaborative effort founded by Ms. Maalouf and other leaders to create an alliance of women and organizations that are leading change, often behind the scenes, through the application of value-systems thinking in their countries and organizations. The Global Feminine is based on a model of distributed intelligence, rather than central command, and includes women working in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.
*Ms. Maalouf is founder and CEO of The Integral Insights Consulting (IIC) Group which brings research on human potential to bear on organizational challenges and opportunities. The IIC Group is dedicated to the multi-faceted development of individuals, teams and organizations in the United States and Arab countries.
Publications
Maalouf is the author of the 2014 book EMERGE! The Rise of Functional Democracy and the Future of the Middle East which is a whole systems approach to understanding the past, present and future of the Middle East through the unique lens of value systems and cultural change. She is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post and Integral Leadership Review, and writes several blogs (iPolitics, Indigenous Intelligence). She has been interviewed and her work has been referenced many times over the years on a variety of interrelated subjects, most recently reframing the issues shaping the Arab Spring.
Personal History
The Maaloufs belong to the Ghassanid tribe, an ancient Christian Kingdom in the Levant. Her mother’s ancestry stems from one of the original families of the Phoenician civilization.
Elza S. Maalouf graduated from the Lebanese University Faculty of Law and Political Science and became a member of the Beirut Bar Association in 1986. She lives in La Jolla, California with her husband Said E. Dawlabani, a cultural economist.
More Audio, Video, Writings
* The Michael Ostrolenk Show (June 12, 2013): Elza Maalouf on Memetic Patterns in the Middle East (radio)
* mepeace.org (January 26, 2013): Elza S. Maalouf describes the template of change in the middle east, posted by Neri Bar-On (audio)
* Radio EnlightenNext with Tom Steininger (September 22, 2012): A turning point in the middle east? (audio)
* Women on the Edge of Evolution (March 9, 2011): Supporting Our Arab Sisters: Standing For the Equality of Women in the Middle East (audio)
* Inside Edge Foundation 25th Anniversary keynote (May 11, 2011): Rapid Change in the Middle East (video)
* Empowerment - Inspiring Women Summit (May 1, 2010), Host: Elayne Doughty, Featuring: Jessica Roemischer, Elza Maalouf, Ariane de Bonvoisin (audio plus transcript)
* Women on the Edge of Evolution (Dec 22, 2009): Clair Zammit interviews Elza Maalouf (audio plus written summary)
* Integral Leadership Review (Volume VII, No. 2, March 2007): Palestine Speaks in Colors: Unraveling the Deep Cultural Codes and Designing Integral Solutions
* A Better World with Mitchell Raven (November 26, 2007): Mid East Peace Dialogue from a Holistic View (radio)
* Inside Edge (Feb 15, 2006): The Emergence Of The Modern Arab Identity (video)
Note: There are a number of videos on YouTube of Elza S. Maaloufs’ live presentations.
Influences
Elza S. Maalouf studied the works of philosophers and mythologists like Joseph Campbell, Alan Watts and one of her mentors and a close friend, Jean Houston. She’s a life-long student of depth psychology and consciousness studies, the works of Carl Jung, and Eastern Philosophy. Maalouf is also influenced by integral philosopher Ken Wilber and Eastern philosophers and poets like Averroes, Rumi, Rabia Basri, and May Ziade. Her thinking continues to be shaped by the works of, and private discussions with influential thinkers like Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, Deepak Chopra, and evolutionary biologists Elisabet Sahtouris and Bruce Lipton.
Maalouf studied value systems approach through the prism of the ‘bio-psycho-social systems’ framework of Dr. Clare W. Graves. Since 2002 she has worked with renowned geopolitical advisor Dr. Don E. Beck, Graves’ successor and one of the architects behind South Africa’s transition from Apartheid. Maalouf then pioneered the integral movement and the application of Spiral Dynamics integral in the Middle East.
Career
As one of the foremost futurists and experts on the memetics of the Middle East, Elza Maalouf was elected as a member of the Board of Advisors for Peace Through Commerce and to the Evolutionary Leaders in Service to Conscious Evolution, an organization made up of the leading global minds in the fields of science, spirituality, and related studies with the primary purpose of advancing the conscious evolution of humanity.
Maalouf has been invited to lecture at prominent events hosted by The World Future Society, the Oslo Center for Human Transformation, and the American Society for Training and Development. In her workshops and keynote presentations she examines memetic patterns of emergence in the Middle East and offers analysis of the anatomy of conflicts in the Muslim world based on Muzafer Sherif’s realistic conflict theory. Maalouf has been a keynote speaker at the United Nations twice:
*June 21, 2007, with Dr. Beck at the Values Caucus to a full audience, ‘standing room only’, and
*June 4, 2013, with the Evolutionary Leadership group presentations to the United Nations diplomatic and NGO community at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria.
Having developed a unique value system approach to ‘Functional Governance’ with a focus on multiple emergent constructs within sociocultural systems, she has also lectured at many events presented at the Adizes Graduate School in Santa Barbara, California, as well as the University of Virginia and the University of California at Irvine. In October 2012, she presented at a conference hosted by the Collège de Sorbonne in Paris, France.
Leadership
Elza S. Maalouf helped found and co-found several highly active initiatives:
*The “Build Palestine Initiative” is a mentoring project through which Elza Maalouf has advised the Fateh Third Generation and mentors leaders of the Arab Millennial Generation throughout the Arab world.
*Elza S. Maalouf co-founded The Center for Human Emergence Middle-East, a think tank that emphasizes the scientific understanding of Middle Eastern cultures specifically. The CHE-Middle East is one of several global Centers for Human Emergence including those in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, with activities growing in Canada, Great Britain, and elsewhere. Key thought leaders at CHE include John L. Peterson, founder of the Arlington Institute; Dr. Teddy Larson; Howard Bloom, Dr. Ichak Adizes, and others.
*Global Feminine is a collaborative effort founded by Ms. Maalouf and other leaders to create an alliance of women and organizations that are leading change, often behind the scenes, through the application of value-systems thinking in their countries and organizations. The Global Feminine is based on a model of distributed intelligence, rather than central command, and includes women working in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East.
*Ms. Maalouf is founder and CEO of The Integral Insights Consulting (IIC) Group which brings research on human potential to bear on organizational challenges and opportunities. The IIC Group is dedicated to the multi-faceted development of individuals, teams and organizations in the United States and Arab countries.
Publications
Maalouf is the author of the 2014 book EMERGE! The Rise of Functional Democracy and the Future of the Middle East which is a whole systems approach to understanding the past, present and future of the Middle East through the unique lens of value systems and cultural change. She is a frequent contributor to The Huffington Post and Integral Leadership Review, and writes several blogs (iPolitics, Indigenous Intelligence). She has been interviewed and her work has been referenced many times over the years on a variety of interrelated subjects, most recently reframing the issues shaping the Arab Spring.
Personal History
The Maaloufs belong to the Ghassanid tribe, an ancient Christian Kingdom in the Levant. Her mother’s ancestry stems from one of the original families of the Phoenician civilization.
Elza S. Maalouf graduated from the Lebanese University Faculty of Law and Political Science and became a member of the Beirut Bar Association in 1986. She lives in La Jolla, California with her husband Said E. Dawlabani, a cultural economist.
More Audio, Video, Writings
* The Michael Ostrolenk Show (June 12, 2013): Elza Maalouf on Memetic Patterns in the Middle East (radio)
* mepeace.org (January 26, 2013): Elza S. Maalouf describes the template of change in the middle east, posted by Neri Bar-On (audio)
* Radio EnlightenNext with Tom Steininger (September 22, 2012): A turning point in the middle east? (audio)
* Women on the Edge of Evolution (March 9, 2011): Supporting Our Arab Sisters: Standing For the Equality of Women in the Middle East (audio)
* Inside Edge Foundation 25th Anniversary keynote (May 11, 2011): Rapid Change in the Middle East (video)
* Empowerment - Inspiring Women Summit (May 1, 2010), Host: Elayne Doughty, Featuring: Jessica Roemischer, Elza Maalouf, Ariane de Bonvoisin (audio plus transcript)
* Women on the Edge of Evolution (Dec 22, 2009): Clair Zammit interviews Elza Maalouf (audio plus written summary)
* Integral Leadership Review (Volume VII, No. 2, March 2007): Palestine Speaks in Colors: Unraveling the Deep Cultural Codes and Designing Integral Solutions
* A Better World with Mitchell Raven (November 26, 2007): Mid East Peace Dialogue from a Holistic View (radio)
* Inside Edge (Feb 15, 2006): The Emergence Of The Modern Arab Identity (video)
Note: There are a number of videos on YouTube of Elza S. Maaloufs’ live presentations.
The Supersoldier, a soldier or fighter enhanced beyond normal human limitations by some means, is a recurring trope in speculative fiction, particularly science fiction. This list of supersoldier examples is not comprehensive.
Supersoldiers by medium
Books
* Frank Herbert's has many examples of entire armies of supersoldiers, such as the Padishah Emperor's Imperial Sardaukar, who hail from the harsh penal colony Salusa Secundus, where six out of every thirteen inhabitants die before maturity. The strongest of these prisoners are selected and subjected to inhuman conditioning that kills a third of the remainder. Conditioned with a disregard for safety and human life and an inability to disobey orders, a single Sardaukar was a match for ten soldiers in the service of the other Houses of the Landsraad, although Leto Atreides' elite shock troops were considered near equals to the Sardaukar. They were eventually replaced by the Fremen of Arrakis under the command of Paul Atriedes as the foremost soldiers of the known universe. Under the Emperor Leto Atreides II, the Fish Speakers, an all female fighting force who were fanatically trained and eugenically bred, became the preeminent and most effective military force in the known universe. The Fish Speakers were eventually eclipsed by the Honoured Matres, evolved from offshoots of the Fish Speakers and the Bene Gesserit, an organization that also has a superhuman reputation
Movies and television
* Clone troopers in the Star Wars series are the precursors to the original trilogy's Imperial stormtroopers: mass-produced troops with superior training, and all-around physical prowess. Clone commandos are far more powerful, operating in squads of four, and using the most advanced weapons and armour. ARC Troopers are also elite soldiers, considered one-man killing machines, with weaker armour, but very advanced training and weapons. They also possess normal human initiative while the other Clone troopers are engineered to be obedient.
Animated series
* , one of the heroes of The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, was the result of a government genetic engineering experiment to develop "supertroopers". Other supertroopers exist, but many were exposed to a gas to speed up their mutation and became aggressive and unstable in the process.
Comic books
* Captain America, Created by Dr. Erskine to be the first of an army of Super-Soldiers, a plan that was derailed when the creator of the Super-Soldier serum was assassinated, and the serum itself destroyed. Other characters in the Marvel Universe, such as Wolverine and Nuke are continuations of those experiments, as part of the Weapon Plus program. Other Marvel Super-Soldiers include the mutant Cable, Omega Red, X-23, Deadpool, Josiah X and Isaiah Bradley.
Supersoldiers by medium
Books
* Frank Herbert's has many examples of entire armies of supersoldiers, such as the Padishah Emperor's Imperial Sardaukar, who hail from the harsh penal colony Salusa Secundus, where six out of every thirteen inhabitants die before maturity. The strongest of these prisoners are selected and subjected to inhuman conditioning that kills a third of the remainder. Conditioned with a disregard for safety and human life and an inability to disobey orders, a single Sardaukar was a match for ten soldiers in the service of the other Houses of the Landsraad, although Leto Atreides' elite shock troops were considered near equals to the Sardaukar. They were eventually replaced by the Fremen of Arrakis under the command of Paul Atriedes as the foremost soldiers of the known universe. Under the Emperor Leto Atreides II, the Fish Speakers, an all female fighting force who were fanatically trained and eugenically bred, became the preeminent and most effective military force in the known universe. The Fish Speakers were eventually eclipsed by the Honoured Matres, evolved from offshoots of the Fish Speakers and the Bene Gesserit, an organization that also has a superhuman reputation
Movies and television
* Clone troopers in the Star Wars series are the precursors to the original trilogy's Imperial stormtroopers: mass-produced troops with superior training, and all-around physical prowess. Clone commandos are far more powerful, operating in squads of four, and using the most advanced weapons and armour. ARC Troopers are also elite soldiers, considered one-man killing machines, with weaker armour, but very advanced training and weapons. They also possess normal human initiative while the other Clone troopers are engineered to be obedient.
Animated series
* , one of the heroes of The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers, was the result of a government genetic engineering experiment to develop "supertroopers". Other supertroopers exist, but many were exposed to a gas to speed up their mutation and became aggressive and unstable in the process.
Comic books
* Captain America, Created by Dr. Erskine to be the first of an army of Super-Soldiers, a plan that was derailed when the creator of the Super-Soldier serum was assassinated, and the serum itself destroyed. Other characters in the Marvel Universe, such as Wolverine and Nuke are continuations of those experiments, as part of the Weapon Plus program. Other Marvel Super-Soldiers include the mutant Cable, Omega Red, X-23, Deadpool, Josiah X and Isaiah Bradley.
The Journal of Financial Therapy is a biannual peer-reviewed open access academic journal sponsored by the Financial Therapy Association. It is published by New Prairie Press at Kansas State University. The editor-in-chief is Kristy Archuleta (Kansas State University).
Scope
The journal publishes clinical, experimental, and survey research that examines the empirical link between personal financial knowledge, attitude, and behavior and personal and family well-being, as well as cross-sectional survey research, longitudinal and panel study research, case studies, financial therapy practice management tutorials, and literature reviews.
History
The journal was established in 2010 with Kristy Archuleta and John E. Grable as founding editors.
Abstracting and Indexing
The journal is abstracted and indexed in:
* Directory of Open Access Journals
* Cabell’s
Scope
The journal publishes clinical, experimental, and survey research that examines the empirical link between personal financial knowledge, attitude, and behavior and personal and family well-being, as well as cross-sectional survey research, longitudinal and panel study research, case studies, financial therapy practice management tutorials, and literature reviews.
History
The journal was established in 2010 with Kristy Archuleta and John E. Grable as founding editors.
Abstracting and Indexing
The journal is abstracted and indexed in:
* Directory of Open Access Journals
* Cabell’s