Crossing Nebraska

My previous post was a somewhat lighthearted reminiscence of a tumultuous corporate merger I weathered some years ago during a previous incarnation in the business world. If you’ve not yet read it, please check out A Parable of Two Power Structures . In it, I sketch out two contrasting organizational structures and their respective cultures—one hierarchical, traditional, and methodical, the other one flat, entrepreneurial, and nimble. Both structures have potentially positive and negative aspects. A hierarchical structure might better lend itself to stability, predictability, and a higher-quality product, but it might also be stultifying or even oppressive for the workers. A flat structure might be more dynamic and empowering for the workers, but it might also be more chaotic and result in a product of inconsistent quality. That said, my time in the “corporate jungle” burned into my brain an image of what I’ll call the “archetypal corporate empty suit ” (ACES). Sure, I’d encountere...

  I worked for well over a decade as an actuary for a few different property and casualty insurance companies before earning a graduate degree in counseling and changing professions entirely. What follows is an essentially true story of a corporate merger I weathered near the end of my tenure in the profession. I’ve simplified it and had a little fun with it—turning it into a modern-day parable of sorts. Some will no doubt see in it aspects of our current political situation. As with any good parable, though, the ultimate truth of this one is much more elusive! Here goes: A Parable of Two Power Structures There once was a company that sold widget protection. As you know, widgets are expensive and potentially dangerous, so we need widget protection in case ours gets damaged or in case we hurt someone with our widget and have to pay them for it. Widget protection is serious business. Thus, like so many others, this widget protection company had a serious name, and its CEO, like...

  Have you noticed a trend these days toward movie villains with sympathetic backstories? Perhaps we’re becoming more empathetic, having come to understand the importance of nurturing in our lives, and the lack thereof. Ah, but are all who abuse their power merely broken children who were never given the opportunity to heal? What about the genetic origins of the so-called “ dark triad ” personality types? Apparently, no matter how much understanding and compassion they’re shown, these poor souls will always be genetically predisposed toward narcissism, psychopathy, and indulging their manipulative and Machiavellian tendencies just a bit too much. With an estimated 1 of every 14 individuals being “dark triad” types, we’ve probably all encountered at least one of them in the flesh—or many for that matter. But even “good” people in pursuit of laudable ends can be self-centered, controlling, and manipulative at times. Maybe they so badly want or need to be seen as “good” that they tr...

  Woody Guthrie was famous for displaying the statement “this machine kills fascists” on his guitars. But lest anyone interpret that sentiment as him wanting to literally kill fascists, please rest assured. I’m quite certain he was referring to the stories, joy, and camaraderie shared via his music being enough to squelch anyone’s perceived need to support authoritarianism. With a nod to old Woody, I was thinking of titling this post “These Tools Kill Fascism.” However, I do try to stay away from any connotations of violence in my speech. Consider then what follows to be a description of our civic superpowers. Mural of Woody Guthrie at the Woody Guthrie Center Attention: Our attention is our most precious thing. What we give it to becomes us. This has always been true, but in these days of “shock and awe” we need to be especially mindful of the news, entertainment, and media we attend to. Each new day brings with it some appalling new action, outrageous statement, or destruct...

  I’ve discussed a wide range of power abuses in this series so far, from those threatening our democracy to the inherent violence of leaf blowers! Whether world-changing or seemingly inconsequential, we all have at least some power. And I suspect we all end up abusing it from time to time. Thus, I’d like to focus on some very ordinary abuses of power for a bit. I’ll kick things off by focusing on one of my own. Before I begin, though, let me state that this story does not involve anyone I’m currently connected with in any way—in person or on any social media platform. Here goes: I was never a free-wheeling bachelor by any stretch of the imagination. However, I did engage in premarital sex in a manner that I considered safe, ethical, and loving. For me that meant not dating more than one person at a time and not having sex with anyone I wasn’t in love with and at least thinking about marrying. It was an ethic that I had no difficulty abiding by—for about the first half of my li...

The news is maddening and demoralizing. Modern life is hectic and stressful. Remaining engaged requires effort, and it's quite often frustrating, disappointing, and maybe even dangerous. Oh, to simply withdraw into the forest and leave it all behind! The archetype of the renunciant is a powerful one, isn’t it? The idea of leaving our worldly cares behind—our possessions and our problems—to simply walk off into the forest or up into a mountain cave has such romantic appeal, doesn’t it? We could meditate…, do yoga…, connect with nature… We’d likely eat healthier food, lose weight, and get in great shape. But maybe it’s what we wouldn’t do that’s most appealing. And, oh, that list is long! Oh, to just keep walking!   We tend to equate such endeavors with extraordinary spiritual resolve and attainment of some sort, be it wisdom, enlightenment, or liberation. But what really motivates us to want to retreat in such a way? Is the urge born of some so-called “true self” desire to atta...

  In Looking at Power Through an Integral Lens , I reflected on a couple of experiences I’d had in religious communities using the stage theory of consciousness development furthered by Ken Wilber in, for example, Wilber (2007). In both cases, if my assessment is correct, potential conflict arose due to one party or parties being at one stage, mythic , for instance, and another party or parties being at another, say, rational . At the close of that post, I raised the question as to whether we might benefit from looking at our current political climate through such a lens. Obviously, I think the answer is yes! Let’s back up for a moment. The Integral theory of the development of consciousness posits that our consciousness matures through various stages: archaic, magic, magic-mythic, mythic, rational, postmodern, etc. I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of adults in the U.S. are either at the mythic stage (veering toward group conformity, traditionalism, and black and ...