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This diagram shows the sequence of the Human Psyche System evolution process through its Phases, Cycles and Stages. The process of Human Psyche Evolution starts at the top of the diagram. It proceeds first through Phase I of human life as three bi-polar Cycles of two Stages each.

During Phase I, at each Cycle human life proceeds through a back-and-forth psychological “flip-flop”. The first Stage of each Cycle is driven by its specific type of Individualism and Independence in the pursuit of its specific type of “End-Point” goal. That is the psychological “flip” from the second Stage of the previous Cycle. Then the second stage of each Cycle is driven by its specific type of Collectivism and Dependence in the pursuit of its specific type of “End-Point” goal. That is the psychological “flop” from the first Stage of the same Cycle.

“End-Point” goals mean that the human individual or collective tries to achieve some specific position in life and/or quantity of some specific types of resources as end-points that define a successful life. The “End-Point” goals often substitute for life purpose and for measures for achieving that purpose. The result is a flip-flopping, end-point driven type of life process. It is really a closed process because it is considered to be ended if the desired end-point is achieved. At that point life purpose shifts from the drive to achieve the specific end-point to the drive to protect and defend the end-point results. The point is that Phase I life purpose and process are not “Open Ended” – They are a sequence of end-point focuses that lead to continuous disagreements, anger and conflicts.

On the diagram, you see Phase I human life composed of six Stages – Three Cycles of two Stages each. Mankind’s Phase II of human life you see just starting at its Stage A’ – Living System, 2nd Renaissance Human. The whole concept and practice of human life begins to transform during the concluding stage of Phase I life – Stage F. Life becomes an open-ended, continuous flow process of Living System Life and Work at Stage A’.

During the first two Cycles, the basic structure of the Human Psyche System is forming. You see the psyche’s Conscious/Unconscious dimension forming at Cycle 1 and the Personal/Collective dimension forming at Cycle 2. At Stage D, or Adolescence, the human psyche’s basic structure is formed. Throughout the World, the underlying human psyche patterns of Stages A through D are uniform.

But, Cycle 3 brings a mirror-image human behavior split between the West and Orient. When I later discuss the details of Cycle 3 – Stages E and F – I use this split to explain world geo-political and economic forces over the last 200 years. This fascinating story explains the materialism of the West during its Stage E rise and dominance and how the more recent materialistic power of the Orient arose out of its Stage F behavior.

I emphasize that each Phase I stage is driven by its own type of End-Point Goals. This has profound effects on how individuals and organizations find purpose, are motivated, form relationships, do strategy work, organize, and operate.

Stages A, C and E are each driven by a different type of Individualism and independence – While Stages B, D, and F are each driven by a different type of Collectivism and dependence. For example, the reasons for the recent rise of political correctness, populism, drug dependencies and collectivist power groups are no mystery. They are to be expected – They are underlying Stage F behavior characteristics.

Recall that all of Phase I life is a process of human “Flip-Flops” in each Cycle from one type of unbalanced individualism to its opposite as one type of unbalanced collectivism. You note that Stage A’ is shown as a totally different pattern – End-Point goals and flip-flops between Individualism and Collectivism are gone. Life becomes a continuous flow process and is interdependence-collaboration driven. Goals become milestones embedded in a continuing process – Not ends in them selves. This has profound meaning for the emerging pattern of Living System Life and Work, especially for leadership, strategy, organization, operations and entrepreneurship. The psychological sources for inherent disagreement, anger and conflict are absent.

John Clayton Caris

Links to previous Posts in this series:
Human Psyche System Definitions - Part 1 - Terminology
Human Psyche System Definitions - Part 2 - Individual Psyche Structure