Cultural Maturity Involves changes in how we relate, the values we hold, and how we understand. These changes impact every sphere of understanding and action. Culturally mature perspective allows us to step back and better appreciate the functions and interrelationships of the various realms of human endeavor, to see them as aspects of a larger systemic picture. Within each sphere, it helps us get beyond the once timely, but now limiting assumptions of Modern Age belief and think in more dynamic and creative ways.
Adapted from Cultural Maturity—A Guidebook for the Future The goal of getting beyond partisan pettiness in the political arena would strike many people as impossible to achieve. Most people would find even more surprising the fact that the relationship between … Read More
From Cultural Maturity—A Guidebook for the Future Before Ray Suarez moved to television’s “The News Hour,” he did a noontime interview/current issues show on National Public Radio. I enjoyed it immensely and tried not to miss it. Ray would choose … Read More
Adapted from Cultural Maturity—A Guidebook for the Future We also witness important individual instances of leadership able to hold complexity with the needed maturity of perspective. Political leadership thus far has most often stopped short, but there have been striking … Read More
Culturally mature perspective—particularly with the inclusion of the concept of Reengagement—makes possible a deeper and more meaning-filled understanding of history. Reengagement invites us to revisit not just certain of history’s facts, but also modern notions of what constitutes history. Oscar … Read More
These two pieces are adapted from Cultural Maturity: A guidebook for the Future The Selling of Pseudo-Significance: When I talk to groups about the double-edged potential consequences of new technologies, I am often asked where I think the greatest future … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory Vivian (a social worker): Tom and I teamed up—which was fascinating. We chose the same basic question, but the backgrounds and political beliefs we brought to it couldn’t be more … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory: Ruth (a parent): My concern is pretty different from what I’ve heard so far—more personal, about being a parent. But I think much is related. Being a responsible parent today … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory: Gary (CEO of a small manufacturing company). The topic of uncertainty ties directly to my question. I’m interested in leadership—what it takes today. I think quite exceptional leadership will be … Read More
Excerpted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future: Essential leadership tasks: Religious leaders need to firmly denounce doctrinal polarizations, help us step beyond outdated moral absolutism, and challenge us to engage the larger questions of purpose and well-being that … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory; Jonathan (a minister): I want to talk about religion. CJ: Great. What about it? Jonathan: Its future. Does it have one, one that will benefit us? I look at interminable conflict … Read More
Excerpted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future: Essential leadership tasks: Given that part of the function of art has always been to give voice to the newly possible, those in the arts have some particularly fascinating roles to … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory; Beth (an environmental activist): I work protecting salmon. We humans have got to accept that we can’t continue to do all sorts of things that in the past we’ve done … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory: David: (A social worker): I chose community as my topic. I don’t have much community in my life these days, and I don’t think many people do. This feels like … Read More
Adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory: Stanley (a university professor): My question also concerns responsibility. I’m interested in how education would change if we made responsibility for a healthy future more overtly its task. What we … Read More
From Cultural Maturity: A guidebook for the Future: Essential leadership tasks: Educators have front-line responsibility in Cultural Maturity’s changes. They must teach the capacities necessary to life in a culturally mature world. They must also inspire the courage and commitment … Read More
Adapted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future Two related inviolable limits are inextricably tied to the health care delivery crisis: the fact of economic limits and the need for a new relationship to life’s ultimate limit, the … Read More
These two pieces are adapted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future. Health Care Limits: The current health care delivery crisis presents a particularly good limits-related example, one that for me as a physician touches especially close to home. … Read More
This dialogue of changing realities in governance is adapted from a manuscript draft of Creative Systems Theory: Amy (A political science major): Enough with this touchy-feely community stuff. I want to talk politics. CJ: Fire away. Amy: I am … Read More
From Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future: Essential leadership tasks: It is the job of political leadership to place before us culturally mature images of possibility, to take tough stands in the face of very real limits, and to … Read More
These two pieces are excerpted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future: Values and Economics: While having a business Idea and setting it up with the assistance of a business plan expert is easy, but once we step beyond … Read More
These two pieces are excerpted from Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future. Values and Science: Once we step beyond Cultural Maturity’s threshold, in an important sense every question becomes a moral/ethical question. More commonly, we’ve divided concerns into those … Read More
With this year’a marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton it washard not to be caught up in the romance. Numerous commentators have expressed gratitude that we finally have something positive in the news. But it also provided a moment … Read More