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Jan Krikke is a former Japan correspondent for various media and former managing editor of Asia 2000 in Hong Kong. He pioneered the study of axonometry, the Chinese equivalent of European linear perspective overlooked by Jean Gebser. He is the author of several books, including Leibniz, Einstein, and China, and the editor of The Spiritual Imperative, a macrohistory based on the Indian Varna system by feminist futurist Larry Taub.

Why Integral must become more worldcentric

ChatGPT tells us how

Jan Krikke

I first heard about Ken Wilber in the 1980s from a friend in Tokyo. He gave me a rather elaborate explanation of Wilber's stage theory, but one thing stuck with me: Wilber apparently assumed that humanity would reach a new level of development when a certain percentage of the population obtains the higher reaches of his stage model.

The idea of a development hierarchy to measure human progress seemed reasonable - humanity is arguably advancing, if unevenly - but it raised several questions for me: Who could determine the level of development in others? Could such a classification system become dogmatic? Could it be used in political and ideological arguments?

Being preoccupied with writing a book on East-Asia aesthetics, I didn't look at integral theory again until about ten years ago, when I befriended people who were deeply impacted by Wilber. For some, Wilber had been transformative, even if they did not fully agree with Wilber's overall worldview.

Since that time I have become more familiar with Wilber's work and understand why he had such an influence on people. But I never overcame my doubt about Integral's development hierarchy. When applied to the wider world, it can obscure the context of moral, ethical, social, economic, and political development in different societies.

Let me give a topical example. Integralists commonly see the Western world as the most advanced in the development hierarchy, Green or Teal. Russia, like China, is typically viewed as Red or Amber. Putin is seen as authoritarian, absolutistic, and anti-democratic.

While Putin is generally despised in the West, people in Africa still fighting for self-determination, see him as their champion, in part because of historical reasons. The former Soviet Union was Africa's most powerful ally in the Post-War struggle for decolonization and self-determination.

A case in point, in 2023 the people of Niger celebrated the overthrow of their Francophile government. They gathered at government buildings carrying signs with the text "Down with France, Long live Putin."

Why? Uranium from Niger supplies fuel for 60% of French electric power generation, while over 90% of the people of Niger lack electricity. It is the legacy of over a century of French (neo) colonial rule.

Many countries in Africa share Niger's experience. Hence it should come as no surprise that Africans are skeptical when Western leaders, presumably Green or Teal, lecture the world about human rights and democracy.

EU leaders went as far as to tour African countries to dissuade them from developing economic ties with "authoritarian" China, to which one African leader responded: "China gives us airports, the West gives us lectures."

Integral theory is a useful tool and can give us insight into our personal development. But it can limit our perspective when we try to understand global social, economic, and political developments.

Moreover, we should resist the impulse to judge others based on hierarchies, no matter how elegantly presented. Classifying people or countries merely explains away the complexity of the world.

Indian spiritual teacher Sadghuru addressed this issue indirectly by offering a liberating thought: "Don't look up to anyone. Don't look down on anyone."

I tested my views on Integral's stage theory with ChatGPT by asking three questions:

1. Integral theory uses different stages or levels of consciousness. What are some of the pitfalls of using such a hierarchy when judging other people
2. What are the problems with applying Integral stage theory to non-Western societies?
3. What can Integral theory do to become more universal?

1 - Integral theory uses different stages or levels of consciousness. What are some of the pitfalls of using such a hierarchy when judging other people?

ChatGPT said:

Using a hierarchy of consciousness, like those in integral theory, can offer valuable insights but also comes with significant pitfalls when used to judge others. These include:

1. Elitism and Superiority

Problem: Individuals might view themselves as "higher" or "more evolved" than others, fostering arrogance or an inflated sense of self-worth.

Impact: This can create divisions, undermine empathy, and alienate people rather than encouraging connection or understanding.

2. Reductionism

Problem: Reducing people to a single "stage" oversimplifies their complexity. Individuals often embody traits from multiple stages depending on context, experiences, and personal growth.

Impact: Over-reliance on a stage-based label can lead to stereotyping and missing the nuances of a person's unique perspective.

3. Judgment and Exclusion

Problem: Labeling someone as being at a "lower" stage may lead to implicit or explicit devaluation of their experiences, beliefs, or contributions.

Impact: This can discourage meaningful dialogue and create barriers to mutual understanding or shared growth.

4. Developmental Misuse

Problem: The theory can be misapplied as a rigid framework to evaluate worthiness rather than as a flexible model for understanding development.

Impact: It risks prioritizing hierarchical "advancement" over the diversity of thought, creativity, and interdependence.

5. Projection of Bias

Problem: Assessments of others' stages are inevitably influenced by personal biases, cultural context, and subjective interpretations.

Impact: Misjudgments can lead to misunderstandings or reinforcing one's own blind spots.

6. Overlooking Context

Problem: A person's "stage" may vary in different areas of life (e.g., spiritual, emotional, professional). Using a single hierarchy ignores situational complexities.

Impact: It risks imposing a static view on a dynamic reality, reducing adaptability in relationships and interactions.

7. Spiritual Bypassing

Problem: People might use their "higher" stage as an excuse to dismiss valid emotional or relational challenges in themselves or others.

Impact: This can perpetuate denial, avoid accountability, and hinder authentic personal growth.

8. Encouraging Fixed Mindsets

Problem: Hierarchical thinking can foster a fixed mindset where people feel either complacent ("I'm already advanced") or disheartened ("I'm stuck at a lower stage").

Impact: It may demotivate growth and exploration.

Key Takeaway

A hierarchy of consciousness should be approached as a tool for self-reflection rather than a measure for judging others. Its purpose is to foster personal growth and understanding, not to impose superiority or exclusion. Cultivating humility, curiosity, and compassion can counteract these pitfalls and promote deeper, more meaningful relationships.

2 - What are the problems with applying integral stage theory to non-Western societies?

Applying integral stages of consciousness to non-Western societies involves several challenges and potential pitfalls, as the framework is heavily influenced by Western philosophical, psychological, and cultural paradigms. These problems include:

1. Ethnocentrism

Problem: Integral theory, despite its attempt at inclusivity, originates from predominantly Western intellectual traditions. It risks imposing Western-centric developmental standards on societies with vastly different cultural, historical, and spiritual contexts.

Impact: Non-Western cultures may be unfairly judged as "less evolved" based on criteria that are not relevant or meaningful in their context.

2. Overgeneralization

Problem: Integral theory often applies universal assumptions about human development, potentially overlooking the unique ways different societies conceptualize progress, consciousness, and values.

Impact: This can lead to superficial or inaccurate interpretations of non-Western societies' beliefs, practices, and traditions.

3. Ignoring Alternative Worldviews

Problem: Non-Western societies may prioritize relational, collective, or spiritual dimensions that do not align neatly with integral stages, which often emphasize individual psychological growth.

Impact: Frameworks that overlook these dimensions may devalue holistic or communal approaches to development prevalent in many non-Western contexts.

4. Misinterpretation of Spiritual Practices

Problem: Integral theory may interpret non-Western spiritual traditions (e.g., meditation, rituals, or cosmologies) through a Western lens, re-framing them as stages of "development" rather than understanding them as intrinsic to those societies' worldviews.

Impact: This risks stripping practices of their original meaning and context, reducing them to mere tools for Western developmental goals.

5. Cultural Relativism vs. Universalism

Problem: While integral theory aims for a universal model of development, it may fail to account for the cultural relativism that shapes what different societies view as "progress" or "consciousness."

Impact: Imposing universal stages can lead to cultural imperialism, where non-Western societies are pressured to conform to external standards of "higher" development.

6. Historical Contexts are Overlooked

Problem: Integral stages often focus on abstract, decontextualized development, neglecting the historical, colonial, and political contexts that shape non-Western societies' trajectories.

Impact: This can lead to ahistorical conclusions that ignore the effects of colonization, global capitalism, and cultural resilience in shaping these societies.

7. Risk of Cultural Reductionism

Problem: Integral stages may condense the diversity within non-Western societies into monolithic "traditional" or "tribal" labels.

Impact: This undermines the internal complexity and dynamism of these societies, perpetuating stereotypes and oversimplifications.

8. Lack of Inclusivity in Development Metrics

Problem: Integral theory often uses Western-derived metrics like rationality, scientific thought, and technological advancement as markers of "higher" stages.

Impact: These metrics may overlook other valid forms of knowledge, such as oral traditions, indigenous epistemologies, and spiritual wisdom, central to many non-Western societies.

9. Overemphasis on Individual Development

Problem: Integral stages focus primarily on individual consciousness evolution, while many non-Western cultures emphasize collective well-being and interdependence.

Impact: This creates a misalignment with societies where communal harmony, not individual advancement, is the primary goal.

10. Potential to Reinforce Neo-Colonial Narratives

Problem: Using integral stages to evaluate non-Western societies can unintentionally echo colonial narratives of "civilizing" or "modernizing" these cultures.

Impact: This risks perpetuating global inequalities by positioning Western frameworks as inherently superior or more advanced.

Key Takeaway

To avoid these problems, it's crucial to apply integral theory with cultural humility, adapting the framework to honor the diversity and validity of non-Western perspectives. This requires collaboration with scholars, practitioners, and community leaders from those societies to ensure interpretations are context-sensitive and respectful of local values and traditions.

3 - What can Integral Theory do to become more universal?

For Integral Theory to become more universal, it must actively address its Western-centric foundations and integrate a broader range of perspectives and epistemologies. Here are some key steps it can take:

1. Expand the Framework with Cross-Cultural Inclusivity

Action: Incorporate insights and developmental models from non-Western philosophies, spiritual traditions, and cultural frameworks.

Examples:

Draw from indigenous knowledge systems (e.g., Ubuntu in African philosophy, Taoist balance in Chinese thought, or Native American concepts of interconnectedness).

Include diverse spiritual practices as equivalent, rather than subordinate, to Western psychological models.

2. Decenter Western Norms

Action: Avoid using Western developmental milestones (e.g., rationality, scientific progress, individualism) as universal markers of higher consciousness.

Application:

Develop alternative criteria that value communal, relational, and ecological priorities, as emphasized in many non-Western cultures.

Create a more pluralistic understanding of what "progress" or "consciousness" means.

3. Address Historical and Colonial Contexts

Action: Acknowledge the impact of colonialism, imperialism, and global inequities on the development of societies and individuals.

Application:

Integrate postcolonial perspectives to ensure that the theory accounts for how power dynamics shape human development.

Emphasize healing and resilience in societies impacted by historical oppression.

4. Foster Collaborative Scholarship

Action: Engage with thought leaders, scholars, and practitioners from diverse cultural and intellectual traditions to co-create a more inclusive framework.

Application:

Form interdisciplinary working groups that include voices from marginalized and indigenous communities.

Translate the theory into culturally specific languages, metaphors, and practices to ensure accessibility.

5. Revise the Hierarchical Structure

Action: Shift the emphasis from a linear hierarchy to a more dynamic and networked model of development.

Application:

Allow for different societies and individuals to excel in different domains without being classified as "higher" or "lower."

Embrace the idea that multiple paths to consciousness are equally valid.

6. Balance Individual and Collective Dimensions

Action: Integrate frameworks that prioritize collective well-being, interdependence, and ecological consciousness.

Application:

Value societal or community-based markers of development, such as relational harmony and sustainability, alongside individual psychological growth.

Recognize that some cultures prioritize collective identity over individual self-actualization.

7. Incorporate Diverse Epistemologies

Action: Move beyond Western scientific paradigms to include non-Western ways of knowing, such as intuitive, spiritual, and oral traditions.

Examples:

Embrace indigenous cosmologies that emphasize cyclical time and relational knowledge.

Value wisdom traditions that prioritize harmony with nature, such as Ayurvedic or permaculture systems.

8. Redefine “Higher” and “Lower” Stages

Action: Reframe developmental stages as patterns rather than rankings, recognizing the situational validity of all stages.

Application:

Highlight that what is considered “higher” or “lower” may vary depending on the context (e.g., survival strategies in a crisis vs. contemplative states in stability).

Adopt a systems-thinking approach to honor the interdependence of all stages.

9. Emphasize Process Over Achievement

Action: Treat development as an evolving process rather than a fixed endpoint.

Application:

Encourage ongoing dialogue between cultural traditions about the nature of growth and consciousness.

Highlight that evolution involves learning from and integrating multiple perspectives, not just ascending a predetermined ladder.

10. Develop a Self-Reflective Practice

Action: Encourage integral practitioners to critically examine their own biases and assumptions.

Application:

Include reflective practices and training in cultural humility as part of integral training programs.

Create space for feedback and critique from non-Western voices to continually refine the framework.

Key Takeaway

For Integral Theory to be truly universal, it must become a living, adaptive framework that evolves through global collaboration, cultural humility, and deep integration of diverse worldviews. The goal is to create a shared map that respects and values all human experiences without imposing a singular narrative of development.

Further reading

Jan Krikke, Putting consciousness to the test, medium.com