CONSIDER: S.P.E.C.I.E.S. – PART III. . .

Today, gentle reader, we will continue our brief exploration of seven of the dimensions that help define we humans as a SPECIES. Thus far we have briefly explored the first three of these (see Part II) and today we will explore more. As a reminder, the seven dimensions are: Spirit(ual), Physical, Emotional, Cultural, Intellectual, Environmental, and Social.

Cultural – Because we are, by nature, a relational Species we seek to develop a culture. Simply stated: What works over time comes to be integrated and accepted as the ‘norm’ and this set of ‘norms’ is one major ingredient that defines and informs culture. Along the way we also emerge and embrace certain values; not just any values, but the ones that will support how we relate to one another; these values will also support and be supported by the ‘norms.’ Over time we also develop specific rituals, symbols, beliefs, principles, prejudices and stereotypes – these support and are supported by the norms and values.

Once integrated all of these combine to form ‘deep tacit assumptions’ about ‘how things are around here.’ These deep tacit assumptions are treated as ‘the truth’ and they powerfully help ‘form’ any who seek to become part of the Culture. The Culture is powerful (as any of us who have ever lived in a family or experienced a school, or a ‘church’ or worked in an organization knows quite well). Now, to complicate things a bit, there exists in every large culture (‘large’ is relative by the by) one or more ‘sub-cultures.’ As we look at the culture of the human Species we can easily observe the sub-cultures that have emerged (an ethnic group, a nation, a society, etc.); there are also sub-cultures within the sub-cultures (talk about complexity).

The sub-culture(s) attempts to influence, persuade, manipulate and where possible even coerce the culture. At times a sub-culture will support the culture and at times it will resist or even subvert the culture. Where culture exists, so do sub-cultures and where these exist so does conflict, tension, high anxiety, resistance, adaptation, creativity, innovation, etc. As a Species, we humans have paid much more attention to the sub-cultures than to the culture that defines us as a Species; it seems that we cannot agree upon the ingredients that make-up the culture of the human Species. Why? I think because the sub-cultures have become so powerful and dominant that we have lost a deep connection (any connection?) to the Culture of our Species. We have, it seems, lost the Big Picture that is our human Species (some might even deny its existence).

Consider, gentle reader that each Culture and sub-culture is composed of four dimensions: The Visible = what we see, The Espoused = what we say we believe, The Lived = what we actually do (not what we Espouse, for example), and The Assumed = the deep tacit assumptions that motivate the other three. Our charge is to identify each, then to identify the gaps that exist between and among them and then to seek ways to ‘close’ the gaps (these gaps will never be fully ‘closed’ for any number of reasons; yet our charge is to seek ways of closing them).