Conscious Politics - Part 2 - Foundational Insights About Political Ideology

"All political problems boil down to one thing: selfishness.

All political solutions boil down to one thing: selflessness."

• Conscious Politics and Self-Actualization : Leo regards politics and government as essential to self-understanding and communal living on a superorganism level. Engaging in conscious politics is crucial to addressing the scaled-up challenges of larger societies, which mirror issues in smaller communities and families.
• Consciousness Determines Values and Politics : Leo asserts that an individual's level of consciousness shapes their values, morals, and consequently, their politics. People naturally vote for politicians and parties that resonate with them, which reflects their own values and stage of development.
• Political Ideologies as Survival Strategies : According to Leo, political ideologies are not founded on truth but rather on survival strategies ingrained during upbringing within a certain culture. The ego resists changes in worldview because it threatens identity and survival.
• Role of Culture in Politics : Leo highlights the difficulty of evolving politics without corresponding cultural evolution. Cultures strongly resist change due to fear, and those in power often inhibit cultural progression to maintain their authority.
• Limitations of Logic and Reason in Politics : Leo critiques the use of logic, reason, and facts in politics, noting that they are co-opted by the ego for survival rather than truth. Political ideologies are often rationalized retroactively, rather than based on objective reasoning.
• Content vs. Structure of Beliefs : Leo emphasizes understanding the difference between specific beliefs (content) and the cognition behind those beliefs (structure). Key structural elements include one’s sense of self and other, determining the scope of personal ideologies.
• Stages of Moral Development : Outlined by Leo, these stages depict an expansion from caring solely about personal survival to embracing a universal sense of self and concern. It's an evolving ladder from a condensed sense of self to universal morality.

• Importance of Understanding Developmental Psychology : Leo points to developmental psychology, explaining how moral development affects political actions and motivations. He insists on recognizing that the sense of self and other underpins all political reasoning.
• Stretching the Sense of Self : Leo argues for expanding the sense of self beyond the body to encompass larger circles of concern, explaining how a person's values and morals evolve and influence their political views.
• Circles of Concern and Moral Development : Leo outlines the expansion of one's moral circle of concern starting from individual survival, moving to family and tribe, and evolving to include one's civilization, then all decent human beings, and eventually extending empathy to all humans regardless of actions, followed by concern for animals, the environment, and the entire cosmos, culminating in universal love and an infinite sense of self.
• Transitioning Between Stages of Development : Leo suggests difficulty in understanding the moral perspectives of stages beyond one's current level and states that a higher stage, once reached, replaces the lower one permanently, indicating a unidirectional evolution in moral consciousness.
• Reflection on Personal Moral Development : Leo invites listeners to honestly assess where they stand on the scale of moral development without passing judgment on themselves, recognizing that reluctance to acknowledge higher levels of moral concern may reflect one's current stage of development.
• Prevalence of Primitive Moral Stages Globally : He observes that over half the world's population resides at a stage where their moral circle includes their family, civilization, and personal religion, pointing to a lack of sophistication in global moral development.
• Lawrence Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development : Leo breaks down Kohlberg's six stages of moral development from pre-conventional self-interest and punishment avoidance, to conventional conformity and authority orientation, to post-conventional social contract reasoning and universal ethical principles.
• Transcendent Morality : Adding a seventh stage, 'Universal self-love,' Leo details how an enlightenment experience can broaden one's moral perspective to encompass an infinite sense of self and love for all existence, a stage rarely reached.
• Impact of Moral Stages on Political Ideologies : Leo asserts that individuals generally form their political ideologies based on their level of moral development, with most adopting conventional morality, thus their political decisions and voting align with those ideologies.
• Moral Evolvement through Abortion Views : Using abortion as an illustration, Leo explains how perspectives evolve with moral development, transitioning from seeing it as unequivocally wrong due to religious dictates, to assessing it as a complex issue requiring consideration of various forms of suffering.
• Nuanced Position on Abortion : Leo describes the complexities of abortion, taking into account the mother's health, rape, incest, and the fetus's development stage. He argues that one's position evolves to factor in these nuances and once evolved, does not regress to simplistic, absolutist views.
• Permanent Expansion of Consciousness : He contends that once consciousness expands to a certain level, particularly regarding moral issues, it does not fully contract back, suggesting a permanent evolution in understanding complex issues.
• Ego Development in Politics : Leo cites Susan Cooke Gruyter's research on ego development, indicating that both morality and ego evolve through stages which in turn shape political views and voting behavior.
• Importance of Expanding Identity : Leo highlights that conscious politics requires expanding one's identity beyond personal biases towards universal love, resolving political conflicts through selflessness rather than selfishness.
• Taking Responsibility for Governmental Problems : Leo advocates for personal responsibility, education on complex problems, and expanding self-consciousness and capacity for love to resolve issues within government and society.
• Consequences of Low Consciousness Politics : He critiques low-consciousness political behaviors like blame, denial, and division, emphasizing that high-consciousness entails responsibility, empathy, and proactive problem-solving.
• Responsibility over Blame : Leo stresses the importance of claiming responsibility for one's role in societal and governmental issues rather than finding scapegoats across various factions and ideologies.
• Personal Accountability for Societal Actions : Leo argues that individuals must acknowledge their accountability for the actions of their governments, including war and human rights abuses, to provoke necessary changes.
• Low-Consciousness Political Behaviors : Leo highlights actions that reflect low-consciousness behavior in politics such as ridiculing opponents, experiencing joy in their suffering, holding views as absolutes, and demonizing others. These actions come from a place of contraction of the self and lack of compassion.
• Misinterpretation of Political Stance : He warns against the presumption that holding specific policy positions, such as support for healthcare or education, automatically equates to a higher level of consciousness. The true measure of conscious behavior is in the structure and approach to one's political engagement, not just content.
• Ideology and Devilry : Leo argues that no ideology or moral code, no matter how well-intentioned, can prevent "devilry," which is characterized by self-centered, harmful behaviors. Real change comes from personal growth and the expansion of one's sense of self.
• Limits of Technological Solutions : He criticizes the belief that technology alone can solve political and societal issues. Technology without moral and spiritual development can be misused and exacerbate problems.
• Depth of Political Discourse : Leo criticizes the superficial nature of current political discourse and the media's focus on trivial conflicts, stressing the importance of deeper analysis to solve serious societal issues.
• Ignorance of Political History : The lack of understanding about political history contributes significantly to societal issues. Leo stresses the importance of education and study to form a well-informed perspective on governance and politics.
• Education as a Political Tool : He considers high-quality, universally accessible education as one of the most effective ways to improve politics and society. However, those in power often resist educational reforms to maintain the status quo and their ideological dominance.
• Critiquing Policies from Above or Below : Leo touches on the method of critiquing policies from a higher or lower level of consciousness, demonstrating with the examples of religion and science critiques, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between these approaches.
• Criticism from Below and Above : Leo describes that criticisms can come from 'below' or 'above' based on the level of consciousness they are derived from. For instance, the simplistically negative portrayal of socialism on certain news networks is an example of criticism from below, while a more nuanced critique might focus on the practical challenges of collective ownership and decision-making within a corporation, which represents criticism from the above.
• Nuance in Political Criticism : Leo emphasizes that understanding the complexity of political ideologies like socialism requires nuanced scrutiny. He mentions how replacing a passionate CEO with committee rule could lack vision and direction, potentially leading to reduced productivity and failure—a nuanced criticism emanating from a higher understanding, distinct from the common pejorative attacks.
• Political Dichotomies Misleading : Leo warns against the oversimplification inherent in political dichotomies like left vs. right or capitalism vs. socialism. He advocates for judgments based on the level of consciousness, expansiveness of self, and universal love, as opposed to ideological labels.
• Conscious Approach to Politics : The conscious critique involves assessing policies and positions based on whether they stem from fear and selfishness or from a broader sense of inclusivity and empathy towards all. This approach goes beyond ideology and considers the overall welfare of humanity.
• Developmental Psychology and Spiral Dynamics : Leo reintroduces Spiral Dynamics within the context of political evolution, emphasizing that government systems have evolved from tribal structures (stage purple) with limited individuality and rife with warfare, through various stages including authoritarian (stage red), ethno-state nationalism (stage blue), democratic capitalism (stage orange), and social democracies (stage green).
• Evolution of Human Government : From primitive tribal governance to complex modern democracies, Leo illustrates that the evolution of societies has seen shifts from tribal communal living with frequent conflict, to authoritarian empires built through conquest, to nationalism and isolationism, and eventually towards democracies and market economies.
• Limitations of Unfettered Capitalism : Leo points out the shortcomings of a free-market capitalist system that ignores the growing disparity between socioeconomic classes, leading towards more socially responsible forms of governance found in stage green societies like Canada, Germany, and parts of the United States.
• Progressing toward Stage Yellow and Turquoise Governments : Leo projects that future governance will likely integrate aspects of socialism and capitalism (stage yellow) and envisages even further evolution towards global unity and spirituality (stage turquoise), though he acknowledges the challenges in transitioning between stages and the often-incomprehensible nature of each stage's worldview to those at lower levels.
• Emergence of Stage Yellow and Turquoise Governments : While glimpses of stage yellow and turquoise governments are starting to appear in Northern Europe, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, they are still in the early stages of development. Full understanding of what these governments look like remains uncertain as these stages are still forming and facing resistance from lower stages trying to maintain the status quo.
• Characteristics of Stage Yellow Government : Anticipated characteristics of a stage yellow government include a hybrid system of socialism and capitalism, moving towards a world government akin to a more developed UN, systemic thinking about social problems, and consciousness of human development stages. Such governments are expected to promote growth across all stages of development while respecting their unique worldviews.
• Concept of Stage Turquoise Government : Stage turquoise government is theorized to derive from mystical insights and a Gaia-centric worldview, incorporating spirituality into governance in a way that differs dramatically from evangelical or fundamentalist attempts to unify church and state. A turquoise government is suggested to lean towards a global government, where nations recognize their interdependence within the global ecosystem.
• Different Political Perspectives at Each Stage of Development : Each stage of human development, such as stage blue, orange, or green, lives in a different subjective "world," leading to misunderstandings and conflict. Individuals in these stages lack awareness of the multiplicity of perspectives and developmental stages, often viewing those in other stages as irrational.
• Two Tiers of Politics : Politics can be divided into Tier 1 (green, orange, blue, and below) and Tier 2 (yellow and above). Tier 1 politics are mired in the content of particular policies and ideologies, operating from a survival mindset. In contrast, Tier 2 politics adopt a meta-perspective, focusing on systemic issues and expanding beyond physical survival to include consciousness and a more expansive sense of self.
• Moving Beyond Ideological Positions to Tier 2 : Escaping ideological positions and moving to Tier 2 requires a shift from survival-based thinking to a focus on being and consciousness, expanding beyond selfish needs. Liberals should not assume they are already at Tier 2 without transcending survival-based positions.
• Inescapable Interdependence with Society : Individuals cannot truly escape society; even apparent autonomy or wealth relies on social structures and systems that have developed over thousands of years. Acknowledging membership in a societal superorganism, which encompasses local to global communities, is crucial.
• Importance of Bureaucracy and the Legal Court System : Bureaucracy, particularly the court system, is essential to the functioning of society. It provides a mechanism to resolve conflicts equitably, preventing disputes from escalating into violence and tribal warfare. The legal system supports the structural integrity of government and the peaceful coexistence of diverse social groups.
• Cultural Significance of Dowries in Tribal Societies : In tribal cultures, significant resources, such as livestock, may be required as dowry for marriages, crucial for the survival and continuation of lineage. Disputes over such dowries could lead to prolonged, violent inter-tribal conflicts.
• Lack of Conflict Resolution Mechanisms : Without a court system to adjudicate disputes, trivial issues between tribes can escalate into blood feuds, resulting in cycles of revenge and tribal warfare, potentially lasting for generations.
• Role of Courts in Peacekeeping : A fair and impartial court system provides a structured method of resolving disputes, preventing bloodshed by ensuring disputes over property, such as the dowry pig, are resolved legally, without resorting to violence.
• Government's Monopoly of Force : Governments maintain a monopoly of force to prevent individuals from exacting personal justice, which could otherwise lead to endless cycles of tribal warfare.
• Function of Law and Government : Laws establish clear societal guidelines to adjudicate disputes. The government enforces these laws, ensuring peace by protecting the rights of individuals and preventing the escalation of conflicts.
• Natural Formation of Groups for Survival : In a free society, people naturally form groups like cabals, factions, or religions to gain survival advantages, leading to potential conflict when these groups compete for resources or ideological dominance.
• Government as a Preventive Measure Against Tribalism : A functioning government system prevents the rise of oppressive groups by upholding a constitution and laws that ensure the peaceful coexistence of various subgroups within society.
• Necessity of Government and Education for Moral Development : Universal morality, where individuals care for all equally, requires millennia of government and education, indicating the complexity of achieving societal fairness on a large scale.
• Current Societal Injustice and Selfishness : Even in the most developed countries, society remains grossly unfair and exploitative, a condition often ignored due to selfish interests.
• Internalization of Oppression : Oppressed individuals, such as women in certain cultures or economic wage slaves, may not recognize their oppression as it's deeply internalized and rationalized as normal within their cultural context.
• Denial of Systemic Oppression by Beneficiaries : Those who benefit from systemic oppression, such as employers of wage slaves, often deny the existence of oppression, viewing the status quo as a normal aspect of societal operation.
• Cultural and Systemic Nature of Oppression : Oppression is more rooted in cultural norms and systemic structures than individual actions, with the culture of certain industries, like Wall Street, normalizing oppressive behaviors for survival.
• Cultural Oppression in Business : American business culture permits employers to exploit employees by paying inadequate wages. This behavior is normalized within Wall Street culture to the point that CEOs face pressure from stockholders to minimize wages and break unions to maximize profits.
• Contraction of Self in Stockholders : The problem is exacerbated by stockholders with a narrow sense of self who are only concerned with their stock portfolio, showing no concern for the employees of the companies they invest in.
• CEOs Within the System : High-level executives like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk may not recognize the exploitation as an issue due to being accustomed to the stage orange cultural mindset. They may feel restricted to change the system, fearing removal by their boards.
• Collective vs Personal Responsibility : Leo argues that taking collective responsibility is as important as personal responsibility. Specifically, society must acknowledge systemic issues such as racism and economic inequality in order to address them effectively.
• Economic Barbarism : Criticizes the vast wealth disparity in developed countries, where billionaires squander resources while others work multiple jobs and still struggle to meet basic needs, preventing them from self-actualizing or contributing to society to their full potential.
• Benefits of Resource Distribution : Suggests a more equitable distribution of wealth would not only benefit the poor but society as a whole, including the wealthy, by allowing potential scientists, artists, and entrepreneurs to contribute to societal advancements.
• Personal Wealth and Societal Change : Leo discusses the ironic situation where those benefiting from the oppressive system feel threatened by calls for equality. He promotes a selfless view of politics that seeks the best outcome for humanity, not just for an individual such as himself.
• Selfishness and Cognitive Dissonance : Addresses how the ego rationalizes oppressive behaviors like slavery as moral and right to avoid internal conflict. This cognitive dissonance allows oppressors to feel justified in their actions and resist changes to the system.
• Unsustainability of Oppression : Leo explains that long-term oppression leads to civil unrest and eventually violent upheaval as people seek to rectify inequality, and posits that if a government isn't alleviating such inequality, it is corrupt and in need of reform.
• Profiting from Others' Suffering : Highlights that some businesses and professions are built on exploiting others. He also points out that peace, a universal ideal, can be seen as detrimental to those invested in industries like the military, revealing the complexity of systemic issues.
• Military-Industrial Complex Justifications : Workers in the military-industrial complex create narratives to justify their roles, believing they are necessary for national security and dismissing peace as unrealistic, thus prioritizing their personal survival and economic interests over peace.
• Profit-driven Healthcare System : In the U.S., hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceuticals oppose universal healthcare due to financial interests, leveraging narratives that frame free healthcare as irresponsible and un-American, ignoring the deaths resulting from the lack of affordable medical care.
• Healthcare Lobbying Against Universal Care : The healthcare industry spends large sums lobbying against government-provided free quality care, driven by the fear of losing profit and personal luxuries, perpetuating a system that values profit over life.
• Ego-centric Morality and Circle of Concern : Individuals often only extend their sense of responsibility and moral concern to their immediate family, failing to apply the same level of care universally due to underdeveloped senses of self and morality.
• Education as a Threat to Private Institutions : Free high-quality education is resisted by private schools and universities because it poses a significant threat to their business model, which leads to lobbying efforts against such initiatives.
• Normativity and Relativity of Morals : Norms and moral 'shoulds' are arbitrary and relative, with no objective basis in reality, necessitating consensus and government to enforce agreed-upon rules for societal function.
• Government as a Construct in the Absence of Objective Morality : Because objective morality is non-existent, government is required to establish and maintain social order, a collective agreement on rules that is necessary when people inherently disagree on moral standards.
• Morality and the Overton Window : The political spectrum and concepts of right and wrong are relative to era and culture, reflected in the shifting Overton Window, which underscores the evolution of societal norms over time.
• Evolution of Societal Morality : Societal norms are not static but build upon the past, evolving gradually and shifting the divide between what is considered liberal or conservative, making it improper to judge the past with today's moral standards.
• Progress is Relative to Historical Context : Societal progress must be understood in relative terms, appreciating the struggles of the past and recognizing the evolutionary nature of moral stances like the abhorrence of slavery.
• Geographical Challenges and Government Development : Environmental factors such as geography and climate significantly impact the ease of developing stable government structures. For instance, in Africa, harsh conditions and the aggressive environment of the jungle present unique challenges to building infrastructure and create obstacles for government organization and stability.
• Dangers of Romanticizing the Past : Leo warns against the common tendency to idealize the past, particularly among conservatives. He refutes the notion that earlier times, such as 1950s America or pre-civilization agrarian societies, were idyllic, emphasizing that they were plagued by slavery, famine, disease, poverty, and illiteracy.
• Inevitability of Societal Evolution : Society and technology must evolve together, and it is not possible to return to earlier, simpler times. As technology progresses, it necessitates changes in power dynamics, structures, and sustainability. Societal structures must be advanced enough to support the complexities of new technologies.
• Complexity of Systemic Solutions : Societal issues are intricate and often require counterintuitive solutions. Leo criticizes Tier 1 thinking, which oversimplifies societal problems and ignores future disruptive technologies requiring social changes. He advocates for systemic thinking, which accounts for interconnectedness and long-term consequences.
• Need for Balanced and Systems Thinking : Balanced decision-making is crucial in politics and society. Systems thinking, which transcends selfish manipulation, considers the greater good and ensures functionality for all. Real balance is situation-specific and not a mere midpoint between extremes.
• Observation and Open-mindedness in Politics : Understanding politics and society requires in-depth observation, studying history, and keeping an open mind. Mystical experiences can broaden consciousness and inspire an expanded sense of self, fostering a more cooperative and compassionate society.
• Avoid Turning Conscious Politics into Ideology : Leo advises against formulating an ideology out of the principles of conscious politics. Ideologies can confine and distort concepts, whereas an evolving understanding allows for greater applicability and positive societal transformation.
• Spiritual Work for Conscious Society : To truly comprehend and contribute to a conscious society, individuals must engage in spiritual work that expands consciousness to universal levels, enabling an inclusive perspective that sees all beings as interconnected parts of the self and the world as a unified community.