Graves’ Theory

Graves defined a complete theory to explain human development from first steps thousands of years ago until today (and into the future). He manifested the idea of cultural memes to define behavior not as stable like in Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’, but constantly changing in synch with the environment. Therefore he used a dynamic value system based on bigger chunks called vMEMES (= valueMEMES)

This model is relatively unknown because Dr. Graves died before he could complete his studies. But his students Don Beck and Chris Cowan used his findings to develop the known facts into a new model called Spiral Dynamics (SD). At every level, he had a different set of “cultural genes”, which are called “memes”. They connect to different parts of a culture or subculture, such as societies, companies or families.

Memes

The concept of a “meme” was first proposed in the mid-1970s by the evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. He who believed that the evolution of culture should be considered as independent from genetic or biological evolution. Dawkins’ “memes” refer to specific “units of cultural transmission,” examples of which could be songs, ideas, clothes, fashions, to name just a few.

However, in Spiral Dynamics, these are called “little memes.” When Beck uses the word “meme,” he is speaking about a “core value system,” or “value meme.” These act as “organizing principles” that express themselves through little memes and that are so central to the way we think that they can “reach across whole groups of people and entire cultures, and begin to structure mindsets on their own.”  We now talk about the evolution of memes.

Dr. Graves defined eight levels, the Spiral Dynamics movement defined them by using colors. It is important to know that no level in itself is better than any other; each one is just as valuable and legitimate as the other ones. They all exist in at the same time on our planet today.Personally, we all need to go from one level to another as we mature as human beings, also societies or organisations move from one level to another. Therefore the developers of Spiral Dynamics used colours instead of numbers because you can not say that blue is better than green – it is only different.

Overview

Below is a summary refined by Don Beck and Christopher Green.

1. Beige – Survival Sense 

At the first level, we express ourselves simply to survive. I think of this as a baby crying for food, or a scavenging animal stealing food.

100.000 years ago: Homo Sapiens “survivalus”
To be human beings, not just animals

2. Purple – Kin Spirits

Once we are no longer hungry we need to fit in with a group of other people in order to build a safe environment to survive in. This level is the world of myths, spirits, and magic – factors that are still important in our modern world.

50.000 years ago: Homo Sapiens “mysticus”
Forming tribes, magic, art, spirit

3. Red – Power Gods

Children growing up need to discover themselves and powerfully assert their own identity. At this level, people express themselves with no guilt or shame. Today I think of teenage street kids demanding ‘respect’.

10.000 years ago: Homo Sapiens “exploiticus”
Warlords, conquest, discovery

4. Blue – Truth Force

When people first develop a conscience or a moral sense they are ready to sacrifice themselves now for benefits later. This is the stage at which religion converts people to its truth in order to save them from hell and get to heaven. It is the process that young army recruits go through on the parade ground as they submit to the dominance of the sergeant representing the authority structure. A school is a natural place for children to learn self-control.

5000 years ago: Homo Sapiens “absoluticus”
Literature, monotheism, purpose

5. Orange – Strive Drive

Submitting to a higher authority eventually becomes boring and we set out to express ourselves so as to get what we want. At this level, we use the skills of self-acceptance and empathy that we have learned at level Blue, in a tactical way, to achieve our goals. This is the level of science, modern capitalism and marketing.

1000 years ago: Homo Sapiens “materialensis”
Mobility, individualism, economics

6. Green – Human Bond

Striving for pure self-gain brings back feelings of guilt and we feel the need to make deeper contact with other people again. We sacrifice ourselves now for the human benefits of belonging to a group. I think of this change as being embodied for many people in Princess Diana. This meme demands equality and political rights for minorities.

150 years ago: Homo Sapiens “humanistics”
Human right, liberty, collectivism

The first 6 levels create the ‘first tier’ – none of the first 6 memes can fully empathise with or comprehend the others. With the 7th meme, we cross to the second tier.

7. Yellow – Flex Flow

Self-expression becomes the main focus again, but now with full (not just tactical) consideration for other people. I think of an example of this as trying never to say anything to one person that I would not be happy for everyone to hear. People at this level can understand the other levels and work spontaneously and flexibly with them.

50 years ago: Homo Sapiens “integratus”
Complexity, chaos, interconnections

8. Turquoise – Whole View

At this level, people sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the planet. They think holistically, basing their sacrifice not on rules – as in blue, or on a group – as in green, but on the health of the living system that supports all life. Few people are at this level.

30 years ago: Homo Sapiens “holisticus”
Globalism, eco-consciousness, patterns

[9. Coral – Integral Holonic (not here today …]

This level is only now emerging and cannot yet be fully described. Spiral Dynamics does not give many details but Ken Wilber describes how some elements of how the higher level psychological states reached by yogis and religious adepts may show the way.

Cultural Interpretations

BEIGE If the thinking is automatic; the structures are loose bands; the process is survivalistic.

PURPLE If the thinking is animistic; the structures will be tribal; the processes will be circular.

RED If the thinking is egocentric; the structures are empires; the process is exploitative.

BLUE If the thinking is absolutistic; the structures are pyramidal; the process is authoritarian.

ORANGE lf the thinking is multiplistic; the structures are delegative; the process is strategic.

GREEN If the thinking is relativistic; the structures are egalitarian; the process is consensual.

YELLOW If the thinking is systemic; the structures are integrative; the process is integrative.

TURQUOISE If the thinking is holistic; the structures are global; the process is flowing and ecological.

References

Spiral Dynamics by Don Beck & Christopher Cowan. Wiley Blackwell 2005

Clare W. Graves: Levels of Human Existence, a transcription by William R. Lee
This book is derived from a presentation by Dr. Graves at the Washington School of Psychiatry. It lays out a good summary of his work and some of the studies he used to validate his point of view. Dr. Graves’s theory is the essence of Spiral Dynamics. ECLET Publishing, PO Box 42212, Santa Barbara CA 93140. ISBN 0-9724742-0-X.

Online Resources

The Spiral Dynamics Group

More about Clare Graves