Social Aspects--Psyche is Society

In the same way that we couldn't talk about psychological characteristics without the physical action potentials that support them, we can't reasonably speak of social aspects without recognizing that psyches support and create them. That means, then, that psychological potentials will tend to shape or direct social customs. The potentials we support by our choices and actions will have greater influence in our societies--not surprisingly. But taking this as common background can tell us about how to intentionally shape (affirm, ignore, or limit) certain social practices.

In other words, if we want psychologically healthy neighbors and fellow citizens, we need to support the things that make people healthy. Meaning...we can consider whether standard social practices are in line with playful and creative selves, able selves, good and right selves, mature selves, true selves, etc. We can also see how to motivate others based on their own success and happiness rather than on emotional reactivity. Generally, when people have a solidly creative self with lots of energy, they will look for purpose. When they have a solidly able self, they will look for being right (and perhaps good if their society encourages goodness). When there is plenty of energy (action potential), one step follows another unless there is some sort of problem. [If there is some sort of problem, we can look to address the situation as well as the individual's attitudes and actions, although it is generally better to take a comprehensive perspective on increasing vitality rather than emphasizing corrective measures when possible.]

This also gives a measuring stick for our own decisions and interventions. If you want someone to be mature, mindful and appreciative, but you deny meaning, a system of understanding the world, or the possibility for progress, you stab yourself in the foot while putting your foot in your mouth. Better to not interfere when you can't be part of the solution. The important aspects lower on the developmental scale need to come first. Belief systems that deny the value of the lower levels may be lofty but will add social instability and encourage unsustainable change whether the goal-state is admirable or not.

So we want to be able to model actions and communications for whatever our goals are as well as expressing solidarity with whatever levels someone else is at. Essentially, experience with higher level perspectives should provide a wider view. Wisdom involves being able and willing to shift between addressing problems, encouraging progress, and focusing on the moment at hand as called for. Again, we are talking about how to recognize and utilize opportunities, and supporting healthy aspects of self feeds into resilient and inspired socializing. Healthy socialization feeds into resilient and inspired individuals.

All of this taken together means that we must create expectations (train ourselves to recognize opportunities) around progress. And in order to support progress, we want to act upon the opportunities these expectations point out. In very complex situations where we cannot adequately design progress, we can support the healthy emergent qualities presented in any given situation. In relatively simple situations where we can design progress, we can catalyze that progress by supporting healthy qualities and limiting unhealthy qualities. This is somewhat different than (but works hand-in-hand with) focusing on quantities. (Focusing exclusively on quantities tends to spiral diverse and divergent groups into resentment, entitlement, power analyses, and resource competition even when social coordination is possible and would be beneficial.)

The psychological qualities we support become the society that surrounds us. Therefore, we might as well have increasing input concerning what qualities we support. To do so, we will want to create customs, standards of communication, and expectations that fit with the variety levels while providing an integrated framework that embraces each level, the current physical/political situation as rich with opportunity, and progress.