Level 5 Research Center/Choosing Level 5 Living

A magnificent level 5 culture can emerge from a metamorphosis of today’s culture.

Since the beginning of time, more than 13 billion years ago, four vast, complex, and dynamic systems have emerged. These are represented by rocks, plants, animals, and human culture. More formally these examples represent four complexity levels:

1. Matter—The set of material objects and their behaviors;
2. Life—Organisms and their behaviors;
3. Mind—The set of mental behaviors of animals mediated by the nervous system that produce a functional effect on the animal-environment relationship, and
4. Culture—The set of sociolinguistic behaviors, which range from large scale nation states to individual human justifications for actions.

We are now approaching the threshold of a transition to level 5, the next big thing, whatever that may be. History demonstrates that societies often collapse; they do not last very long. Are we also doomed, or can we do better?

If we take care to shape level 5, we can do much better. We can choose to live better lives for ourselves and others. We can eliminate alienation, isolation, frustration, anxiety, and constant battles. We do not have to keep living like this; we can choose to live a better life. We can choose level 5 living. We can focus on what matters, insist on honesty, dignity, and respect, and decide to leave the nonsense, foolishness, and shenanigans behind. We can choose to live wisely. We can make the leap from today’s level 4 cultures that are still struggling to emerge from prehistoric tribal origins toward a better future in a level 5 culture.

Today we are struggling through a transition from a long history of many tribal cultures toward a global culture. Worldviews often clash as we work to manage this transition. Considered from a big history perspective, today’s cultures are operating at complexity level 4 and can be described as tribal cultures. We can make progress; move beyond the level 4 culture we are living in today and begin to create a level 5 culture.

Along with many wonderful developments, our level 4 tribal culture has also brought us many grand challenges—the many great problems and opportunities facing humanity. Can we do better by choosing to live at level 5?

As we approach the threshold of level 5, information sharing, global reach, abundance, and other features of our capability infrastructure amplify our influence. As a result, we can choose to do great harm, or we can choose to do good. We have a moral imperative to use our assets for the good. We can choose our values and shape our future. We can leverage the capability infrastructure to connect with others as we work together to create a level 5 culture.

Professor Gregg Henriques asks “… Can we construct societies that tend to enhance dignity and well-being with integrity?” Because we can choose our values, we can choose values that guide us toward what is real and what is good. We can decide to live the level 5 values, which are derived from the general principles of intellectual honesty and dignity understood from a global perspective.

Begin by fully embracing the level 5 values. Study them, learn them, discuss them, practice them, and live them. Tell your trusted friends you have decided to live the level 5 values and ask for their support. Ask them to alert you whenever they notice you slipping back to level 4 behaviors or are otherwise failing to live at level 5. Friends don’t let friends live at level 4.

We can make progress when we stop using level 4 values, reset our intent and behavior by eliciting the relevant level 5 value, and go forward according to level 5 values.

Our commitment to living at level 5 is tested as we encounter people who are living at level 4. How can we best engage with people when they are behaving at level 4? Begin by knowing what you can change and what you cannot.

Do not allow this encounter to rekindle level 4 tendencies in yourself. Begin by recommitting yourself to level 5 values as you recognize that although you cannot change another person, you can assist someone who has asked for your help. As you work on improving relationships, extend your best efforts toward annealing and healing the contentious boundaries. Practice dialogue and continue to respect others’ dignity and autonomy. Engage others only in good faith. Use these level 5 phrases during difficult encounters.

During level 4 encounters it may be helpful to adopt an anthropologist’s mindset, so you can observe, study, and learn while maintaining some distance. As an anthropologist approaches an exotic culture, she is likely to be thinking “this is interesting, but I am not joining in”. Adopting this stance can help you engage with others without being tempted to abandon your own values to try to fit in.

Because you cannot change another person, you may decide that the best way to move forward with your life is to disengage from theirs. This may strain relationships and can sever ties, but the goal is to move toward level 5. If they do not understand their freedom ends where yours begins then it may be best to keep your distance. Others have no right to trespass on your privacy, time, space, or attention. The intent in disengaging is to protect yourself so you can move forward with your level 5 life. It is not to punish them, teach them a lesson, or to ensure they get what they deserve. It may be helpful to discuss with them your reasons for the separation. When Steven Covey recommends people “think win/win or no deal” he is providing similar advice.

If those you encounter are drawn toward level 5 values, we are all making progress.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Choose level 5 living. Live wisely. Seek real good.