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Integral Psychology states that there are four levels of development.
Egocentric (similar to Carol Gilligan's "Selfish" stage as in children. Early childhood development through adolescence ... which should end by at least 30.)
Ethnocentric or Sociocentric (Gilligan's "Care" stage... i.e. tribalism, "my group" centered. Unfortunately, most people rarely rise above this level.)
Worldcentric (Gilligan's "Universal Care" stage. Heart centered. Able to parent and operate as a functional spouse and good neighbor.)
Being-centric (Gilligan's "Integrated" stage... more universal and spiritually unified with all)
"Within each broad stage, there are sub-levels. Spiral Dynamics is one theory that elaborates on these sub-levels." <LINK]
Perhaps a look at Ken Wilber's theories of developmental psychology, along with Piaget's theory of cognitive development, Kohlberg's stages of moral development, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, and Jane Loevinger's stages of ego development.
As an African American who travels, I have to say that there are bad actors all around.
I meet so many awful Europeans ... who act like "world beaters" in run over shoes who are at least as bad as Americans. (And ouch... we are ... awful too.)
Freud once said, "The need for power is the need for love."
It's said that Americans spend over 4 billion dollars a year, traveling the world in search of places where people will love us-- yet we refuse to talk to the neighbor right next door.
Tone. Arrogance. Bigotry ... really... isn't it all an egotistical, frantic desire for power?
The need for power is really the need for love.
So.. why can't Europeans and "Americans" just go for the love?
I know it's not the 60s, but much of what makes these countries attractive to us (besides the rate of exchange) is the sense of community and good vibes they seem to have. We're all human beings... what prevents us from creating those same loving, communal vibes at home.
Last edited by Rozenn; 07-28-2014 at 08:18 AM..
Reason: Rude
US society just seems so insular and "Us and them" why is the US like this?
This isn't a bash at Americans or the USA but its just an observation from comments from Americans, their media and well everything!
Note, I'm not saying Americans are insular just the country as a whole the insularity of the country is forced upon its citizens but how did this start?
You'd think the advanced country in the world would be the most connected but sadly there not.
I'm just curious why people who are not even from the United States would be bothered by this?
I think its clear from reading this thread that many people have already made up their minds on this matter and nothing can really change that, much as I stated in my posts on the first page (which I've gotten multiple reps for, fwiw). I find it somewhat telling that few people who are certain that the US is a steaming pile have bothered to respond to those, or any of the other thoughtful and rational posts on the matter, and instead pick out the more emotional posts and hold them up as proof of what exactly they're talking about.
I'm sure that at least a few of you guys are aware of what confirmation bias is and can gather my insinuation in bringing it up. May I suggest you give it some gravity.
These posts tend to make people emotional because they aren't questions so much as statements, and they make people alternately defensive or on the attack, since the first volley has been fired.
All this aside, I think this whole matter lays out what I find to be an evident truth: ignorant people are generally too ignorant to realize they're ignorant.
This thread was either started or became another bash America thread...I'm just really tired of the Europeans saying things so obviously and blatantly false due to their jealousy.
If you say I wonder why Americans or so us versus them and then say they are the most "disconnected" country in the world....you wonder why we have an us versus them response. As if the country that invented the atomic bomb, first and only country to go to the moon, creators of the computer and internet...is the most disconnected?
They are not the most advanced country in the world. Did you ever try internet speeds, cell phone reception or mobile internet there? Now do the same in the Netherlands.
You just show Europeans are as ignorant on American things as Americans are on European things.
Not to mention the roads here are pretty diabolical, at least in the northeast. And the electric wires are overground... in a country that has hurricanes regularly.... Plus the two-pin plugs are downright scary.
That being said, being British and having lived in London for 25 yrs at the start of my life, I find the average New Yorker to be far more cosmopolitan than the average Londoner.
Disclaimer - my original post should not be taken seriously. I was just responding angrily to Tall Traveler. Cannot stand arrogance from either side of this debate.
OP: What's your defintion of the world? If you only mean western Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada, like a lot of people do on this forum, then it might be close to last on the list, in terms of being connected. If you mean the entire world, then the U.S probably doesn't even crack the top 75, for being the least connected. Sometimes I think we exaggerate U.S stereotypes way too much, for example, in this survey where geographic knowledge was tested for the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, and the U.S, the gap wasn't huge. In fact the U.K, Canada did almost as badly as the U.S, with Mexico doing worse. I can't attach the pdf for some reason, so just type in "final report roper survey national geographic" and it should come up on the first link.
The link below also shows that American patriotism is quite exagerrated too, with the gap not being that huge between a few European countries, especially among those between 18 - 29, where there are no significant differences.
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