[Dialogue] Wilber
W. J.
synergi at yahoo.com
Sat Apr 14 17:34:30 EDT 2007
Feeling a lot older and grumpier these days, I don't want to waste any energy debating various POV concerning Wilber, let alone read all his stuff myself. Maybe we should have a corporate reading research project and get it all out there.
My big clue was in his defensive rhetorical stlyle and shockingly intemperate language in http://www.kenwilber.com/blog/show/46. A revolutionary (1) doesn't get drawn in to responding to criticism; and (2) stands in the comprehensive and doesn't get defensive, 'cause when you get defensive, you're defending some reductionism. So I would expect Wilber to walk the talk if he claims some kinda evolved consciousness...
At least Bush has Karl Rove doing his dirty work in the White House. So Wilber might think about hiring Karl when he becomes available early in 2009 (or maybe before!).
Marshall
----- Original Message ----
From: Tim Wegner <twegner at swbell.net>
To: Colleague Dialogue <dialogue at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 1:30:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Dialogue] Wilber
First, I am not exactly a Wilber fan, but I took it upon myself to
catch up on most of his books about a year ago and led a three
session adult class on WIlber. What a challenge!
I have seen the polemical link that Marshall Jones quoted, and agree
with Marshall that it did not reflect well on Wilber. But it would be
unfair to judge Wilber on that one essay. Wilber has a thing about
wanting to speak for himself, chooses his words cartefully, and
nothing makes Wilber madder than having a critic say "Wilber said
this" and then tear it apart. Wilber's usual defense is "I never said
it!" These kind of debates about arcane details of a huge edifice of
thinking and philosophy are lost on me. I'd rather just read WIlber
and take what I can for myself.
My approach to reading anyone is to first understand them as best I
can, and second of all place them in my mediatative council and do
loobattle with the others gathered there, and finally look for truly
useful concepts or better yet life-changing perspectives. I don't
require perfection from those I read, I don't need to like them, or
even agree with everything about them. In some cases really bad
writing has wonderful nuggets. For example, "Celestine Prophecy" has
a truly awful metaphysical premise and is poorly written, but it
contains this nugget: everyone you meet today may be the one bearing
today's cosmic message. Literally this is (to me) nonsense, but
metaphorically, what a wonderful way to take everyone you meet
seriously! (In fact, *this very email* may contain YOUR cosmic
message!!!) This is the kind of idea that if you can keep it in mind
can transform your relationships.
Wilber does repeat certain ideas over and over, but having recently
read many of his books, his ideas do evolve and and each new book
covers significant new ground.
John wrote:
> The thing I least appreciate about his work is his emphasis on
> "developmental" in such a way that we all get cubby holed in a stage
> of development. Or, development becomes hierarchical, often leading
> to "I'm more advanced than you," or "I'm more spiritual than you,"
> which to me is over the line: how can anyone be any closer to the
> mystery than anyone else? This leads to misplaced and
> arrogant righteousness and is a fundamental source of divisiveness in
> society and the universe.
Wilber makes it clear in many places (sorry I can't quote one) that
he does not take the levels that rigidly, that anyone can experience
flashes of insight from any level at any time. He has gotten this
criticism a lot and has stated clearly that taking the levels rigidly
is not his approach. (This could be a change from his earlier
thinking.)
One can't do justice to Wilber in a paragraph. Suffice it to say if
one of the things Mathews did was create comprehensive screens,
WIlber went much farther. To get the whole picture, look at
everything from the inside and the outside, from the individual and
the group (that's four possibilities so far), and withing each of
those quadrants, look at the "holarchy" of successively including-but-
transcending realities.
One important reason we should read Wilber is he has a withering
critique of the "mean green meme" from a non-conservative point of
view. That's us, folks, just read this mailing list :-) We can't
stand militarism or conservatism. According to WIlber the next stage
beyond "geen" is the first transpersonal stage that has integral
consciousness that fully appreciates all the stages. I struggle with
this a lot, and am not sure I get it, but I think it's a good
struggle.
Wilber addresses our malaise in "Boomeritis". It's a novel not a
lecture, but let me warn you that the main character (a twenty-
something guy whose name is "Ken Wilber") does attend a lot of
lectures. While Wilber isn't the greatest novelist, this is a very
original funny book in which Wilber (partially at least) pokes fun at
himself. There's a great spoof underlying the whole book that comes
out at the end.
Our biggest fault, as "mean green meme" liberals, is, according to
Wilber, Narcissism.
Tim
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