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integral
July 2009 
Integral Politics - An Open Letter to Senator Obama
Posted on Jan 18th, 2008
by 
Chris
Chris
Senator Obama,
I am a member of Young Lawyers for Obama, but I am writing to you primarily as a student of integral philosophy. In its purest form, integral philosophy is the understanding that everyone and every approach carries some truth, but not the whole truth - that every approach is "true, but partial," as the leading integral thinker, Ken Wilber, puts it. From this basic premise, Wilber has created a framework for recognizing both the truths and the shortcomings in as many approaches as possible.
I believe that you yourself have this integral intuition. From your speeches to various interest groups, boldly presenting the partialities of their interests, to your appearance on The Daily Show, teasing out of the "lack of experience" attack the truth of the need for good judgment, you seem to understand that a new way forward requires us to recognize that each of has a part of a deep truth - and, just as importantly, that we need to rigorously and humbly work together to recognize our shortcomings and piece together more of that truth. Indeed, I see your entire campaign, cutting across the categories that have separated us, as built on the integral intuition. Republicans and Democrats, Red State and Blue State - we all have a piece of the truth, and those pieces need to both be recognized as partial and be integrated into an ever-greater whole if we are to attack the global problems of today with any effect.
That said, we all struggle with how to put that intuition into action, and it appears to me that you are no exception. In your health care proposal, for example, you appear to recognize the twin truths that external factors (the opportunity to obtain affordable health care) and internal factors (the responsibility to work and obtain that care, when we can) must be integrated; but the internal factors, in particular, seem to fall by the wayside in some respects. And in general, I often see you express the integral intuition of bringing us together under a broader truth, but struggle to put into words the particulars of that vision.
Wilber has written a number of introductions to his integral framework that I believe would be very valuable to you, both in forming policies and in communicating your vision (though, I must say, you seem to already have a skill for integral communication). See, e.g., http://www.integralinstitute.org/public/static/abtapproach.aspx Additionally, I would enjoy sharing with you further thoughts on an integral approach to politics, should you be interested.
There are a number of us "integral" folks supporting you already, as you put into action on a grand scale much of what we've been exploring on a smaller scale. I and others would love to be of service, if we can.
Thanks,
Christian Grostic
(cross posted at http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/christiangrostic/CVrR)
I am a member of Young Lawyers for Obama, but I am writing to you primarily as a student of integral philosophy. In its purest form, integral philosophy is the understanding that everyone and every approach carries some truth, but not the whole truth - that every approach is "true, but partial," as the leading integral thinker, Ken Wilber, puts it. From this basic premise, Wilber has created a framework for recognizing both the truths and the shortcomings in as many approaches as possible.
I believe that you yourself have this integral intuition. From your speeches to various interest groups, boldly presenting the partialities of their interests, to your appearance on The Daily Show, teasing out of the "lack of experience" attack the truth of the need for good judgment, you seem to understand that a new way forward requires us to recognize that each of has a part of a deep truth - and, just as importantly, that we need to rigorously and humbly work together to recognize our shortcomings and piece together more of that truth. Indeed, I see your entire campaign, cutting across the categories that have separated us, as built on the integral intuition. Republicans and Democrats, Red State and Blue State - we all have a piece of the truth, and those pieces need to both be recognized as partial and be integrated into an ever-greater whole if we are to attack the global problems of today with any effect.
That said, we all struggle with how to put that intuition into action, and it appears to me that you are no exception. In your health care proposal, for example, you appear to recognize the twin truths that external factors (the opportunity to obtain affordable health care) and internal factors (the responsibility to work and obtain that care, when we can) must be integrated; but the internal factors, in particular, seem to fall by the wayside in some respects. And in general, I often see you express the integral intuition of bringing us together under a broader truth, but struggle to put into words the particulars of that vision.
Wilber has written a number of introductions to his integral framework that I believe would be very valuable to you, both in forming policies and in communicating your vision (though, I must say, you seem to already have a skill for integral communication). See, e.g., http://www.integralinstitute.org/public/static/abtapproach.aspx Additionally, I would enjoy sharing with you further thoughts on an integral approach to politics, should you be interested.
There are a number of us "integral" folks supporting you already, as you put into action on a grand scale much of what we've been exploring on a smaller scale. I and others would love to be of service, if we can.
Thanks,
Christian Grostic
(cross posted at http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/christiangrostic/CVrR)
Access: Public
Thanks for this Chris,
Seeing the photo of Sen. Obama with a copy of Genpo Roshi's Big Mind-Big Heart reminded me of when I gave a copy of one of my teacher's (Genpo's Dharma brother) Daido's books to Jerry Brown. That was a little before Drexel Specher and I shared a telescope the night that Mars came closer to Earth than it will be again in our lifetimes. Drexel went on to help Wilber develop his Integral Politics work of the late 90's.
It does look as though I'll have the opportunuty to go see Sen.Obama this coming week.
Your acknowledgment of the fit between this particular candidacy and potential AQAL usage feels right on to me. I sense, I feel, the Senator's ability and willingness to take various perspectives. He seems to relate an active openness to dynamics of people's interiors. A rare bird at any altitude. I just hope that the flock/team he's attracted around himself can maintain a formation responsive across quadrants as well.
Any and all of us can most certainly be of service.
Kerry