The Daily Evolver

The culture wars heated up last week with two new skirmishes. One was the release of the American Psychological Association’s new Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Boys and Men. The other is a new ad released by the Gillette razor company: The Best a Man Can Get. Both explicitly criticize traditional views of masculinity; as the APA Guidelines states, “traditional masculinity — marked by stoicism, competitiveness, dominance and aggression — is, on the whole, harmful.” And both encourage men to be more sensitive, cooperative and revealing. Predictably, the new ad and report created blowback from people who see them as part of a postmodern project to neuter men by damning masculinity itself as toxic. They maintain that traditional masculine qualities are innate to men and essential to a healthy culture. Could both sides have a point? In this podcast Jeff talks with Dr. Keith Witt about an evolutionary approach that liberates masculinity and femininity into a new integration that features the best of both and makes them available to all.

Donald Trump’s coarseness has proven to be more powerful than most people thought possible. In act two of his presidency he is being met with reciprocal incivility from his opposition, exemplified by newly-elected Congressperson Rashida Tlabid, who promised at a rally to “impeach the motherf*****”. In this episode I explore where and how this “new incivility” is arising, its evolutionary potency, and how it can be – and is being – engaged with more wisdom and intention.

According to Shane McDermott, my guest today, the biggest challenge of being human is living in a body. At every stage of development we are in conflict with how we look, feel or function. Shane approaches whole-person development through the portal of physicality. In our discussion he shares his methods for freeing up life force and releasing patterns that constrict us without our being fully aware of them, including how to: Identify and heal past traumas at the source Embrace a deep self acceptance of your body exactly as it is The wisdom drives of the body – with a special emphasis on relating to nature How to attend to issues of chronic pain, injury and illness Shane MeDermott is a Master Integral Coach (through Integral Coaching Canada), with additional certification in Structural Integration Bodywork, Yoga, Feldenkrias, Intuitive Energy Medicine, and Corrective and Holistic Exercise Kinesiology. You can contact him at [email protected] or at his website mindbodybeing.org

On the Daily Evolver we often explore the downsides of various stages of human development, such as warrior violence, traditional fundamentalism, modern materialsm and postmodern relativism. But what are the blind and stuck spots characteristic of the post-postmodern stages of development? In this episode I am joined by development psychotherapist Kim Barta for a discussion of both the light and shadow sides of integral consciousness. Kim Barta is a practicing psychotherapist for many years, and a collaborator with Terri O’Fallen in the application of her STAGES model of human development.

Donald Trump at midterm is poised to be one of the most consequential presidents in modern history. Not necessarily for his policies, many of them odious (like his character), but for leading a frontal charge against the worldviews of modern globalism and postmodern multiculturalism. Drawing on the latest headlines, I examine Trump and the Trump phenomenon in the light of cultural evolution. Can a government built on enlightenment principles of shared power contain an autocratic head of state? Plus, how has Trump’s vision of American greatness inspired so many people? How may his disruption of norms create positive results? What new opportunities are arising for those on the left and right to create a “new patriotism” that inspires both sides? Cultural differentiation isn’t for the faint of heart, but integration makes it all worthwhile. I hope you enjoy the episode!

The morning after this week’s US midterm election I got a note from Dr. Keith Witt, my Shrink and the Pundit podcast partner, suggesting we do an episode on the voting results. “I’m a little let down by the election,” he confessed. “I’m uncharacteristically at a loss around understanding this situation culturally and politically, and have some questions I’d like to explore with you around it.” “Oh goody,” I thought, “this time I get to be the shrink!” What a fun and fruitful session we had. Dr. Keith’s condition mirrors that of many in the integral community: grateful for the new Democratic House of Representative which will put a check on President Trump, but also dismayed at the continued strength of what many see as destructive and regressive political forces. Not to mention the general mendacity and nastiness that attends so much of today’s politics. So what does an evolutionary pundit masquerading as a therapist have to say to that? Tune in and find out!

Today I’m joined by Corey DeVos, editor-in-chief of Integral Life. I invited him on because my job is highlighting the emergence of integral consciousness, and I have been really impressed with the stuff Corey and company are putting out these days. (Plus they host my live show twice a week, and I want them to know I love them!) In our conversation I asked Corey about three recent offerings that particularly touched and edified me: A memorial to Father Thomas Keating, who passed away in October and who developed the practice of Centering Prayer, a contemplative, post-mythic portal to the spiritual heart of Christianity. Corey and I commemorate Father Thomas’s contribution to each of us and to the field of Integral Christianity, not just with his teachings but also through his personal transmission. The Ken Show, where Corey hosts Ken Wilber in a series of video conversations using integral thinking to illuminate some of today’s hot philosophical topics. Their latest, “Is Free Will an Illusion?”, really hit the sweet spot for me, explaining how determinism and free will work together to create the universe – and us. It really expanded my understanding, and reminded me of the explanatory power of integral theory, especially as applied by Ken. Ginny Whitelaw’s new webinar, Lead with Purpose. As a long-time producer of professional development training I have to say Ginny is terrific – and integral! She’s a Zen Master, a NASA trained executive, has a PhD in biophysics and a fifth degree black belt in Akido – and brings it all to a course in personal effectiveness that features the full power of integral consciousness.

Celebrity chef David Chang’s irreverent new series on Netflix, Ugly Delicious, illuminates the developmental arc of some of the world’s favorite foods. Each of eight episodes highlights one dish or concept, such as BBQ, fried rice or home cooking, and explores its roots in different regions and how it has evolved. Today I’m reviewing the first episode, which follows Chang and his gang as they seek the soul of pizza, from the 300-year-old classic Neopolitan Margherita, to a sushi and ginger pizza in Tokyo, to Wolfgang Puck’s California reinventions, to a Dominos delivery shop in New Jersey. Ugly Delicious imparts a distinct integral flavor as Chang concludes his exploration by legitimizing all claims of pizza purity. As he puts it, “authenticity is something that has been overvalued, but which really has not been scrutinized enough.”

by Jeff Salzman Today I’m joined by one of our most impressive young integral thinkers, Jeremy Johnson. Jeremy is a scholar of the 20th century poet/philosopher Jean Gebser, and is currently president of the international Jean Gebser Society. Gebser is a major (if eccentric) figure in the integral lineage, most famous for describing the structures of human consciousness as archaic, magic, mythic, mental and integral. Surprisingly (to me at least) Gebser did not see these structures as evolutionarily continuous, but as “mutations” which are all online now in various states of “efficiency” and “deficiency”. Further, not only are the structures of history online, but so are the structures of the future – and they are calling to us right here and now. This presents a terrific koan to the integral practitioner, and Jeremy Johnson transmits it in a way that left me inspired and the world reenchanted. May he – and Gebser – do the same for you! “What is gaining importance now is the spiritual light reigning between objects – the tension and the relation between them.” – Jean Gebser Jeremy Johnson has a degree in sociology from Fordham University, the Jesuit College in Manhattan, and a Masters in Consciousness Studies from Goddard College. Jeremy is the founder of Nura Learning, a conscious media learning platform, and is an editor and writer for numerous publications. He is currently working on his first book, Seeing Through the World: Jean Gebser and Integral Consciousness, from Revelore Press.

Another week of cultural evolution at warp speed was brought on by a real-life daytime TV drama. It started on Tuesday, with NBC morning host Megyn Kelly defending blackface as a Halloween costume choice. She apologized and had her consciousness raised live on her Wednesday show, and was fired from the network on Friday. In this episode I use an integral lens to tease apart some of the cultural forces at play in this story. Plus, I take a look at another daytime tv show that also powerfully moved the ball in race relations this week: Dr. Phil’s “What You Need to Know About White Privilege”.