Anthropology (catch all)

[marct]

Hey 120mm

One theory that I've seen that resonates with my "verstehen" and tangentially contradicts Maslov, is the matrix that John Dalmas uses in his "The Regiment" Science Fiction novel.

I knew there was a reason we got on so well - we're both Dalmas fans .

Children instinctively know this. I think if you raised kids in an isolation chamber, they'd get right out and "play war" if given the chance. I'm not a psycho-babble kind of guy; this just struck a chord with me, when I heard it for the first time.

I'm not sure if you are aware of this or not, but Dalmas' Matrix of the T'Sel also resonates with Tibetan Buddhism, some variants of Gnosticism (mainly 3rd century Alexandrian stuff and the Cathars), the Zurvanites and, strangely enough, with Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

I've thought about trying to work some of it into my organizational culture work (it fits really well with concepts such as the "learning organization"). I usually end up not doing so, because the Anthro stuff I use is pretty far out as far as many of the Management people are concerned and I don't want to freak them too badly .

You are certainly right about the rigidity of the Maslow work, as is Bill. It is way to "linear" in its conception of people's "programming", and it can't account for all too many observations. It think that it is a useful heuristic if we are examining populations, but tends to drop in utility when we get down to the level of individuals.

Marc