Individuals, organizations and society all go through 5 distinct evolutionary stages. These stages are consistent across all group definitions in their overall description and state. In aggregate summary, the following terms best typify the nature of the evolutionary stage for all groups through each science.
Figure c. Evolutionary Stages
Stage 1 – Survival
Stage 1 is the core of being alive. It includes the 4 F’s of survival motivation: fight, fright, food and reproduction. Stage 1 behavior ensures the basic existence of the living creature. It is the reptilian brain in its most natural state.
Individuals are dependent on someone else for their financial and emotional care and food. Individuals in a group feel alienated, with a general expression of “life sucks.”
Stage 2 – Structure
Stage 2 is the start of the mammalian brain seeking expression through connection with others. Behavior becomes controlled by rules. Stage 2 is motivated by safety and comfort.
The individual behaves separately but no longer alienated. Acknowledging that not all life sucks, just the individual life sucks, they express “My life sucks.” The individual can work for someone else as an employee following the rules of the organization. Societal structure is provided so individuals living in a rules-based hierarchy know how to behave according to those rules. The rules tend to support the maintenance of the society’s political system.
Stage 3 – Independent
Stage 3 throws off the rules of the structure in favor of independence. Individuals carry on didactic personal relationships. Their expression changes to “I’m great.” In their work environment, they behave as self-employed people, and might be self-employed.
Best suited for a true capitalism, members of a Stage 3 society take on the responsibility of electing representatives to act in their best interests. Religious doctrine is shared through similar representatives of the belief system. Consumption drives the economy.
Stage 4 – Social
Stage 4 is the beginning of the neomammalian complex or logical brain enabling complex social behavior. It is the logical brain that distinctly identifies humans against other mammals. Individuals take on the fiscal behavior and responsibility of a business owner. Relationships become mutually dependent. The individual is motivated by behavior that fulfills their self-esteem.
Individuals create networks of partnerships in their organizations. Those organizations share the expression of “We’re great!” Individuals take responsibility for direct access to government and knowledge. Individuals are capable of and desire direct access to decision-making governance and knowledge.
With a larger ruling upper class and the elimination of the lower class, a 2-tier economic society emerges. The society is focused on the nation or union. A strong sense of ethics and morality, independent of religious dogma, drives behavior.
Stage 5 – Actualized
Stage 5 is the stage individuals, organizations and society flicker into, only to return to regular activity at Stage 4. Individuals can sustain their own personal Stage 5 behaviors over time with persistence and focus. Organizations formed by many Stage 5 individuals flicker into Stage 5 organizational behaviors for peak performance under certain circumstances. Societies can flicker into Stage 5 behaviors when a critical mass of organizations in those societies behaves at Stage 5 over periods of time.
In Stage 5, the individual behaves like a financial investor, with self-actualization as a key motivator for their behavior. Individuals become interdependent, needing others as much as other need them. Their purpose and vision is of the world, above even their nation or organization. Rationalizing groups of formal operations, the individual achieves metacognition. The individual seeks high states of intellectual pursuit. They take full responsibility for their behavior and the results of their behavior. They are self-directed.
Organizations are highly collaborative. Organizations exist as a matrix of teams. Individuals in organizations behave with innocent wonderment. Their relationships in these organizations are groups of triads. Decision-making is passed to the highly educated and trained frontline employees. Organizations in Stage 5 share the expression of “Life is great!” Their group behavior is innocent wonderment pursuing a purpose that is greater than their competitive nature.
Stage 5 society provides the highest levels of personal and organizational freedom. Society becomes communal. Groups of Stage 5 individuals with investor financial behavior drive the society. Everyone thinks about the world as a global caretaker. There is highly networked interdependent social awareness.