Superstructure for Doing
«The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.» Wittgenstein
Orientation
The goal is to get a fix on what the Root Levels are about when treating them as simple unitary entities. (In this section, we want to avoid seeing them as vast «domains» emanating numerous complicated systems of elements.)
There is not much to say. Yet these 7 simple everyday phenomena provide the basis for an interesting and surprising journey.
See the background for each Root Level considered as a domain of endeavour.
The foundation of the Root hierarchy is RL1-Action, only briefly noted below as a reminder. The endeavour's action-superstructure consists of:
Categories Explained
Function
The defining feature for any THEE element is its function. As this is personal endeavour, we mean its function for «me», not its function in general. Any human function requires a name, and the formal name may be defined in terms of the function. Starting from the function (not the name-concept), other properties can be identified.
Manifestation
The entities in the Root Hierarchy are the very fundamentals of the human condition—as such, they have an enormous internal complexity. e.g. the Politics and the Interacting for Benefit frameworks (captured in over 400 webpages) are just two of many emanations of RL6-Purpose. So it is not realistic to try to capture the phenomena released by these Root entities in any simple way. All that will be done below is to make some general non-definitive references, typically relating to the respective Primary Hierarchy.
Cost
We can do nothing in the psychosocial realm without a cost. If a price has to be paid, then we should know what it is. Calling this category the «means» or the «requirement», would obscure this sharper and often painful aspect.
Benefit
Every entity-tool in THEE generates benefits, or so it seems. If they did not, they would never be used, especially given that they incur costs. These fundamental components of endeavour certainly benefit us in a way that outweighs their costs (mostly). That deserves notice.
Difficulties
Common difficulties experienced in everyday life in relation to particular Levels are suggested. It is proposed that, all other things being equal, each level has a factor complementary to its benefit that activates its use, and another that leads to its dismissal or avoidance despite the likely benefit.
Work
«Endeavour » has a much broader reference than «work». Endeavour relates to whatever you choose to do, which includes work. But it also includes play, relating to others, getting on in society, making your life worthwhile. «Work » in THEE is about discharging responsibility within society; and that in turn relates to your ability to carry that burden, expectations others have of you and your obligations to them. See more in the Work & Its Organisation Satellite.
Here is an overview of basic findings.
Click to See the Matrix
| 7 |
Willingness
|
Generating a positive disposition to engage. |
Freedom |
Genuine persistent support for efforts. |
| 6 |
Purpose
|
Determining direction and structure. |
Responsibility |
Instigator and guide for all lower Levels. |
| 5 |
Communication
|
Asserting the nature of relevant realities. |
Mental effort |
Making sense to myself and others. |
| 4 |
Experience
|
Using your inner states as a reference gauge. |
Exposure |
Access to useful signals, ideas and to experiences of others. |
| 3 |
Change
|
Fitting yourself and your endeavour within the environment. |
Identity management |
New worthwhile adaptation that is viable. |
| 2 |
Inquiry
|
Getting knowledge relevant to decisions. |
Time |
Optimization of economy, efficiency, and effectiveness. |
| 1 |
Action
|
Proceeding practically
so as to alter external reality. |
Resources |
Production of a specific desired result. |
Action: RL1
Action-RL1 involves other people directly or indirectly and also the physical environment. So it is a socio-physical engagement with an end in mind. When someone acts, i.e. proceeds practically to produce results, there is actualization i.e. your psychosocial reality and the environmental reality inter-penetrate. This inter-penetration is the source of difficulties in Action-RL1. The costs of action are the resources that are used (especially time), and the benefits are the results that are obtained. Read more.
Given that everything else in the superstructure is being handled,
► Why do we dismiss RL1-Action: it’s too hard.
► Why do we activate RL1-Action: it's feasible.
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Inquiry: RL2
Inquiry-RL2 exists to generate knowledge relevant to decision and action. Inquiry can assist at every stage of an endeavour. What do others think? How difficult is it? What scheduling is possible? Is it worthwhile? How should I proceed? What external input might be required? What is the financial cost? What about other costs? How long must I allow? And so on.
Features
Cost & Benefit
The benefit sought is the elucidation, measurement and analysis of the many factors relevant to ensuring action is economic, efficient and effective.
The critical cost of inquiry seems to be time. Inquiring consumes time: often vast amounts of time, which often means money too. The resulting delays in deciding to act may be acceptable or felt to be intolerable. In work settings, the IT revolution has raised the value of inquiry and reduced the time and costs dramatically—but not totally, due to the vast amounts of data and proliferation of analyses.
Difficulties
Inquiry has many difficulties in practice. It is often avoided through impatience, or ignored through subservience to authorities, or disliked due to the inherent time delays. Sometimes the problem is the reverse: there is a «paralysis of analysis » where inquiry becomes interminable and action is continually postponed.
Given the usefulness of RL2-Inquiry for guiding RL1-Action:
► Why do we dismiss it: object seems too complicated.
► Why do we activate it: object seems understandable.
THEE Note: If this is correct, it follows that the secret of successful inquiry is to reduce the focus to something simple enough that it seems to be understandable—that was possibly the key tactic enabling the discovery of this Taxonomy.
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Change: RL3
The function of change-RL3 is to maintain a good fit of the endeavour to the relevant environments while you act and create worthwhile outcomes. At the base of change-RL3, lies the need to preserve an identity that can develop. This need may be experienced in various ways: a fear of change, an inner dissatisfaction, competitiveness, ambition. Deliberate action needs to produce a flow of changes in the sense of progressively stable states of the evolving endeavour.
Features
Cost & Benefit
The critical cost in regard to change seems to be identity management. The status quo preserves identity, even if we are unaware of that. We mostly do not want to become someone else, and we are similarly sensitive about our endeavours. So change touches on identity.
The benefit sought is a new practically viable state of existence (i.e. adaptation). The new fit ramifies in ways that cannot be known fully in advance because either or both the endeavour and the environment are dynamic.
Difficulties
Change is notoriously difficult. It is often as hard to stay the same as it is to move to a new condition. The future is a feature and it leads to anticipations of danger and failure. A practical difficulty is the fuzzy appreciation of the present and the environment with its inexorable forces.
Given the importance of RL3-Change for surviving and thriving:
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Experience: RL4
The function of experience-RL4 is to use inner states as a reference gauge for evaluating the environment and higher and lower level phenomena. Gaining relevant experiences is therefore significant for success in our endeavour. Inner experience provides warning signals most immediately via emotions (e.g. fear warns of danger. anger of frustrated wishes) and then generates thoughts and intuitions. It is also essential for attuning to others so as to appreciate their feelings and to position yourself in the relationship.
Features
Cost & Benefit
The benefit is a deep personal involvement with the endeavour that releases personal energies and commitment, and allows for understanding others. The cost is exposure to disturbing experiences: your own and others. Usable inner experiences develop through «» childhood care by willing responsive parents. Because a family is limited, additional exposure to diverse situations, ideologies, perspectives and cultures is useful. Experience comes primarily through direct personal relationships and social interactions: and secondarily and indirectly through education and reading.
Difficulties
Experience can be defective through unconscious defences—which were erected by previous traumatic experiences, usually during upbringing. Blind spots based on limited exposure, personal bias or plain ignorance are also common.
Given the usefulness of RL4-Experience for personal commitment and creativity:
► Why do we dismiss RL4-Experience: it seems too alien.
► Why do we activate RL4-Experience: it seems assimilable.
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Communication: RL5
The function of communication-RL5 is to create the endeavour as a social object, and express and receive messages about it so that it can become actual. Language, verbal and non-verbal, must be used in a way that effectively asserts and engages relevant phenomena. The primary requirement is to discriminate things that need particular attention, or that might otherwise be confused or missed.
Features
Cost & Benefit
Communicating must ensure that others who are involved, directly or indirectly, can assist or cooperate—or at least not oppose or block. That means the benefit from what you say is about being able to make sense to yourself and to others.
The cost in communication is the mental effort to express yourself properly. It takes time and thought to be as precise and clear—or to be as indefinite and ambiguous—as the occasion demands. There is also an effort of concentration to properly hear what others are saying, and to notice what they are indicating non-verbally or in their behaviour.
Difficulties
Communication is hard work. You normally do not know what you think until you write it down—and who does that? Very few. The best summary of what occurs when someone tries to communicate is found in Wiio's laws
: its main axiom is: «Communication usually fails, except by accident.». But there are also artificiality, secrecy, rhetorical tricks, misleading plausibility and numerous other ploys that combine to defeat best efforts.
Given that nothing can happen without RL5-Communication,
► Why do we dismiss RL5-Communication: it seems too prone to failure.
► Why do we activate RL5-Communication: it seems required—for oneself or others.
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Purpose: RL6
The function of purpose-RL6 is to determine the direction, structure and responsibility in relation to an endeavour. Purpose is therefore the identity core of any endeavour. It is particularly emphasized by those who see themselves primarily as «social beings». Almost anything in the lower 5 Root Levels may be justified so long as the originating purpose remains intact. Purpose shows up in many ways: as expressed values, ideas, doctrines, beliefs, goals and objectives, and more.
Features
Cost & Benefit
The cost of being intentional is the responsibility that is brought into being for any particular endeavour. The benefit of a purpose is expressed in its definition. A «purpose» is «an account of a future state of affairs that is created to guide and help its actualization» i.e. to bring that state into existence within a shared environmental reality.
Difficulties
Purpose is difficult because of the responsibility that comes in its train. Acting without a clear purpose reduces the weight of commitment, and makes the results of action impossible to evaluate.
Given the central importance of RL6-Purpose in any endeavour,
► Why do we dismiss RL6-Purpose: the goal seems unattainable.
► Why do we activate RL6-Purpose: the goal seems manageable.
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Willingness: RL7
The function of willingness-RL7 is to generate a positive disposition that sustains your engagement despite the trials and tribulations intrinsic to any worthwhile endeavour. When we see others re-organize their lives, advance themselves or achieve in some tangible way, our willingness is activated. Willingness is required in everyday life: to speak up, to join a group, to fight your corner, to trust others, to learn a new language and more. It also manifests as a wide range of potentially demanding but worthwhile inner states—including hope, faith, patience, and love.
Features
Costs & Benefits
Willingness, with its positivity, offers the benefit of persistence and genuine support for the endeavour. Social contagion encourages others to join the endeavour independently of their own rational assessments, just as the expression of doubts and fears puts them off.
The cost is the experience of freedom in relation to the particular endeavour. Without total freedom there is coercion, and coerced participation is never wholehearted. Once willing commitment is given, then freedom to participate in other ventures or adventures is concomitantly diminished. This unavoidable loss of freedom is what often inhibits willing commitment.
Difficulties
Willingness is part of the imagination and is inhibited within the imagination e.g. by fears of the unknown, anxiety over creative capacity, seeming irrationality or weaknesses not as yet manifest in the endeavour.
Given that nothing can happen without RL7-Willingness,
► Why do we dismiss RL7-Willingness: endeavour seems too mysterious.
► Why do we activate RL7-Willingness: endeavour seems desirable.
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Having obtained a sense of what each Root Level is about in relation to any endeavour, it is worth checking that it is indeed a complete and holistic hierarchy. The alternative conjecture would be: the 7 items are a «collection of factors», and perhaps there are more factors that have not been noticed.
We will be talking about transcendence: if this terms puzzles or scares you, it shouldn't. Transcendence is easy: see for yourself. If you are OK with the term, consider the evidence for hierarchy.
Originally posted : 06-Jul-2011. Last updated: 06-Jul-2013. Amended 16-Jul-2023.