Developmental Politics Course
Becoming Part of the Solution: A Course In Developmental Politics
Course Description
Hyperpolarization in American politics has divided our nation, government, friendships, and even our families. The need to find a way forward feels urgent yet unclear. Join Steve McIntosh, author and president of the Institute for Cultural Evolution, for his 9-part course, Becoming Part of the Solution—a deep dive into a developmental approach to politics where the remedy is found in the evolution of consciousness itself.
By clearly recognizing the deep value structures of our democracy, Steve shows how we can overcome our political hatreds and discover a powerful interdependence inherent in America’s overall “cultural ecosystem.” The course, based on Steve’s acclaimed 2020 book: Developmental Politics, is produced and hosted by The Aligned Center in New York.
Two ways to take the course
- Developmental Politics Facebook Group: If you want to connect with our community, we use Facebook as our online gathering place. Click here to take the Developmental Politics course on Facebook.
- Here: On this page, you will find the videos for each week and related discussion questions. If you open the video on Youtube, you may join the discussion by leaving your comment below the video.
Week 1 – Growing a New Type of Culture
Addressing the challenge of hyperpolarization through a new politics of culture. Steve explains why hyperpolarization is a cultural problem that requires a cultural solution.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the Youtube comments.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
What drew you to this course? What do you hope to get out of it?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapter 1 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read Chapters 2-3
Week 2 – Cultural Problems Require Cultural Solutions
Steve explores the use of cultural intelligence and why worldviews are the basic units of cultural analysis and understanding.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the Youtube comments.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
How do you feel about contemporary progressivism? When did you first encounter it?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapters 2-3 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read Chapter 4
Week 3 – Advancing Preferred Values By Affirming Opposing Values
Steve discusses the polarity principle: When faced with a positive-positive value polarity, the best way to advance the values of our preferred pole is to affirm the values of the pole we oppose.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
Can you think of a situation in your life wherein the practice of cultural intelligence would be useful?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapter 4 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read Steve’s article: Towards a Post-Progressive Political Perspective
Week 4 – How to Apply Our Win-Win-Win Approach
Specific issues discussed include climate change, healthcare, immigration, and more. Steve also discusses the “win-win-win” approach to political issues being developed through the Institute for Cultural Evolution think tank.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
What contemporary political issue concerns you most?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Steve’s article: Towards a Post-Progressive Political Perspective
- For next week read Chapters 5-6 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
Week 5 – Racial Equality From a Developmental Perspective
Steve explores the transcendent cause of racial equality from a developmental perspective.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
What are your aspirations for social transcendence? An environmentally sustainable economy? A society without an underclass? or maybe just a functional working relationship between America’s political parties? Something else?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapters 5-6 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read Chapter 7
Week 6 – A New American Dream
Steve explains how restoring a shared vision of transcendence among a majority of Americans is the key to our political renewal as a nation.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
What is your personal higher purpose?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapter 7 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read Chapter 8
Week 7 – How to Practice Virtues With a Developmental Mind
Steve discusses the intrinsic values of goodness, truth, and beauty, and the personal practice of virtues.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
After doing the brief online exercise, Your Portrait of the Good (https://www.culturalevolution.org/character-development-exercise/portrait-of-the-good/), among the virtues you chose for your personal portrait, which is your strongest, and which needs the most work?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapter 8 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week read chapter 9
Week 8 – Grievance AND Gratitude
Steve discusses the integration of grievance and gratitude and the coming emergence of the post-progressive worldview.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
Among the prescriptions and solutions offered in this course, which ones sound exciting and achievable? Which ones sound implausible or unrealistic?
Optional Reading:
- This week read Chapter 9 – Developmental Politics by Steve McIntosh
- For next week plan a personal project for Developmental Politics activism.
Week 9 – Transformative Political Practices
The course concludes with Steve’s review of the practices of values integration, cultural intelligence, and the cultivation of personal virtues.
We invite you to join the conversation by reflecting on this week’s discussion question in the comments below.
Discussion Question
Join the conversation by opening this week’s video in Youtube and leave your response to the question below.
What are you willing to do, both personally and politically, to become part of the solution?
Share your personal project for Developmental Politics activism.
If you haven’t already joined our monthly meetup group, we invite you to do that here. Join our club!
