1. Voice On Voice Off Slide 1
Just as understandings become beliefs over time, individuals become groups, and those
groups tell us how we should feel. Complex cultures tend to be more collective. They will
reward members of the culture for being a part of it and, in turn, allow for clear distinctions
with people that are from outside of the culture. Think of Japan, where you are either
Japanese or labeled a Gaijin or Gaikokujin, which translates to foreigner. There is a clear-cut
distinction in Complex cultures between "us" and "them."
2. Voice On Voice Off Slide 2
Just as understandings become beliefs over time, individuals become groups, and those
groups tell us how we should feel. Complex cultures tend to be more collective. They will
reward members of the culture for being a part of it and, in turn, allow for clear distinctions
with people that are from outside of the culture. Think of Japan, where you are either
Japanese or labeled a Gaijin or Gaikokujin, which translates to foreigner. There is a clear-cut
distinction in Complex cultures between "us" and "them."
3. Voice On Voice Off Slide 3
Transitory cultures instruct you to clearly identify yourself as an individual or a part of a
small chosen collective. People in Transitory cultures pride themselves on their individuality.
They will have more independent opinions and ideas. This will work better in think tanks
and small teams. Studies have shown that individuals in Transitory cultures tend to be more
innovative. This often happens in highly urban and diverse areas. But over time this
individuality is broken down by our willingness to be pack animals. Even those who take on
the most radical and chic approach to life will eventually be followed by others who
assimilate to them. Once an outlier, that person becomes the median.
4. Voice On Voice Off Slide 4
Think about it: today, because everyone and everyone’s mother has joined Facebook, the
consensus among people is that there is something strange about you if you don’t have an
account. It is suspicious. The force of the collective is bearing down on you and telling you
how to feel, which will change how you think, and subsequently even change what you see.
Although we know that people in Columbus’s day did not truly believe the earth was flat, we
still cling to the stories we heard as children. While you know the commonly held belief is
wrong, will you be the one to dispute it at every opportunity?
5. Voice On Voice Off Slide 5
Complex cultures identify themselves as a small part of the whole, as a collective.
Transitory individuals may also be part of a collective, but it is usually one of a number of
chosen collectives. Complex cultures don’t mind forcing their collective beliefs on others to
establish predictability.
That is an important distinction between collectives. One is a chosen collective while the
other is imposed. For too long, cultural experts had been labeling China as a collective
culture while completely ignoring the tens of thousands of chosen collectives in the United
States.
6. Voice On Voice Off Slide 6
Both Transitory and Complex cultures are essential to the survival of our species. When
resources are low, the power of habit is what we need in order to notice changes and
variations. By staying Transitory and trying to understand things we’ve already figured out,
we not only waste energy, we miss potential new resources. What harm does it do if we
believe George Washington had wooden teeth when it’s not true? If it doesn’t affect our
resources, why should we pry open new understandings? It seems wasteful to the Complex
cultures.
