Dear List,
 Well, the big day for our country is here. I thought I would share some thoughts as we await the results. (In terms of my own “prediction,” I know that I know less than those who study these issues, so I basically follow the experts, like those folks at 538<https://fivethirtyeight.com/>). The reflections I want to offer is on what I might call “the situation we find ourselves in.” First, as Mark and others have noted, there is much flux going on in our world at the global and technological level. The forms of the world are changing all around us and thus are changing us in profound ways. The emergence of the digital and its fusion via informational interface with our natures and societies is the essence of what I mean when I talk about ​<https://www.gregghenriques.com/uploads/2/4/3/6/24368778/unifiedpsychther.pdf>The Fifth Joint Point<https://www.gregghenriques.com/uploads/2/4/3/6/24368778/fifthjp.pdf>,  and the emergence of a new dimension of complexity following Culture.
  Regarding my own local situation and projects, on sabbatical, I have had the opportunity to visit with a number of folks, and in the context of answering what I am up to, I have found that I can provide a map via the attached “diamond” formation that includes my projects on (1) UTUA proper; (2) work on theory of knowledge, (3) work on unified psychotherapy movement, and finally, work on (4) identity politics and our divided nation.

  It is this last point that I would like to comment on, as we await the results of today’s election. The recent blog I did on the Hidden Tribes<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201810/outstanding-analysis-political-views-in-the-us> political analysis resulted in a fair amount of discussion with folks. Indeed, the conversation we had about sexism stemmed indirectly from it. In discussing the blog with folks, many made the point that the analysis on Hidden Tribes overlooked key features, ranging from global trends to offering a simplistic, unidimensional view of politics in the US. These were legitimate criticisms, and so I want to take this opportunity to make a few clarifying comments.

  First, as this blog on political positions maps out<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201510/basic-map-political-positions>, there are a number of dimensions that underlie the right to left continuum. At a minimum, I see the US political ideology of left-right as a tension across the following three domains of (1) economics/government involvement (ranging from socialist to libertarian), (2) international relations and strategies (ranging from dove to hawk), and, finally, (3) national/social identity (progressive-devoted social conservative, or ranging from Yancy to Trump and beyond).

  As this <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201610/2020-declaration-belief> blog and this blog<https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/theory-knowledge/201712/our-divided-america> suggest, I generally consider a healthy arrangement to be a weakly bi-modal distribution (i.e., the left and right) across these dimensions that creates a respectful dialectic and strong, adaptive, flexible center.  What the tribes research shows is that the conversation regarding national/political identity is dominated by the extremes of the distribution and has gutted the center resulting in an exhausted majority. That, to me, is a potentially serious problem. Moreover, I see this issue of identity as being very much the domain of the psychologist. As such, I hope to lend my voice and efforts to paths that lead toward minimizing the destructive aspects of our identity polarization and moving toward visions that enhance our national dignity and well-being with integrity.

  I share these thoughts to help folks be clear about why I saw the conversations about sexism to be both healthy and relevant for us. As this blog about a<https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/theory-knowledge/201804/why-it-all-matters> conversation I had with my daughter Sydney in the lead up to our first Theory of Knowledge conference shows, we are in desperate need of visions that can bring some clarity to the chaos that is engulfing us.

  So, on this important day thanks to everyone for their reflections and for efforts to move us toward valued states of being.

Warm regards to all,
G


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