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My Worldview for Navigating Complexity

“With a sufficiently all-encompassing worldview, our current crises aren’t just challenges to overcome—they’re invitations to evolve.” - Michael Haupt. AI-generated image - source

In the consulting and advisory work I do, I often encounter audiences or teams divided by conflicting ideologies and fragmented approaches to business and planetary challenges. Because of this, I’ve had to hone a worldview over decades that seeks to provide a container in which all worldviews can be safely held. A framing this diverse is useful in overcoming fragmentation, one of the core reasons behind lack of impact in otherwise well-intentioned teams This perspective—shaped by living in 16 cities across six continents and crystallized by a profound out-of-body experience on a Thai beach in 2004—provides me with a unique lens through which to view our current complex reality.

Is this worldview absolutely 100% correct, reliable, time-tested?

No.

It's crucial to remember that any worldview, no matter how comprehensive or well-reasoned, is ultimately a model of reality rather than reality itself. Like all models, it's an approximation, a simplified representation of an infinitely complex Universe. Our worldviews are shaped by our limited perceptions, cultural contexts, and the current state of human knowledge—all of which are constantly evolving. What we believe to be true today may be challenged or refined tomorrow as new information emerges or our understanding deepens. The very act of creating a worldview involves selection and interpretation, which inevitably introduces biases and blind spots. Even the most carefully constructed worldview will have gaps, inconsistencies, and areas where it fails to fully capture the nuances of reality.

It’s my belief that true wisdom lies in holding our worldviews lightly, remaining open to new perspectives, and being willing to revise our understanding as we continue to learn and grow. A healthy worldview acknowledges its own limitations and embraces the ongoing journey of discovery and refinement.

“There is one leverage point that is even higher than changing a paradigm. That is to keep oneself unattached in the arena of paradigms, to stay flexible, to realise that no paradigm is ‘true,’ that everyone, including those that sweetly sing your own worldview, has a tremendously limited understanding of an immense and amazing Universe that is far beyond human comprehension.”—Donella Meadows, Thinking in Systems

So, with that as context, here is the worldview that currently helps me navigate complexity.

At the heart of this worldview lies the concept of the Evolutionary Impulse—an active organizing principle within all living systems (like societies) to adapt and evolve into higher expressions of itself. This principle is the guiding star that illuminates the path forward, even when the immediate evidence points to collapse and destruction. This worldview isn’t blind optimism and hopium, but rather a deep understanding rooted in evolution biology which shows that Nature consistently conserves what works and radically changes what doesn’t. It’s this worldview that serves as a compass when helping clients navigate through turbulent times.

This perspective doesn’t exist in isolation but is deeply intertwined with a recognition of the interconnectedness and interbecoming of all living beings. It’s a view that sees the world not as a collection of separate entities (like competing businesses in the marketplace), but as an intricate web of relationships, where actions in one area ripple out to affect the whole. This interconnectedness extends to how we approach knowledge and understanding.

Rather than relying solely on modern Western paradigms, this worldview places significant emphasis on:

  • Indigenous Wisdom - defined as locally-sourced knowledge developed over generations of living in a particular environment); and,

  • Spiritual Truths - defined as profound insights about the nature of reality, consciousness, and human existence that transcend material and scientific explanations. These truths often arise from direct personal experiences, Indigenous wisdom traditions, and contemplative practices. They emphasize the interconnectedness of all life, the existence of deeper meaning and purpose in the Universe, and the potential for human consciousness to evolve and expand. Unlike dogmatic religious beliefs, spiritual truths are open to personal interpretation and validation through lived experience, and they usually complement rather than contradict scientific understanding.

This worldview posits that even climate change is little cause for concern when compared to the power of place-based resilience, understanding that wise change implemented locally can have far-reaching global impacts. This is in stark contrast to top-down, technofeudal global approaches that mostly fail to consider local contexts and needs.

But how does one reconcile this emphasis on Spiritual and Indigenous wisdom with the undeniable advancements of modern science and technology? The answer lies in a nuanced approach, best described as the Triangular Theory of Consciousness. This theory, developed by South African neurosurgeon Dr. Ian Weinberg, suggests that wisdom comes from integrating the core teachings—the “peaks”—of various disciplines. It requires discernment to filter out flawed ideas and the courage to accept new concepts without immediate, peer-reviewed scientific proof. This approach allows for a balance between scepticism towards certain scientific and non-scientific claims and recognition of the benefits of technological advancements.

When it comes to understanding human nature and society, this worldview rejects simplistic binary choices. Instead, it embraces the complexity and nuance of the human experience. For example, it is possible to view climate change, changes in biodiversity, and ecological degradation as real threats to the human experience, while also rejecting these threats as justification for the imposition of top-down, centralised control by those in power. In other words, one can reject the solutions proposed for “climate change” without being a “climate denier.”

The Convergence of Grand Cycles: Empire and Evolution

This worldview leads to a broader perspective that—instead of seeking immediate solutions in a Business-as-Usual fashion to individual challenges—first considers the grand cycles evident in the human trajectory.

  1. The first cycle is what we might call the Cycle of Empires. For roughly 5,000 years, human societies have been organized into various class-based empires, each typically lasting between 200 to 500 years. These empires go through predictable phases of rise, peak, and decline, as meticulously documented by historian Joseph Tainter in his analysis of complex societies. Our current global system traces its roots back to 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia. This treaty established the concept of national sovereignty and laid the groundwork for our modern international system. Now, after nearly 400 years, this empire is showing clear signs of reaching the final stages of Tainter's cycle. We're experiencing diminishing returns on complexity, escalating costs to maintain the system, and growing instability—all hallmarks of an empire in decline.

  2. Converging with this cycle is a second, even grander cycle: that of Major Evolutionary Transitions. Throughout Earth's history, life has undergone significant leaps in complexity and organization. From the emergence of eukaryotic cells to the development of multicellular organisms, from the rise of social insects to the advent of human language and culture—each transition has represented a fundamental shift in how information is stored, transmitted, and processed in living systems. Now, we stand on the brink of another potential Major Evolutionary Transition. The convergence of global communications networks, artificial intelligence, and growing awareness of our planetary interconnectedness is setting the stage for a possible leap in human consciousness and social organization.

This convergence of cycles—the end of a 5,000-year era of class-based empires and the potential for a Major Evolutionary Transition—creates a unique moment in human history. We're not just facing the fall of another empire, to be replaced by the next in line. Instead, we have the opportunity to transcend the entire paradigm of class-based, hierarchical social structures that have dominated human civilization for millennia.

This worldview isn’t about finding solutions within the old paradigm, but about aligning ourselves with the evolutionary imperative of this moment. This could mean transitioning from a class-based society to a values-based one, from competitive national interests to collaborative global stewardship, from exploitation of Nature to regenerative partnership with Earth's living systems.

From Worldview to Action

But how does this worldview translate into practical action?

One concrete manifestation is the concept of the Chamber of Southern African Resilience (CSAR). This initiative aims to create a collaborative network of visionary leaders committed to promoting social, economic, and ecological resilience at the local level in South Africa. It’s an approach that emphasizes decentralized, bioregional governance and local economic development.

This focus on local, place-based solutions doesn’t mean ignoring global challenges. On the contrary, it’s rooted in a deep understanding of what’s often called the metacrisis—the interconnected nature of all the major challenges facing humanity today. This worldview recognizes that issues like climate change, economic inequality, and social unrest are not isolated problems but symptoms of a deeper, systemic crisis.

When it comes to economics and resource distribution, this perspective advocates for a shift from our current debt-based monetary system to a mutual-credit-based system. This idea, influenced by the work of anthropologist David Graeber, represents a fundamental reimagining of how we understand value and exchange.

Aesthetically, this worldview finds beauty in any expression of the Evolutionary Impulse, whether it’s manifested in nature itself or in human interpretations of it. It’s an appreciation that extends beyond the visual to encompass the beauty of ideas and systems that align with life’s fundamental drive towards greater complexity and consciousness.

Underlying all of these ideas is a deeply personal journey of growth and learning. It’s a path that emphasizes being a polymath and autodidact, constantly seeking to integrate diverse forms of knowledge and experience. This approach to education and personal development is seen not just as a means of self-improvement, but as a crucial tool for addressing the complex challenges we face as a species.

In essence, this worldview offers a holistic perspective on our place in the universe and our role in shaping the future. It’s a view that recognizes the immense challenges we face, but also sees unprecedented opportunities for transformation. By embracing the complexity of our reality, integrating diverse forms of wisdom, and working towards systems that align with nature’s own evolutionary impulses, it offers a path towards a more resilient, sustainable, and fulfilling future for all.

This isn’t just a philosophical stance – it’s a call to action. It challenges each of us to expand our understanding, to think in systems, to act locally while keeping global impacts in mind, and to participate consciously in the ongoing evolution of our species and our planet. In doing so, we have the opportunity to play a part in writing the next chapter of our collective story – one that could see us transition from adolescence to adulthood as a global civilization, creating a world that works not just for some, but for all living beings.

Summary

© 2025 Michael Haupt & Associates
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