Joe Sanok references Spiral Dynamics to name a common trap in self-development: at each new stage, we tend to look back and say “the group behind me is so dumb because they think this way — now I’m so evolved.” The more mature move is what Spiral Dynamics calls “transcending and including” — taking the best of previous stages while releasing what no longer serves.
Applied to his own life: his father’s behavioral psychology (star charts, external rewards) was a genuine step forward from the physical punishment of previous generations. Rather than rejecting it entirely, Sanok includes the structure and positive reinforcement while transcending the external locus of control by adding internal reward systems.
This principle applies broadly. The person who discovers meditation doesn’t need to reject productivity. The person who learns emotional awareness doesn’t need to reject intellectual analysis. The person who experiences heartbreak doesn’t need to reject the relationship that preceded it. Each stage contained real wisdom; the error is in discarding everything that came before rather than integrating it.
Related Concepts
- Every epiphany becomes the next rut
- Contrarian thinking is still controlled by the system
- Survival mechanisms deserve honor
- Internal locus of control over external star charts