Getting Command of Our Sociocentric Nature

Getting Command of Getting Command of Our Sociocentric Our Sociocentric

NatureNature

Our purpose:Our purpose:

To better understand our sociocentric To better understand our sociocentric nature.nature.

To begin to see its pervasiveness in To begin to see its pervasiveness in human life.human life.

To consider some of the important To consider some of the important implications of this human tendency.implications of this human tendency.

Key QuestionsKey Questions

What is sociocentricity?What is sociocentricity? What is its relationship with What is its relationship with

egocentricity?egocentricity? How does sociocentric thought impede How does sociocentric thought impede

human rationality and keep us from human rationality and keep us from developing as reasonable persons?developing as reasonable persons?

How can we begin to emancipate our How can we begin to emancipate our minds from sociocentric forces and live minds from sociocentric forces and live as persons of free will?as persons of free will?

Sociocentric thought is the native Sociocentric thought is the native human tendency to see the world human tendency to see the world from a narrow and biased group-from a narrow and biased group-centered perspective, to operate centered perspective, to operate within the world through subjective within the world through subjective and partial group beliefs, group and partial group beliefs, group influences, group rules, group think, influences, group rules, group think, group interests. group interests.

Though the mind is by nature egocentric Though the mind is by nature egocentric and sociocentric, it also has the and sociocentric, it also has the capacity to reason rationally and capacity to reason rationally and reasonably.reasonably.

To develop as rational persons, we must To develop as rational persons, we must take command of our native egocentric take command of our native egocentric and sociocentric nature.and sociocentric nature.

Beginning at a very young age humans Beginning at a very young age humans begin to internalize the mores and begin to internalize the mores and folkways of the groups to which they folkways of the groups to which they belong. They begin “fitting in” to belong. They begin “fitting in” to groups, from no choice of their own, groups, from no choice of their own, but out of instinct and in order to but out of instinct and in order to survive. survive.

Due to an innate need to be accepted Due to an innate need to be accepted and esteemed by others, to be and esteemed by others, to be validatedvalidated, humans operate largely as , humans operate largely as members of various groups through members of various groups through the whole of their lives.the whole of their lives.

At the same time, humans do not At the same time, humans do not naturally develop skills of group critique naturally develop skills of group critique – the ability to determine group – the ability to determine group practices that make sense to accept, practices that make sense to accept, those that need modification, and those those that need modification, and those that should be wholeheartedly rejected. that should be wholeheartedly rejected.

Due to the credulity of the uncultivated Due to the credulity of the uncultivated mind, from a very young age, humans mind, from a very young age, humans largely uncritically accept the beliefs of largely uncritically accept the beliefs of family, school, religion, peers, family, school, religion, peers, government, clubs and organizations, government, clubs and organizations, indeed any group in which they become indeed any group in which they become members.members.

And then they largely defend and build And then they largely defend and build on those views they have uncritically on those views they have uncritically accepted.accepted.

Most of these group-held beliefs lie at Most of these group-held beliefs lie at the unconscious level of thought, not the unconscious level of thought, not explicitly recognized by the mind, explicitly recognized by the mind, nevertheless guiding much of our nevertheless guiding much of our behavior.behavior.

Native sociocentric thought is at the root of Native sociocentric thought is at the root of many human problems and countless many human problems and countless injustices.injustices.

Only when each of us takes command of this Only when each of us takes command of this hidden part of our nature, can we begin to hidden part of our nature, can we begin to extricate ourselves from dogmatic and extricate ourselves from dogmatic and dangerous group ideologies, from group rules, dangerous group ideologies, from group rules, taboos and conventions arbitrarily formed and taboos and conventions arbitrarily formed and strictly imposed, from unwarranted group strictly imposed, from unwarranted group righteousness that leads to untold pain and righteousness that leads to untold pain and suffering, from group agendas and actions suffering, from group agendas and actions that undermine the cultivation of critical that undermine the cultivation of critical societies.societies.

Sociocentric Thinking is Sociocentric Thinking is Linked with Egocentric Linked with Egocentric

ThinkingThinkingConsider these definitions:Consider these definitions: Human egocentrismHuman egocentrism, the natural human tendency , the natural human tendency

“to view everything within the world in “to view everything within the world in relationship to oneself, to be self-centered” relationship to oneself, to be self-centered” ((Webster’s New World DictionaryWebster’s New World Dictionary); and); and

Human sociocentrismHuman sociocentrism, most simply , most simply conceptualized as conceptualized as group egocentricitygroup egocentricity. To define . To define sociocentricity, we might take Webster’s sociocentricity, we might take Webster’s definition of egocentricity (above), substituting definition of egocentricity (above), substituting groupgroup for for selfself. Thus, s. Thus, sociocentric thinking is the ociocentric thinking is the natural human tendency to view everything natural human tendency to view everything within the world in relationship to one’s group, to within the world in relationship to one’s group, to be group-centered.be group-centered.

Understand the Relationship Between Understand the Relationship Between Egocentric and Sociocentric StandardsEgocentric and Sociocentric Standards

Work in pairsWork in pairs Silently read pp. 238 -239.Silently read pp. 238 -239. Then discuss with your partner the Then discuss with your partner the

relationships between egocentric and relationships between egocentric and sociocentric standards as articulated sociocentric standards as articulated on those pages.on those pages.

Then identify examples of the Then identify examples of the sociocentric standards.sociocentric standards.

Identifying Some of Your Identifying Some of Your Sociocentric Beliefs…Sociocentric Beliefs… p.238 p.238

Identify at least one belief your “group” holds in Identify at least one belief your “group” holds in each of the categories.each of the categories.

  “  “It’s true because It’s true because we believe itwe believe it.”_______________ .”_______________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

“ “It’s true because It’s true because we want towe want to believe it.”_________ believe it.”_________ ______________________________________________________________________________________

  “  “It’s true because it is It’s true because it is in our vested interestin our vested interest to to believe it.”________________________________believe it.”________________________________

““It’s true because we It’s true because we have always have always believedbelieved it. it. __________________________________________________________________________________

The Nature of SociocentrismThe Nature of Sociocentrism

Working in groups of three.Working in groups of three. Read and process pp. 240-241. (up Read and process pp. 240-241. (up

to the think for yourself activity).to the think for yourself activity). Use this format:Use this format:Silently read each paragraph/section. Silently read each paragraph/section.

After reading, discuss in your group After reading, discuss in your group the meaning of what you have read, the meaning of what you have read, and see if you can think of examples and see if you can think of examples of the main point(s).of the main point(s).

Thinking About the Groups You Thinking About the Groups You Belong toBelong to

Working alone, complete the activity Working alone, complete the activity on p. 241 in writing.on p. 241 in writing.

Then share with your group and Then share with your group and discuss.discuss.

Working in pairs.Working in pairs. Silently read and discuss pp. 241 Silently read and discuss pp. 241

down to the Unesco example, p. 242.down to the Unesco example, p. 242. Then role play the Unesco example Then role play the Unesco example

pp. 242-243. (one person is the pp. 242-243. (one person is the interviewer, the other is the child for interviewer, the other is the child for each section)each section)

Discuss the implications of this study.Discuss the implications of this study.

Social Stratification as an Social Stratification as an Implication of SociocentrismImplication of Sociocentrism

Silently read the section on social Silently read the section on social stratification – pp. 243-244.stratification – pp. 243-244.

Discuss with your partner.Discuss with your partner. Together do the Think for Yourself Together do the Think for Yourself

activity – pp. 244activity – pp. 244

There are two distinct logics of There are two distinct logics of sociocentric thinking, sociocentric thinking,

both of which are destructive:both of which are destructive:

The logic of group interestThe logic of group interest, of getting the , of getting the most for the group without regard to the rights most for the group without regard to the rights and needs of others, of protecting its biased and needs of others, of protecting its biased interests, forwarding its partial agendas. interests, forwarding its partial agendas.

This logic informs the point of view from which This logic informs the point of view from which everyone outside the group is seen and everyone outside the group is seen and understood and by which everything that understood and by which everything that happens outside of the group is judged. This happens outside of the group is judged. This leads to the problem of leads to the problem of in-groupin-group thinking and thinking and behavior - everyone outside the group is behavior - everyone outside the group is judged according to the standards of the judged according to the standards of the group; everyone in the group is privileged, group; everyone in the group is privileged, everyone outside the group is seen as a everyone outside the group is seen as a potential threat. potential threat.

The logic of group conformityThe logic of group conformity - - defines the intricate inner workings defines the intricate inner workings of the group, ensures that everyone of the group, ensures that everyone coexists in the group in accordance coexists in the group in accordance with its customs, conventions, rules, with its customs, conventions, rules, taboos, morays, laws.taboos, morays, laws.

Sociocentric Counterfeits of Sociocentric Counterfeits of Ethical ReasoningEthical Reasoning

It is important to It is important to understand the barriers to understand the barriers to ethical reasoning caused ethical reasoning caused by sociocentric thoughtby sociocentric thought

Diagram of 4 conceptsDiagram of 4 concepts

Groups of 3Groups of 3 Ethical Reasoning Guide, pp. 9-14Ethical Reasoning Guide, pp. 9-14 Silently read each section.Silently read each section. Then discuss your understanding of Then discuss your understanding of

each section.each section. As you work through each section, As you work through each section,

make a list of beliefs in that “domain” make a list of beliefs in that “domain” that are considered unethical but are that are considered unethical but are not.not.

Then list beliefs or acts within the Then list beliefs or acts within the domain that are unethical (but domain that are unethical (but considered ethical) considered ethical)

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