S² (Home) Upside
In the case of sustaining a commitment to S² (Home), the maximization of security and safety would enable both Susan and Rick to live a comfortable life. All three facets of Trust would be achieved in their life. They would both be fully aware of and making use of their own competencies, as well as being able to rely on the competencies of their friends and neighbors. Trust would have been firmly established. Susan knows she can continue to do a good job as a receptionist. Rick knows (or at least believes) that he could be successful in transitioning from a high-pressure job in New York City to a lower pressured job in his hometown. Rick could become a “big frog in a small pond.” Both Rick and Susan really “know” the people living in their small town (be it a suburb near Cleveland or a village in Vermont). “Everybody knows your name” and you know all of their names and quite a bit about their personal history. In such a secure setting you can Trust everyone’s intentions and know that they all “speak the same language” as you and come with a history that is similar to your own when they are interacting with you.
From a broader historical perspective, we find a similar level of comfort and Trust in a society where S² (Home) reigns supreme. There is one dominant narrative that everyone in this society accepts as “gospel”. Nothing much changes and there appears to be no need for major reform. This condition of security and safety produces a widely shared assumption that there are people in our society who are competent (technically and socially). They can solve whatever problems arise. There are also leaders who are not only competent, but also dedicated to the welfare of our society. A Dwight Eisenhower can serve as father-figure to an entire nation. A John Foster Dulles can identify the enemy (Soviet Union) and find sufficient resources to meet the threats posed by this enemy. Everyone speaks the same language (English) and have been socialized into a particular way of being in the world (“the American Way”).
S² (Home) Downside
Barry Johnson suggests that we pause at this point—and quit extolling the virtues and benefits of a life lived with serene security and safety. What happens if S² (Home) reigns supreme? First, it means that not much learning is taking place. Our children never quite mature and are vulnerable to any disruption in the “regular order of things.” Second, life in a silo leaves one with little opportunity to experience and taste all that our vibrant world has to offer. We see only the sidewalls of the Silo and can glimpse upward to only that small portion of the sky that shines down from the top of the Silo. Third, we must distort reality in order to live in a world that is saturated with VUCA-Plus challenges. As I have noted in my previous essay (Bergquist, 2024a), a world of Serenity is only found if we are willing to descend down a rabbit hole to a wonderland of lies, conspiracies and “alternative realities.”
With regard to the lives led by Susan and Rick, we find similar difficulties. A world of S² (Home) requires Susan to remain in her current job and foreclose any new learning or growth. She remains in a relationship that is not truly fulfilling and never meets anyone new who might be of “interest” to her—coming from a different background and perhaps even speaking a different language. Rick might find that a move back to Vermont and residing once again in a world that provides more security and safety than New York City, is purchased at the expense of growth-enhancing career challenges and the excitement of interacting with some of the 100 people who just got off the train. Rick might also find that he must abandon a more open expression and enactment of his distinctive lifestyles when returning to his hometown. Security and safety come at the expense of displaying an authentic self. In reaction to this downside of S² (Home), we turn to the other end of the polarity.
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