To tier or not to tier: Are you a tierant?

I think this is an article by Chris Cowan* of Spiral Dynamics fame cautioning on the abuse of second tier labeling. Beware the tierants!

"Although this is only an interesting hypothesis, 'Second Tier' has become a part of the central dogma of some versions of the Spiral and a popular phrase in the Integral movement long shepherded by Ken Wilber. [...] This is a contagious and sticky meme because it’s an easy bipolar explanation; and it is one which we don’t believe has much value despite emphasizing it in the book, Spiral Dynamics."

"In our view, over-attention to first tier/second tier differences often injects more confusion than clarity into analysis since it leads to broad over-generalizations, becoming both a monster and red herring. [...] Be cautious because tierism is a very powerful and ego involving meme at the core of many peoples’ identities, an article of faith which must be defended at all costs. Indeed, 'Second Tier' has become a part of the central dogma of some derivatives of the Spiral Dynamics approach. [...] All of this to say that putting much emphasis on first tier, second tier distinctions may be following a false —or at least relatively unimportant—trail."
"The ‘tier-anical’ view often assigns superiority and spiritual cleverness to the “second tier” and relegates the first tier to second-rate status, creating categories for greater and lesser mortals with the second tier nearer to transcendent being. It’s an almost dichotomous perspective that is far from the intent of the theory which grants strengths to each level because each is appropriate and useful in its context."

* At the bottom it notes owned by NVC Consulting, which was co-founded by Cowan and Todorovic.