More on Brooks

Continuing this post, around 16:10 the interviewer appreciates Michael's global perspective. He sees that lacking in the integral, game b and metamodern communities as being insular to the US and northern Europe.

Michael (17:00) responds that he sees those movements as being idealist in the Hegelian sense, the notion of ideas and consciousness moving history. Michael sees in the other way; look to how people are living and how that affects their thinking. The forces and conditions under which people live, like capitalism, shapes what kind of thoughts they can have.

A point, btw, that I made in "from capitalism to the collaborative commons."

Another point I've made and with which Michael agrees is that in integral circles the above manifests as a false belief that all that is necessary is to market and sell the model to businesses, governments, and/or do personal meditative training to raise one's consciousness, assuming that is enough (20:50).

After the last reference he goes on a long discussion of identity politics on both sides, how they use the same narrative structure. He uses Cornel West as an example of one who can speak to real injustices from a different narrative, one that doesn't merely victimize those who are truly oppressed or merely hate those who do the oppressing, but speaks from a spiritual center of love for all concerned.*

However that doesn't prevent West from reigning down hell fire where it's due, or heaping heavenly praise likewise. It takes a discerning eye to tell the difference. Michael is also critical of those who can't make that distinction and just label anyone who defends the downtrodden as SJWs or mean green meme, a common malady in the integral movement and IDW.

* Keep in mind this is one reason West is an avid Sanders supporter. Bernie has a genuine love for humanity that grounds his critique of the powerful and defense of the oppressed. For me this is typical of the progressives.