Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00291)

When we look at public institutions, they attempt to mirror the
greater processes of nature. That mirroring is often flawed and
imperfect, but it does have partial success. Take, for instance,
the mirroring of the law of karma in a judicial system.

The model of hierarchies can also be seen throughout nature.
It is not the only model, there are others too. In a business
setting, the organization of a manager and the subordinates
follows this model.

In the idea of a fractal, we find the idea of a hierarchy expressed
in a pure form. We have different scales. The bigger scale is
modelled in the smaller. The big contains the small within it.
This idea also appears in the philosophical idea of the relationship
of the macrocosm to the microcosm, or of the Heavenly Man to the
beings in the universe.

With an hierarchical organization, there is a sense of "nested levels".
The big contains, rules, embraces, encompasses the small. We find this
with organizations structured after hierarchies in society.

Are hierarchies the best organization for all social structures? No.
Are hierarchies effective, efficient, and useful when they are
implemented? No. They often fall short of the mark. Should we reject
the idea of hierarchies, because we often find them to be flawed and
inefficient in their application to social structures? Again, I'd
say, No.

Hierarchies represent one manner for life to organize itself. They
are neither good or bad per se. We can observe the way that they
work in nature, and try to deduce more efficient ways to put the
concept to work in outer life.

-- Eldon Tucker