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Social Structure

A social structure is the pattern of feedback loops that cause the dynamic behavior of interest in a social system. In our work the term is nearly synonymous with the word structure. The difference is that structure applies to any type of system, such as the entire universe, while social structure applies only to social systems.

If a problem solver working on a complex social system problem is unable to see the key social structures causing the problem, they will be unable to solve the problem, except by brute force combined with trial and error. This however will take so long, and cost so much, that such approaches are considered to be ridiculously wasteful in science and business.

But not in environmentalism, where as of May 2006 I have yet to encounter any published analysis that goes into the real social structure of the global environmental sustainability problem, such as identification of structures like the Dueling Loops. This has been a bit of a surprise. But the explanation seems to be that because environmentalism has been married to the process of Classic Activism ever since it was born, there is no perceived need to perform an analysis of the system's social structure. After all, classic activists have four simple steps that will solve all problems. And if they don't, well, all you have to do is try again or try harder, or both.

 

Dueling Loops Paper

The most popular page on the site. This paper presents a simple model showing why activists have been unable to solve the sustainability problem, and an alternative solution strategy based on high leverage points.

A Little Story about Corporate Dominance and the Occupy Movement

Here's what one reader wrote us about this article:

"This is the most lucid, focused, analysis of the economic quandary of the nation that I have seen. It exposes the indisputable root cause of the widening gap between the goals of people and the goals of for-profit corporations, and demonstrates how those respective goals are mutually exclusive. It does not condemn corporations but offers a solution for refocusing them toward the general goals of people. I urge each member to go over this analysis - it is not long or boring - and challenge it if you think you can."

Change Resistance Paper

This explains why the crux of the sustainability problem is change resistance, rather than what conventional wisdom thinks it is. That's why the problem has remained unsolved for over 30 years. The paper describes a high leverage point that's never been pushed on before that can solve the change resistance problem.

Common Property Rights

This book summarizes all the work at Thwink.org. This includes the System Improvement Process, a rigorous analysis of the complete sustainability problem, and 12 sample solution elements.

The Powell Memo

The most eye popping short read (7 pages) on the site, if you have never heard about it. The memo was written in 1971.

Dueling Loops Videos

These average 8 minutes. They give a quick introduction to the Dueling Loops model and how it explains the tremendous change resistance to solving the sustainability problem.
 

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