There's No Yin Without Yang

This week’s reading, Section 3 of Systems Thinking Made Simple, discussed how we could further develop our own systems thinking skills or help others to develop them. I thought that these chapters raised a lot of interesting points that resonated with me. One in particular was the idea of dichotomy. Dichotomy appears in various forms throughout history, science, religion, etc. It usually presents itself as polar opposites—with no “gray area” in between. Some of the examples that the Cabreras provided were left-brained vs. right-brained, heart vs. mind and yin vs. yang.

     We have been continuously learned throughout our lives that you must be more creative or more logical. Hard skills (logic and analytics) are often seen as difficult and more valuable, while soft skills (creativity and intuition) are seen as easy. Systems thinking involves developing both sets of skills. Analyzing complex systems involves depth of thinking and mental modeling.  

     The Cabreras mentioned the term “functional psychopaths” when discussing the topic of dichotomy (173), referring to smart people who have developed only analytical skills and have failed to develop their social and personal skills. Lacking these skills can cause issues in relating to others in and out of the workplace. The reading pointed out certain characteristics that one would need in order to be a “good” systems thinker and an overall well rounded person. Some include: problem solver, resilient, honest, sense of humor, curious, compassionate, self-aware and collaborative to name a few (174).

Question: Do you agree with the Cabreras and their view on dichotomous thinking (in relation to building systems thinking skills)? Why or why not?

Also, here is a short interesting video I found about dichotomy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqz53d-fYL8&t=32s

 

 

Comments

[Cody Janousek]

The dichotomy of our minds come into play a lot when we're considering the perspectives of the system. Without our emotional side, understanding the underlying values of the actors might not be as easy. Personally, I think cultivating potential in your analytical mind can lead to growth in your emotional side. Ultimately, the one that has the weaker capacity will be what holds you back.

[Katie Rogers]

I also thought the concept of dichotomous thinking was interesting! Yin and yang is a cool example because although there are two parts, they are interconnected. In fact, the symbol represents how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary and interdependent, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. Sounds like an emergent system! I wonder, if you are more yin or more yang (or more left- or right-brained), if you could achieve beneficial results by partnering with someone who embodies the opposite?