What are the big ideas of the compassionate systems framework
Our Key Concepts
Systems Awareness
System Awareness combines systems thinking and systems sensing. Systems thinking involves analytical skills and tools to understand complex interdependencies, while systems sensing is our intuitive grasp of these connections. Systems thinking has developed in fields like engineering and complex living systems, focusing on the behaviour of the whole rather than isolated parts. At the Center for Systems Awareness, we use tools from system dynamics to analyse complex situations, such as mapping energy flows in ecosystems or understanding family dynamics. In contrast, systems sensing is about attuning to the whole and perceiving information intuitively. This approach is more common in creative arts than in traditional analytical education. Philosophers like Martin Buber highlight this capacity, distinguishing between seeing others as whole beings versus separate objects. Both systems thinking and sensing operate simultaneously, though formal education often biases us towards thinking. However, sensing remains present, as seen in our immediate feelings when entering different classroom environments. We view systems awareness as integrating the analogue whole (sensing) with digital parts (thinking).
Empathy vs. Compassion
The term "empathy" comes from the German word "Einfühlung," meaning the ability to feel into another. Scientifically, empathy is defined as the innate capacity to sense and feel others' emotions. However, empathy isn't always positive; for example, bullies use empathy to understand how to hurt others. Teachers often experience burnout due to empathy fatigue, lacking training to maintain their emotional space without shutting down others' emotions. By bringing awareness to empathy, we can cultivate compassion. Compassion, from the Latin "com" (with) and "passion" (suffering), differs from empathy in two ways. First, compassion involves feeling with others without being overwhelmed by their emotions. Second, it includes the intention to alleviate suffering and bring joy, as seen in traditions like Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity. In compassionate systems, compassion is viewed as a systemic property of mind, appreciating the forces influencing people's actions. This involves systems sensing, feeling what it's like to be part of a system, and systems thinking, understanding how a system functions. Cultivating compassion means seeing and sensing the larger system, a fundamentally compassionate state of mind.
Compassionate Integrity
In the Compassionate Systems network, "compassionate integrity" refers to aligning our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Integrity, rooted in the Latin word for "wholeness," means helping students and teachers not only think compassionately but also feel and live compassionately, recognizing interconnectedness. This awareness extends from personal connections to understanding the broader impact of our actions, such as the environmental effects of charging our devices. This sense of connectedness drives a continuous inquiry into the consequences of our actions, forming the basis of ethical behaviour. It influences our choices as citizens and consumers, considering factors like energy use, food consumption, and product purchases, including their environmental and social impacts. Since we can't see all the systems our actions affect, maintaining genuine curiosity and openness is key. This mindset is the hallmark of a systems thinker and embodies the interconnectedness of a compassionate systems thinker.