Balance 02/11/20

RULE OF OPPOSING INFLUENCES (ROI)

The rule of opposing influences states that in any [biological or sociological] system, any instinctive influence will be matched with one or more opposing instincts to provide both stability and flexibility. When the they are in balance, there is stability. When they are out of balance, the stable point shifts until they are in balance again. EXAMPLE: Traditions are devoted to consistent and uniform behavior from one generation to the next. The opposing influence is the innovation instinct: that pesky urge to try something different just to find out for oneself. If the influence of tradition weakens with obsolescence, the tolerance for innovation strengthens. When tradition is strong, tolerance for innovation is weak. Innovation is the door to new traditions which greatly raises survival benefits in the large scheme.

To paraphrase Sir Issac Newton (Third Law: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”): for every instinctive behavior there is an equal and opposite instinctive behavior in dynamic relationship. For an example: the instinct to compete, to take versus the instinct to cooperate, to share.

That sounds like an unnecessarily complex system but it actually provides a magical dynamic resolution between consistency and change. In biology, the more consistent life forms are, the more diversity can be sustained. Yet life forms have to alter their their behavior to respond to changes in the environment. Nature has drawn that together so that each species can change slowly, yet the populations of species can change quickly. As the environment changes the population of dominant species can decline as the populations of less dominant but more viable species can increase. When the environment changes back, the populations can shift back. In terms of surviving species, it is a reversible system. For example, when there is a drought, species that need less moisture will hang in while species who need more will die back. When the drought ends the species needing more moisture will flourish again.

Human social behavior evolved long similar lines. Tribes behave as a group like species do in biology. Each tribe has a unique behaviors based on a unique belief system. This is most easily seen in its culture. Each tribe vigorously defends its uniqueness, its identity. As conditions change, tribes that are less effected increase in population while those most effect decline in population. If conditions change back, the populations revert to previous levels.

The dynamic balance among tribes is more sophisticated than the balance among species. Tribes compete with each other for resources and space as do species. Aggressive tribes try to conquer weaker tribes. [AGGRESSION, DECOMPOSITION.]

This is the template for human advocacy and negotiation. When you don't have enough information to make a perfect decision, the best you can do is to try to get a consensual decision. That takes a long time and a lot of study. Nature uses a shorter version. Put opposites in conflict with each other let them determine the balance.

The paradox of human behavior around change contains keys to a number of ancient instincts and the very structure of consistency. The paradox lies in universal human creativity: the apparently unique capability to imagine how things could change and even imagine things never seen before. Yet, at the same time, humanity shows a distinct resistance to and even fear of change.

These paradoxical combinations of opposing behavior seem universal themselves. To paraphrase Sir Issac Newton (Third Law: “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”): for every instinctive behavior there is an equal and opposite instinctive behavior in dynamic relationship. In this case, consistency proves viability yet adaptability allows immediate response to changes in the environment while evolution allows for more gradual and persistent change.

Humans are much more comfortable with routine yet we seek the distraction and entertainment of novelty.

The paradoxical side is species' ability to change, evolving across generations and to adapting within life times. In the nature of life we find a mix of consistency and change. 

We also can see diversity across species and conformity within species.

This has allowed nature to build very complex biomes with great diversity across species and consistency within species. It also allows for the determination of the viability of species. If they can reproduce accurately and survive, they have qualified as viable.