Comments on: The Upward Flow of Human Development http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/ Just another Whole Foods Market Blogs weblog Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:01:15 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jordan Bain http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-189 Jordan Bain Thu, 21 Jun 2007 22:31:56 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-189 You are balancing many intense and important forces in your work on many levels, John. Thank you!! You are balancing many intense and important forces in your work on many levels, John. Thank you!!

]]> By: Ian http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-188 Ian Sat, 31 Mar 2007 14:18:55 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-188 Dear John, I finally had a look at your essay The Upward Flow of Human Development. As you freely admit, your worldview (should that be vMeme?) has been greatly influenced by Ken Wilbur. Obviously Mr. Wilbur is a very clever man indeed. However, with respect, I get a very bad feeling about him. See for example his blog here: http://www.kenwilber.com/blog/show/46 or a lecture he is giving here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgcNZWqSwf8 Do you honestly think that 50 years from now any serious thinker will be classifying people and ideas according to his colour-coded system? Really John, this is just silly. I have personally never been involved with any kind of guru or personality cult, but I know one when I see one. Get out while you can! Best wishes (and I mean this), Ian Dear John,

I finally had a look at your essay The Upward Flow of Human Development. As you freely admit, your worldview (should that be vMeme?) has been greatly influenced by Ken Wilbur. Obviously Mr. Wilbur is a very clever man indeed. However, with respect, I get a very bad feeling about him. See for example his blog here: http://www.kenwilber.com/blog/show/46
or a lecture he is giving here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgcNZWqSwf8

Do you honestly think that 50 years from now any serious thinker will be classifying people and ideas according to his colour-coded system? Really John, this is just silly.

I have personally never been involved with any kind of guru or personality cult, but I know one when I see one. Get out while you can!

Best wishes (and I mean this),

Ian

]]> By: Brett R. http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-187 Brett R. Sat, 25 Nov 2006 00:24:32 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-187 I came to your site because I was puzzled that, on the day before Thanksgiving, the food police at Whole Foods had decided that they would no longer sell the duck that I have been buying from you in Cambridge, MA for 15 years. Add that to the live lobsters that we can no longer buy beacuse you say they are sentient beings that are mistreated. I guess that your stated mission to "satisfy and delight customers" means that you will decide what satisfies and delights them, not the marketplace. No wonder your stock price has been cut almost in half in the past year. I came to your site because I was puzzled that, on the day before Thanksgiving, the food police at Whole Foods had decided that they would no longer sell the duck that I have been buying from you in Cambridge, MA for 15 years. Add that to the live lobsters that we can no longer buy beacuse you say they are sentient beings that are mistreated. I guess that your stated mission to “satisfy and delight customers” means that you will decide what satisfies and delights them, not the marketplace. No wonder your stock price has been cut almost in half in the past year.

]]> By: Ann Petrich Sloper http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-186 Ann Petrich Sloper Sun, 29 Oct 2006 19:05:18 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-186 Dear John, Taking your company to new levels and impacting the world from your very thoughtful and considered position is just great! It is possible to make a tremendous difference and you are doing it from those two little stores in Austin to Lamar Ave to everywhere. I studied the Maslow work when I was in graduate school in Austin and afterwards, and learned about Sprial Dynamics a few years ago. What impresses me so much is the time and interest you have taken in growing your company to higher levels of consciousness and therefore one can hope to a better, more peaceful world. Grameen Bank has done some great work too which is so effective in creating prosperity one loan at a time. And I am now very curious as to how Google works. I'm so glad I came across the article from your Tribal meeting and again, applaud you for your vision, and your business strength and compassion. I kind of wish I'd taken one of those early jobs at Whole Foods, rather than that real estate job with Marsh and Box! Hope you are doing very well. Thanks for all you continue to do and all the best to you. Ann Dear John,
Taking your company to new levels and impacting the world from your very thoughtful and considered position is just great!
It is possible to make a tremendous difference and you are doing it from those two little stores in Austin to Lamar Ave to everywhere.
I studied the Maslow work when I was in graduate school in Austin and afterwards, and learned about Sprial Dynamics a few years ago. What impresses me so much is the time and interest you have taken in growing your company to higher levels of consciousness and therefore one can hope to a better, more peaceful world.
Grameen Bank has done some great work too which is so effective in creating prosperity one loan at a time. And I am now very curious as to how Google works.
I’m so glad I came across the article from your Tribal meeting and again, applaud you for your vision, and your business strength and compassion.
I kind of wish I’d taken one of those early jobs at Whole Foods, rather than that real estate job with Marsh and Box! Hope you are doing very well.

Thanks for all you continue to do and all the best to you.
Ann

]]> By: Charles Hamel http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Charles Hamel Mon, 16 Oct 2006 19:58:14 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-185 It is so refreshing that we have places like this to go to in America. I know it is easy to just go on doing it the way you have always done it, but it is much more difficult to change social programming and do the right things. Raising conciousness, environmental concerns, and love will take us much farther in life. Thank you so much for your article. It is so refreshing that we have places like this to go to in America. I know it is easy to just go on doing it the way you have always done it, but it is much more difficult to change social programming and do the right things. Raising conciousness, environmental concerns, and love will take us much farther in life.

Thank you so much for your article.

]]> By: John Schneider http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-184 John Schneider Wed, 11 Oct 2006 14:01:35 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-184 Kudos to John Mackey for his insights he provided in this speeech. It should be required reading for those in business schools around the world. My fear is that American society (and business culture in particular)is stuck in an egocentric/narcissistic mode. While the growth of the socially responsible business phenomena is encouraging, there is still much work to be done to move us the current mindset of extreme self interest. Kudos to John Mackey for his insights he provided in this speeech. It should be required reading for those in business schools around the world.

My fear is that American society (and business culture in particular)is stuck in an egocentric/narcissistic mode. While the growth of the socially responsible business phenomena is encouraging, there is still much work to be done to move us the current mindset of extreme self interest.

]]> By: Cort Wrotnowski http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Cort Wrotnowski Fri, 01 Sep 2006 02:31:27 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-183 The loss of egocentrism is premature. Moreover, the trend suggested here is far more complicated than some linear progression from "me-ism" to "us-ism". A book titled Person/Planet addressed this very point back in the 70s. In one sense, we're still waiting... While there is evidence this kind of progression may be true, you also have social scientists commenting on a general loss of "community" around the country. But you also have these high profile examples of community like Habitat for Humanity and Extreme Makeover (of homes). There are more examples of corporations and small businesses taking the lead in types of community activism. This might be an area where your perception is more accurate. These are, should I say, intermediate states of "us-ism" that cannot be absent, even though they are not global in scope. And, this point should not be passed over, it can be amazing the extent to which individuals (aka egos)are the ones that strike the spark that starts the fire that warms everyone to the larger sense of community. In fact, I suspect this whole idea of declining egocentrism fails when we think of the world in terms of "six degrees of separation" (which can actually be as many as 19 degrees)and all that implies. The loss of egocentrism is premature. Moreover, the trend suggested here is far more complicated than some linear progression from “me-ism” to “us-ism”. A book titled Person/Planet addressed this very point back in the 70s. In one sense, we’re still waiting…

While there is evidence this kind of progression may be true, you also have social scientists commenting on a general loss of “community” around the country. But you also have these high profile examples of community like Habitat for Humanity and Extreme Makeover (of homes).

There are more examples of corporations and small businesses taking the lead in types of community activism. This might be an area where your perception is more accurate.

These are, should I say, intermediate states of “us-ism” that cannot be absent, even though they are not global in scope. And, this point should not be passed over, it can be amazing the extent to which individuals (aka egos)are the ones that strike the spark that starts the fire that warms everyone to the larger sense of community.

In fact, I suspect this whole idea of declining egocentrism fails when we think of the world in terms of “six degrees of separation” (which can actually be as many as 19 degrees)and all that implies.

]]> By: Caty Tota http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Caty Tota Fri, 25 Aug 2006 01:45:01 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-182 You guys are the 40428 best, thanks so much for the help. You guys are the 40428 best, thanks so much for the help.

]]> By: Sakanta Running Wolf http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-181 Sakanta Running Wolf Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:16:10 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-181 WOW! Thank you! In my search for Great News Global News I click from one great site to another....this time,a Whole Foods link caught my eye. Shopped at the Berkeley location for many years before living in Peru,Mexico,and Brazil. When returning to the USA, I always enjoy walking into Whole Foods just for the aesthetic boost alone. In Portland, the fresh veggies are arranged with such loving care and precision that they literally glow. The entire store was immaculate. Now in Houston, I find the same. THEN, I read your blog above. Holy mackerel! How beautiful. Business and spirituality and consciuosness. Congrats!!!! Will feature you in Great News Global News. Sakanta Running Wolf and Azul. Our cat editor Azul is in the tree waiting to leap into your arms. WOW! Thank you! In my search for Great News Global News I click from one great site to another….this time,a Whole Foods link caught my eye. Shopped at the Berkeley location for many years before living in Peru,Mexico,and Brazil. When returning to the USA, I always enjoy walking into Whole Foods just for the aesthetic boost alone. In Portland, the fresh veggies are arranged with such loving care and precision that they literally glow. The entire store was immaculate. Now in Houston, I find the same. THEN, I read your blog above. Holy mackerel! How beautiful. Business and spirituality and consciuosness. Congrats!!!! Will feature you in Great News Global News. Sakanta Running Wolf and Azul. Our cat editor Azul is in the tree waiting to leap into your arms.

]]> By: mr. A . Lim http://www2.wholefoodsmarket.com/blogs/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/comment-page-1/#comment-180 mr. A . Lim Sat, 15 Jul 2006 17:52:30 +0000 http://wholefoodsmarket.com/socialmedia/jmackey/2006/05/01/the-upward-flow-of-human-development/#comment-180 dear john., the difference between WFM a other food stores is the value of WFMs products. When WFM MAKEs A SALE it is sharing the value it produces. The purpose of a business is to produce & share. The social responsibility of a business is how it produces & shares its value. dear john.,
the difference between WFM a other food stores is the value of WFMs products.
When WFM MAKEs A SALE it is sharing the value it produces.
The purpose of a business is to produce & share.
The social responsibility of a business is how it produces & shares its value.

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