In the 1950s a sociologist by the name of David Riesaman did an analysis of American society and coined a new set of terms that became the buzzwords of his day. These terms are Traditional-Directed, Inner-Directed and Outer-Directed.

The Traditional-Directed are those who believe that the old ways are as good today as ever. This usually means adhering to some old religious tradition such as the Amish or the Evangelicals.

The Inner-Directed are those who follow their own heart, take their guides from within themselves and from their present knowledge base. These people are quite often, but not necessarily, spiritual and typically don’t adhere to a specific religious tradition.

The Outer-Directed have a need to belong and be a part of a group. To this end they will do anything to fit in, keep up with the Joneses, or climb the corporate ladder, and they are always on the go, needing to be constantly entertained.

The study in the book concluded that the Outer-Directed group was on the rise, and would come to dominate our society. This is what has happened. Today we are inundated with Outer-Directed living; even our schools are geared to train our kids to be Outer-Directed. If someone is forced to sit still in silence for just five minutes they don’t know how to handle it. This life style leads to stress, burn out and physical illness.

A growing number of people are starting to see that a balance between inner and outer directions is critical for a truly meaningful life. Therefore the new trend is to learn to slow down and look within for guidance. There is a growing interest in eastern philosophies, which emphasizes Inner-Directed living. So the new worldview will be a balance between the inner and outer directions.

O Frank Turner
Author and Speaker
The Science of Spirit: Beyond The Bleep www.ofrank.com