If you aspire to master your life, one of the critical things you need to do is develop a worldview. But what exactly are worldviews, and how do you create one?
In a nutshell, a worldview is a set of beliefs that shapes how you view the world.
Grand worldviews framework
Immanuel Kant first theorized the idea of a worldview, which has been further developed in recent decades.
One way to define a worldview is by the big philosophical questions it answers.
Does it answer some of life’s biggest questions, such as what exists? (Gods, the natural world), how did we get here? (origin stories, secular history), how do we know what is true? (science, sacred texts), what is the good worth striving for? (values, morals), how should we act to reach our goals? (practices, behaviors), and how do we understand death and our mortality? (afterlife).
However, only some have a grand worldview or have thought deeply about the big questions.
Most people do have a lower-level worldview that shapes their beliefs and values.
Prothero framework
Stephen Prothero, an American scholar of religion, developed a framework to analyze major world religions. This framework can also explore secular worldviews, like nationalism, socialism, organizational cultures, and smaller vision worldviews.
Prothero’s model proposes that worldviews can be broken down into four parts:
- Problem: the proposed core problem of life
- Solution: the proposed solution to that problem
- Path: a defined path people can follow to move from problem to solution
- Exemplars: archetypal figures who have modeled what it’s like to walk the path
Worldviews examples
For instance, Hinduism proposes that the core problem of life is samsara, and the solution is moksha. The path to achieving moksha is through yoga and yoking oneself to Brahman.
Christianity proposes that the core problem of life is sin, and the solution is salvation through faith and good works. The founder is Jesus, and the scripture is the Bible.
Islam proposes that the core problem of life is justice, and the solution is submission and surrender to God through the Qur’an and following the prophet and founder Muhammad (PBUH).
However, you don’t have to adopt a grand worldview to benefit from Prothero’s framework.
For example, bootstrappers and indie hackers have lower-level worldviews.
Bootstrappers prioritize cash flow, focus on B2B, and keep decision-making control. Indie hackers build one or several products that can generate passive income, create a micro-SaaS, and get active on Twitter.
Make a quick visit to your social media accounts, and you will notice one thing. We think we own our unique worldviews and life narrative, but others influence us more than we think.
Worldview drift
Casey Rosengren calls this “worldview drift” in his article on Every. It’s when we unintentionally adopt another person’s worldview.
My goal in this article is not to eliminate your cultural influences, nor am I asking you to abandon your long-held worldviews, such as your political or religious orientation.
I am nudging you to become more aware of your worldviews and cultural influences and notice when they limit your actions.
In our times, any worldview must incorporate new and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, Big Data algorithms, and bioengineering, into a unique and meaningful narrative.
Traditional worldviews, such as liberalism and nationalism, or religions, will need to come up with fresh perspectives to keep pace with the billions of short video views watched by teenagers across the globe.
How to Update your worldview?
First, one way to develop a fresh worldview is to analyze your current worldview by answering the big philosophical questions or following the problem/solution framework.
Second, give yourself a period of observance for at least a week and a maximum of one month.
Third always carry a note – paper or a digital app to write down your reflections on how your current worldview affects your behaviors, decisions, and actions.
Fourth, write down a framework for your updated worldview and reflect on how it will change your goals and behaviors.
Keep your mind open to change along the way.
The mission is hard, and the technological advances we are living in are questioning every fundamental we have lived by for centuries.
Conclusion
Wander in the world as if you are a newborn, meet unusual people, visit unfamiliar places, and stock your mind with worldviews from faraway times.
Doing so allows you to expand your horizons and develop a fresh worldview that we need more than at any other time.
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References:
Harari, Yuval Noah. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (p. 16). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Prothero https://every.to/no-small-plans/developing-a-worldview?sid=15963 https://every.to/no-small-plans/worldview-drift?sid=15986 https://quizlet.com/332110657/protheros-4-part-approach-to-all-religions-flash-cards/