The Hidden Systems

The world around us is complicated. We can never fully grasp all the complexity. There are systems and subsystems. There is interconnectedness. There are changes and abnormalities.

In the world of systems thinking, this complexity is embraced. But instead of wanting universal understanding, we resort to looking for patterns, structures, mental models, and commonalities within the system elements.

This allows us to better comprehend what is spinning around us. It helps make sense and see how it all folds together.

The Tao Te Ching is an ancient text. Written 2,500 years ago, many argue this is the wisest book ever written. Its wisdom is baked in paradoxes, comparing opposites in a way to find similarity and meaning where others miss any semblance of comprehension.

There is an interesting book that connects the Tao Te Ching to Systems thinking. The title is very literal – The Tao of Systems Thinking. Written by Michel McCurley, the book explains, “What is manifested is generated by what is hidden.”

When I read that line, I automatically thought about James Clear’s book on systems and habits. Atomic Habits dives into the world of complexity around recurring behaviors and pulls in aspects of systems thinking. James Clear says, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

The point is that the system is typically unseen yet drives the manifestations we see. Call them consequences, outputs, events, benefits, or manifestations doesn’t matter. It conveys the same message.

It all speaks to the idea that there are hidden drivers that get ignored. They are the underlying systems. Peter Senge introduced the idea of the systems thinking iceberg. This concept frames the full system in relation to an iceberg.

Where an iceberg has only 10% of the giant block ice above the water, the system only has the event layer within our consciousness. The majority of the system goes unnoticed.

But we can begin to uncover those unnoticed subsystems to gain better understanding of the world around us. We can use it reach new heights and accomplish more. We can use it to bring more happiness to our lives and to others.

But without any awareness of the hidden aspects, we miss it all. Instead of understanding and using that knowledge to drive what we want from life, we get knocked around by the systems.

Sure, we see the events, but we can’t make sense of them. We experience the systems, but we don’t know what they are, what they represent, and why we experience the manifestations in the first place.

The Tao of Systems Thinking then says, “There is harmony in balancing opposites.”

Systems thinking shows us the full scope of the system. It usually includes all elements, not just those we like or enjoy. The good and bad are combined. They both exist in the same system. While most are too busy arguing about the aspects they judge as good or bad, the systems thinker calmly moves forward knowing you aren’t able to separate them out.

They exist in the same system. The system tends to balance these opposites at many levels creating the manifestations that are driven by these unseen forces. When you start to realize the full scope you start to understand the perfection of it all and why the system perpetuates and endures.