ATTITUDES AND META-PROGRAMS

How do you create an attitude? So far the process involves a meta-state structure involving two or more states with their frames of mind. This creates something more than just a thought or just an emotion, it creates a holistic experience, one comprised of physiology s well. Yet the meta- structure of an attitude not only implies meta-stating as a process for generating new and better attitudes, it also implies the presence of meta-programs. So as meta-states create meta- programs, in the meta-stating process, meta-programs will inevitably be created or implicated. Yes, sometimes an attitude is made up of various meta-programs!

Now a meta-program is a perceptual filter that enables you to see or perceive things in a certain way and, at the same time, thinking and feeling. Many meta-programs, in fact, not only describe an attitude but they are an attitude.

Consider optimism or pessimism—these are both an attitude and a meta-program (#6) Similarly, trusting or cynical are attitudes and meta-programs (#42). Toward and Away From (#35), as the motivation direction meta-program, become attitudes when they are driver meta-programs. So also many others: Judging/ Perceiving (#37); perfectionism/ Optimizing (#40); Competitive/ Cooperative (#43).

Further, a great many of the meta-programs, while not attitudes themselves, lead to and participate in particular attitudes. That is, there are meta-programs which are required for some attitudes. Global and/or detail are not “attitudes” per se, but play a role in many attitudes. Many other attitudes require both sides of a meta-program. For example, the attitude of emotional well-being implies having full choice for either associated and un-associated (#20). To be holistic in taking care of yourself and others, you will need both attention to self and others (#24). To be healthy in your sense of self-authority and going along with authority, you need to reference both internally and externally (#23).

Conversely, there will be some meta-programs that will actually interfere and even prevent some attitudes. They contradict it or counter-act it. This is especially true if they are a driver meta- program. If you want a friendly rapport-building attitude, you have to give up mismatching. Mis-matching will interfere with building rapport. If you want a dynamic attitude of being proactive, then you’ll have to switch from Perceiving (#37), Options (#36), or Reflective (#27). Those meta-programs will prevent you from actualizing your meanings into actions.

A non-screening (#9) meta-program will stop you from developing a laser-beam focus and therefore from any genius state. And a screening meta-program can prevent you from being in sensory-awareness. The either-or (#7) meta-program inevitably stops systemic thinking which builds up a holistic attitude.

If attitudes are sometimes comprised of certain meta-programs, the question then for any attitude that you desire to create in yourself is: “What meta-program will you need in order to experience X attitude?” And if a meta-program is a way of thinking and/or perceiving, then it is quite learnable. Simply ask a question that presuppose it and then use that question to keep directing your mind to that distinction.

How do meta-programs then relate to attitudes? In three ways. Some meta-programs 1) are attitudes, 2) some make up the components of other attitudes, and 3) some prevent certain attitudes. Knowing this and being able to discern for this will become really important when we discuss changing attitudes, decommissioning negative attitudes, and developing some great attitudes. Then as you will need to look inside the meta-stating process, you will also need to look into the role that meta-programs play.