Character Quote by Robert Kegan
““While the emergence from embeddedness in the interpersonal frees one from the subjectivity of constructing one's morality on the bases of arbitrary affections and empathies, the new stage is subject to its own arbitrariness. In constructing that which subtends or coordinates the interpersonal it is likewise embedded in that constructions, the social order or social group.””
About This Quote
Source Book: In Over the Heart of the Matter by Robert Kegan, 1994
Moving from personal, emotion‑based morality to a socially constructed framework introduces new arbitrariness and embeddedness.
In simple terms: Shifting moral bases brings new complexities.
Question how social contexts shape your values.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- organizational culture
- education reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does your community influence your ethics?
- What new arbitrariness emerges?
May overlook individual agency.