Applied Metamodernism: Living the Future We Know Is Possible
Metamodernism isn’t just theory — it’s practice. Here’s how to build the culture we wish existed.
We live in a strange and beautiful in-between.
Too postmodern to believe in grand narratives,
Too modern to fully let them go.
We know that irony isn’t enough…
But sincerity alone can’t hold the weight.
We crave meaning — but not dogma.
Structure — but not control.
Hope — but not delusion.
Welcome to the metamodern moment.
It’s not just a theory.
It’s not just a vibe.
It’s a way of being that sees the whole picture — and still shows up with heart.
And now, a growing wave of us are doing more than thinking about it.
We’re building from it.
This is applied metamodernism.
What Is Applied Metamodernism?
Applied metamodernism is what happens when you stop asking:
“How do I explain the world?”
and start asking
“How do I shape it — soulfully, structurally, systemically — without losing my depth, my doubt, or my dignity?”
It’s metamodernism in motion.
Where complexity doesn’t lead to paralysis — but to play.
Where deep seeing becomes gentle building.
Where critique becomes creativity.
Where map becomes movement.
From Theory to Praxis
The “meta” moment gave us the lenses:
Spiral Dynamics. Integral Theory. Sensemaking. Hanzi. Schmachtenberger. Vervaeke. McGilchrist.
We read, we podcasted, we diagrammed.
We lost our breath in the echo chambers of understanding.
And then something broke open.
Not with a bang — but with a tender choice.
To start where we are.
To build what we can.
To live like it matters, even if it might not.
What It Looks Like
Applied Metamodernism shows up in many forms:
| Domain | Expression |
|---|---|
| Culture | Spiral-aware spaces that invite development, not force it |
| Systems | Post-capitalist businesses that value soul and sustainability |
| Education | Learning communities that honor complexity and inner growth |
| Art | Work that weaves irony and sincerity, myth and system |
| Community | Decentralized, compassionate gatherings that include all parts of us |
| Economics | Gift models, pay-what-you-can, ethical tech and post-growth design |
| Spirituality | Sacred spaces beyond religion, but not beyond reverence |
It’s not one ideology.
It’s a field. A tone. A direction.
It’s knowing the map isn’t the territory — and walking anyway.
How We’re Living It at How to Be Alive
At HTBA, we’re not selling blueprints — we’re planting seeds.
We’re experimenting with:
- Spiral Dynamics as a sacred language, not just a model
- Children’s stories that gently rewire the next generation
- Carpentry businesses built on post-capitalist principles
- Guided meditations designed like old radio transmissions
- Communities formed not around agreement, but resonance
- A library of living ideas for this strange new age
This isn’t the “solution.” It’s a signal.
To anyone who’s been through the spiral, seen behind the curtain, and wondered:
“What now?”
The answer is:
Start small. Stay sacred. Build anyway.
The Future We Know Is Possible
There are no saviors coming.
No single system will save us.
No ideology will hold it all.
But you — you might.
Not alone. But together.
As part of a growing field of people who’ve seen too much to be naive,
and still choose to participate with love, irony, faith, and frameworks.
That’s applied metamodernism.
And that’s how we live the future we were waiting for.
One structure.
One spiral.
One sacred act at a time.