Defining a System

A system, which is more than a loose collection of parts, is a deliberately organized network of ideas, processes, structures, and human behaviors that, together, produce predictable patterns and outcomes. In the context of social and institutional power, a system can be understood through four essential characteristics:

Every system begins as an idea or plan—a vision for how the space might be ordered. That idea must:

1. Be Tested (“Did it stick?”): Gain sufficient traction through pilot efforts, proof‑points, or early adopters.

2. Be Shared: Spread via evangelism, education, media campaigns, or propaganda.

Only when a concept survives this crucible does it move toward institutionalization.

Hmoud et al. (2023) provide a state‑of‑the‑art review of how new ideas must pass through diffusion processes (“stick,” “trialability,” “observability”) before they can become organizational innovations.

3) Endurance as Structure

Once an idea is gate‑kept into legitimacy, it crystallizes into:

• Policies and Laws (formal rules)

• Norms and Rituals (informal practices)

• Physical and Organizational Architectures (buildings, hierarchies, procedures)
  

These structures self‑reinforce: they channel behavior, allocate resources, and reproduce themselves over time.

Siriram & Du Plessis (2024) demonstrate how systems, once legitimated, reinforce themselves through formal policies, norms, and organizational architectures.

4) Capacity for Renewal

No system is permanently fixed. Even the most entrenched structures contain “reset points” where:

• New ideas can re‑enter the cycle (“Want a reset?”)

• Existing assumptions can be suspended (an epoche)

• Transformative actors—the Informed Awakened and ethical Whisperers—can catalyze change from within.
  

This dynamic ensures that systems remain responsive — or, if left unchecked, become brittle and prone to collapse.

Mononen (2023) introduces “mental self‑renewal” as a construct within systems thinking, highlighting how intentional pauses and reflective resets enable systemic adaptation.

Not every idea becomes a system. Gatekeepers—institutions, cultural authorities, legal frameworks, or economic powers—act as filters that determine which ideas:

1. Enter the realm of accepted practice, gaining resources and official sanction.

2. Are Rejected and thus fade away or are forced back into the ideation cycle.
   

This legitimization process ensures that systems reflect the interests and values of those in control.

Heinonen & Vahti (2021) analyze how digital gatekeepers—platforms, algorithms, editorial boards—actively filter and legitimize which ideas enter public discourse.

1) Origin of an Idea

2) Legitimization via Gatekeeping

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Synthesizing the Definition

A system is a living tapestry of ideas and actions:

1. Conceived through ideation and refinement.

2. Legitimized by gatekeepers who confer authority.

3. Entrenched via formal structures and informal norms.

4. Continually remade by intentional resets led by those who understand and challenge its foundations.

In the pages that follow, we will use the TOECM System Categories Framework to map the six roles individuals play in this tapestry—from the architects at the top to the whisperers at the margins—and explore how each contributes to both the resilience and the potential transformation of oppressive systems.

1. Idea Generation

   • The flow begins with an idea.

   • If the idea is processed and doesn’t stick, it fails to thrive and withers away.

   • However, if it sticks and gains traction, it transforms into an ideology or plan.

2. Ideology/Plan Development

   • Once the idea becomes an ideology or plan, it must be shared with others. This can happen through various methods, including:

     • Evangelism

     • Indoctrination

     • Education or Miseducation

     • Campaigns

     • Awareness Programs

     • Media & Propaganda

   • If the ideology or plan is not received or is gatekept, it won’t thrive and may fade.

   • But if it is received/gatekept, it grows into a structure or system.

3. System/Structure Development

   • Once the structure or system is established, it can continue to thrive unless a reset or system change is desired.

   • If no change or reset is wanted, the system will thrive and grow.

   • If a reset is desired, the best approach is to go back to generating a new, brilliant idea, and the process begins again from Step 1.

This flowchart model emphasizes the cyclical nature of systems, beginning with a simple idea and evolving into structured systems through various levels of reception and propagation. When a reset is desired, innovation sparks a fresh cycle.:

In other words, the diagram lays out a simple “life‑cycle” model for how an idea becomes (or fails to become) a lasting system. Let’s walk through its parts and then look at what the overall structure tells us:

1. Stages and Decisions

1. Get an idea

   • Yellow box: the spark or seed—any new thought, proposal or concept.
     

2. Process it → Did it stick?

   • Diamond #1: you test or refine the idea.

   • If “No” → Doesn’t thrive (red box) → then you ask “Want a reset?”

   • If “Yes” → it graduates into an “Ideology or plan” (lavender box).
     

3. Ideology or plan → share through…

   • Here “evangelism, indoctrination, education, campaigns, awareness, media propaganda…” are the mechanics for spreading the idea.
     

4. Received and gate‑kept?

   • Diamond #2: Once out in the world, gatekeepers filter it.

   • If “Yes” → it’s legitimized into a “Structure or System” (purple box).

   • If “No” → Doesn’t thrive (red box) → then you ask “Want a reset?”
     

5. Structure or System → Want a reset?

   • Diamond #3: Even established systems can outlive their usefulness.

   • If “No” → System thrives (cream box) and the process ends.

   • If “Yes” → you loop back to “Get an idea” to start anew.
     
     

2. Feedback Loops & Resilience

• Failure loop: Ideas that don’t “stick” or aren’t “received” funnel into Doesn’t thrive, but can be reset into new ideation.

• Success loop: Systems that thrive can still be reset—emphasizing that even stable structures may need rethinking.

These loops make the model dynamic: it’s not a straight line but a cyclical journey allowing continuous renewal.

3. Gatekeeping & Power

• The “Received and gate‑kept?” decision highlights that legitimacy often depends on those in control (institutions, media, authority figures).

• If gatekeepers reject an idea, it dies—or must re‑emerge in a different form.

This maps neatly onto real‑world mechanics of social change, where movements must overcome established power structures to become durable systems.

4. Application & Insights

• Continuous Improvement: Much like PDCA (Plan–Do–Check–Act), the model encourages ongoing evaluation (“Did it stick?” / “Want a reset?”).

• Epoche (suspension of judgment): You can view the “Want a reset?” decision as a deliberate pause—step back, suspend assumptions, and ideate afresh.

• System Change vs. System Thriving: It reminds us that success doesn’t preclude the need for reinvention; thriving systems can become stagnant if not periodically re‑examined.

5. Limitations & Extensions

• Binary decisions (Yes/No) may oversimplify—real adoption and gatekeeping often exist on spectra.

• External factors (resources, timing, social context) aren’t shown explicitly but play a huge role in whether an idea “sticks.”

• You could extend the model by adding feedback metrics (e.g., adoption rate, stakeholder sentiment) at each decision point, making it more diagnostic.

Bottom Line

This flowchart captures the journey of ideas—from inception through testing, dissemination, gatekeeping, and either systemic success or iterative renewal. It’s a powerful abstraction for understanding how change propagates (or stalls) in organizations and societies, and underscores the importance of both legitimization (gatekeeping) and intentional resets (continuous improvement).