Personal
Development
“The pattern made by celestial bodies is the root symbol of the wholeness (selfhood and destiny) of the birth.” Galen
The central hexagon represents the 6 areas of childhood development, which form the core of what we continue to build upon as adults. They are Language, Cognitive, Social (sometimes called Emotional), Adaptive aka. Self Help, Agility which is Movement or Gross Motor Skills, and then Dexterity or Fine Motor Skills. These correlate directly to the Cardinal Virtues in the following way:
Dexterity/Agility - Strength
Cognitive/Language - Wisdom
Social/Adaptive - Love
And as adults, we develop 12 main categories of expertise, though our learning styles may vary each area is developed essentially the same way, through play and practice. Anyone can achieve mastery of any subject by putting the time into it, however finding ways to really engage with it, and apply that learning in a relevant fashion can make this much more effective. That is why there is very tangible reinforcement for each of these subjects within the human resource based economy/point system, and also study guides and resources which can be used solo and collaboratively. This real like 'Skill Tree' can help you identify areas in need of strengthening, or disciplines to cross into to add more depth and perspective to established expertise. Eventually there will be a personal version, which may be used to track progress, keep notes and impressions, and motivate personal work. Then there will be a correlating online version with links and study notes, sort of a human wiki where these disciplines can branch indefinitely and supporting multimedia can be shared for easy access to learning.
Skill Matrix
The Matrix is the central hub interface which will allow you to connect and manage all of the other tools. Currently in development, it will allow the user to go through an evaluation or portfolio review with a moderator to determine which of the skill nodes the individual has already activated through experiences in their life, be it in education, work, content creation, formal or otherwise. Any examples can be brought forth as proof of current level of mastery, and the nodes will be activated accordingly.
Some nodes might be thought of as pre-requesites, like learning to walk before you run, though you may continue to progress without full mastery into any direction you are interested. Mastery just marks you as having clout in the topic and opens up further opportunities for teaching, as people seek out those with greater experience!
Cognitive - STEAM
Science, Technology, Engineering, Architecture, Math
Education
Teaching of each of the 12 disciplines
Language - Writing
Grammer, Rhetoric, Creative, Technical and Poetic
Speaking
Linguistics, Communication, Music, Voice Acting
Social - Anthropology
Cutlure, Public Affairs, Human Services, Gender Study
History
World History, Tech/Art/Invention Timeline, Wars
Adaptive - Psychology
Behavior, Personality, Relationships, Grief/Stress
Visual Arts
Drawing, Painting, Graphic Design, Pattern/Prints
Agility - Performance Arts
Martial, Dance, Prop Manip, Acrobatics, Sports
Business
Logistics, Resource Mmgt, Order FF, Product Design
Dexterity - Applied Art
Sculpture, Mixed Media Asm, Mold Making, Carving
Medicine
Internal, Surgery, Nursing, Therapy, Fitness, First Aid
Nodes serve a variety of purposes in the Conflux. Each node contains links to recommended reading, courses, educational material, resources, community discussions, focus groups and projects, study guides compiled by high level masters in the field and ultimately a final exam which might be thought of as a 'black belt' in the subject. The standards for each subject will be completely determined by those actively contributing to it, so each node is itself an independent little world which may have members overlapping in multiple subjects, but will contain the most dedicated guardians of the topic. This is meant to transcend the gate keeping and barriers to entry which keep subjects strictly divided and unable to effectively cross pollinate in traditional academic institutions, and encourage and facilitate greater inter disciplinary collaboration. Meritocratic.
Having nodes activated, or mapping out and highlighting topics you would like to move toward in your personal journey will define your alert priority throughout the rest of the network. Volunteer opportunities, project proposals, meet ups, live events, and more will be presented to you based on your selected interests which you can toggle at will. Topics you have been vetted for will also mark you as a prime potential collaborator to people who are scouting and coordinating. As a user you will have full control over these search tools instead of being at the mercy of a popularity algorithm, and you will be more likely to get advanced notice and be able to respond to time sensitive involvement opportunities.
For volunteering specifically, there will be a map interface that will allow you to view nearby meet ups, and in addition to the description of the event there will also be tags for the type of skills and interests relevant. Whether you have alerts sent straight to you, or you go looking for adventure on the map, the nodes are a bridge, and participation in events is a great way to learn and be involved in that subject! Each topic will have autonomy to determine the role of things like volunteering in advancement. The administrative hurdles that currently cripple organizations and make it difficult to respond to emergencies or windfalls quickly are removed and the leadership can instead focus on the quality of their professional interactions. Meet ups may also be hosted specifically by one or more factions specifically, so it is easy to see patterns forming in where people are focusing their time and attention and respond appropriately with the distribution of resources.