The Great Turning: The world getting better, already in progress
By Ari | Aug 11, 08 11:06 AM
If you read one book this year, please make it David C. Korten's The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community. I really think this book has the potential to change the world. Actually, I think this book is only one small part of the movement it describes - not only is another world possible, it's being built right now. This book explains what's happening all around us clearly and with compassion, and invites us to take part in the great turning of human civilization from age-old patterns of domination and exploitation, to cooperation, partnership, and peace.
Korten comes from a mainstream U.S. background - he worked for years trying to help folks around the world improve their lives through the application of global capitalist strategies. He discovered that this didn't help but rather hurt people, and over time turned instead to more progressive means. Today he is co-founder and board chair of the Positive Futures Network and YES! A Journal of Positive Futures, and works on a host of other amazing projects aimed at creating a better world right now. The Great Turning is Korten's careful explanation of where we've gone wrong, what's happening right now, and how we can turn it all around for the better.
Korten's wonderful book does fall short in a couple of areas. It centers its criticisms on the U.S., which could be perceived as a bias - though personally, I agree with Korten that the U.S. is probably in the most need of a major overhaul of priorities and practices, since we're the principle standard-bearers of empire today.
Korten also has a bias in favor of belief in god, with a very Judeo-Christian flavor. Though I understand Korten is trying to appeal to a broad audience, and that most people do believe in god, and that Judeo-Christian folks in the U.S. are an important part of his audience, I think his arguments for faith are weak, and I was turned off by the bias, which left me feeling excluded and uncomfortable. I think atheists, for all of the New Atheists' shortcomings, have a lot to offer when it comes to the idea of creating a saner, more rational and equitable society.
Finally, I was irritated (as I usually am) by the book's failure to recognize that compassion and partnership are values we must extend to all of the earth community - not just humans. Korten occasionally makes mention of "humane" farming practices and he does care about habitat preservation and respect for free-living species. But in the end his arguments have a gaping blind spot when it comes to our non-human family. I believe that a society that truly believes that might does not make right will treat all living beings as equals. "Humane" farming is a lie - no matter how nicely we exploit others, it's still exploitation.
Despite these shortcomings, The Great Turning is still far and away the best book I've read about social change in - well, maybe in forever. I think the world would be a better place if everyone read it right now. We should all understand what's happening around us, and how we can be a part of it. This book, full of hope and truth, can really help. Find out more and get involved at greatturning.org.
Anyone else out there into the Great Turning idea? Or do you know any other life-changing books about massive social change?
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