Overview

"We live in the midst of one of the greatest technological revolutions in history, an era of deep-seated transformation-a macroshift in civilization, says preeminent scholar and futurist Ervin Laszlo. Its signs and manifestations are all around us, from the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic sweeping Africa and the dangerous fire-trap sweatshops routinely killing workers in Bangladesh, to the environmental havoc created by genetic engineering, power plant pollution and mechanized agriculture. The application of new technologies has turned into a double-edged sword. The world is growing together in some respects, but is coming apart in others. Worldwide economic globalization, another sign of the macroshift, all too often benefits the few rather than the many. Hundreds of millions live at a higher material standard of living, but thousands of millions are pressed into abject poverty. The richest 20% earn ninety times the income of the poorest 20%, consume eleven times as much energy, and eat eleven times as much meat. There have been other macroshifts in human history, but they spanned centuries, allowing cultural values, beliefs, and change to occur gradually. Today, technology has reduced our time to adapt; the entire critical period of change is compressed into the lifetime of a generation. Today's macroshift, explains Laszlo, harbors great promise, as well as grave danger. He outlines two possible scenarios- ""The Breakdown,"" where we choose to drift without a change in our current direction toward chaos, anarchy, and destruction, or ""The Breakthrough,"" where we collectively transform our thinking and behavior to produce creative, sustainable solutions to dangerous global problems. And he shows what each of us can do-politically, professionally, and privately-to bring about the Breakthrough and shape a humane and sustainable global future. While technology is what drives the unprecedented speed of this macroshift, it is our vision, values, and actions now that will ultimately determine the outcome. The choice is up to us-the power is in our hands."

Full Product Details

Author:   Ervin Laszlo ,  Arthur Charles Clarke
Publisher:   Berrett-Koehler
Imprint:   Berrett-Koehler
Dimensions:   Width: 6.50cm , Height: 0.90cm , Length: 9.50cm
Weight:   0.001kg
ISBN:  

9781576751633

ISBN 10:   1576751635
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   16 September 2001
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Foreword Preface I: World in Macroshift 1 What Is a Macroshift? 2 Macroshifts Past and Present 3 Decisive Factors in Today’s Macroshift 4 The Choice II: The New Imperatives 5 Forget Obsolete Beliefs 6 Learn to Live with Diversity 7 Embrace a Planetary Ethic 8 Meet Your Responsibilities III: The Way Ahead 9 Evolution from Logos to Holos 10 The Quiet Dawn of Holos Consciousness 11 You Can Change the World Twelve Comments by Members of the Club of Budapest: Peter Russell, Edgar Mitchell, Karan Singh, Thomas Berry, Robert Muller, Riane Eisler, Edgar Morin, Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan, Ignazio Masulli, Otto Herbert Hajek, Peter Roche, Gary Zukav Postscript The Holistic Paradigm in Science References & Further Reading Index About the Author About the Club of Budapest The Manifesto of Planetary Consciousness Honorary Members The Secretariat Additional Internet Resources Japan Peace Prize Commemorative Address That Peace May Prevail in This World

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Author Information

Ervin Laszlo is the author or editor of sixty-nine books translated into as many as seventeen languages, and has over four hundred articles and research papers and six volumes of piano recordings to his credit. He serves as editor of the monthly World Futures- The Journal of General Evolution and of its associated General Evolution Studies book series. Laszlo is generally recognized as the founder of systems philosophy and general evolution theory, serving as founder-director of the General Evolution Research Group and as past president of the International Society for the Systems Sciences. He is the recipient of the highest degree in philosophy and human sciences of the Sorbonne, the University of Paris, as well as of the Artist Diploma of the Franz Liszt Academy of Budapest. His numerous prizes and awards include four honorary doctorates.

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