How do we make of our increasingly complex and interconnected world today? In this transformative era, Kelly's book set off to understand the challenges of the present and find the course to the future. First of all he put forward two opposing view of the modern world - the best of times versus the worst of times.

The best of times: we are in an age of unprecedented prosperity and opportunity. Education reach everyone and information technology open up whole new way of communications. This is also an era of relative peace and a general move toward democracy...

The worst of times: human ignorance lead to over consumption and environment degradation. Progress failed to reach many people who are ravaged by crushing poverty and AIDS. The rise of fundamentalism and terrorism is threatening all of us...

No matter which view you cling to, you would find some truth from the opposing view. To see these seemingly contradictive ideas to be both valid is the thesis of the book. That is a shift from either/or mindset to a more inclusive both/and mindset.

He has identified several dynamic tensions that is at work in the world today - clarity and craziness, secular and sacred, power and vulnerability, technology acceleration and push back, intangible and physical economies, prosperity and decline, and finally people and planet. He has also outlined several likely scenarios of our future and how to prepare ourselves for it.

I find this an exciting treatment of the modern times. It calls for a broad, inclusive mindset that is that is sadly lacking from many people today.

2006.10.25 [book] - comments