Three Circumstances That Could Test Democracy to the Core—and the Long-Term Implications

Three circumstances that people in the U.S. could confront in the years immediately ahead could well challenge the viability of democratic governance as we know it. Recognizing them can help us engage them with the foresight needed if they are … Read More

How Understanding Why We See Such Extreme Polarization Today Is Key To Getting Beyond It

I gave my most recent book Perspective and Guidance for a Time of Deep Discord the subtitle: “Why We See Such Extreme Social and Political Polarization and What We Can Do About it.”  Today conflict between ideological factions has become … Read More

Transitional Absurdity: Contemporary Craziness and Its Antidote (Or How the Ludicrous Can Co-Exist With Hope)

Creative Systems Theory brings very big-picture, long-term perspective to the human condition. It addresses understanding as a whole, not just particular concerns, and it helps us make sense of the very different ways we have understood ourselves and our worlds … Read More

Advertising and the Archetypal Function of Art — An Example of Transitional Absurdity

Adapted from “The future of Art” in Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future (With An Introduction to the Ideas of Creative Systems Theory) The concept of Transitional Absurdity (a formal notion within Creative Systems Theory) describes how, when Modern … Read More

The Digital Revolution and Cultural Maturity: Synergies and Traps

People often ask me how I see the relationship between Cultural Maturity and the digital revolution. It is a multifaceted and informative relationship. On one hand, the relationship is close and mutually positive. No sphere of technical advancement is likely … Read More

Money as Ideology: Bringing Culturally Mature Perspective to the 2008-2009 Financial Collapse

What caused the 2008-2009 financial collapse? Simple greed and incompetence? The unfortunate “perfect storm” confluence of economic cycles, globalization, and other hard-to-predict factors? Yes, yes, and yes. But something deeper was also at work. Understanding this more fundamental ingredient in … Read More