The Age of The Great Turning
Three stories of our time...
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Converging catastrophes facing humans around the time that this network was founded included: climate change, peak oil, mass extinction, social inequality, and the inevitable downfall of our current economic system. Dr. Joanna Macy coined this paradigm, "The Great Unraveling."
Meanwhile widespread attitude of denial about the causes and effects of said disasters prevailed. The term “business-as-usual” was often used describe this apathy, chosen ignorance, and refusal to make the necessary changes (in systems, attitudes, and/or lifestyles). However, there was another story happening simultaneously. This was a story of regeneration, reconnection, and action. It involved millions of people, thousands of communities, and countless organizations worldwide who were waking up to their true purpose and working together for a better world. This was and continues to be the story of The Great Turning. |
In 2012, Macy & Johnstone wrote:
"The Great Turning is a name for the essential adventure of our time: the shift from the industrial growth society to a life-sustaining civilization…
A revolution is underway because people are realizing that our needs can be met without destroying our world. We have the technical knowledge, the communication tools, and material resources to grow enough food, ensure clean air and water, and meet rational energy needs. Future generations, if there is a livable world for them, will look back at the epochal transition we are making to a life-sustaining society. And they may well call this the time of the Great Turning. It is happening now." |
In order to successfully transition from an “industrial-based” society to one that was “life sustaining”, Dr. Macy shared wisdom about the three dimensions within which actions must be carried out: holding actions, building alternative structures, and shifting consciousness. While particularly crucial at the time, this framework remains useful today.
Holding actions are those that slow the destruction of our social and/or environmental systems. Activities found in this dimension include: boycotts, nonviolent direct action, and litigation. While not addressing the root of the problems, these efforts are essential for buying time and saving some lives/ecosystems.
The second sphere is where we analyze structural causes and create alternative systems. In order to fully understand both the crises and the opportunities that the world is facing, we need to know the historical context that brought us to this point.
Holding actions are those that slow the destruction of our social and/or environmental systems. Activities found in this dimension include: boycotts, nonviolent direct action, and litigation. While not addressing the root of the problems, these efforts are essential for buying time and saving some lives/ecosystems.
The second sphere is where we analyze structural causes and create alternative systems. In order to fully understand both the crises and the opportunities that the world is facing, we need to know the historical context that brought us to this point.
Poignant Questions that we need to continually ask ourselves include:
The third dimension is the realm of shifting consciousness. Neither of the two other areas will sustain without a profound transformation of perspective, as Macy says “both as cognitive revolution and spiritual awakening”. It is a move from ideas of rugged individualism to acknowledged inherent interconnectedness and from reductionism to evidence of a living universe. This shift combines the resurgence of ancient wisdom traditions with “new science” and is a tangible way to engage in The Great Turning in our daily lives.
- What are the dynamics of our economic system and how does it intersect with other societal structures?
- What are the unquestioned assumptions and unspoken agreements that underlie the business-as-usual mindset?
- And finally, how can we utilize our collective genius to create a world where there are neither disposable things, nor people.
The third dimension is the realm of shifting consciousness. Neither of the two other areas will sustain without a profound transformation of perspective, as Macy says “both as cognitive revolution and spiritual awakening”. It is a move from ideas of rugged individualism to acknowledged inherent interconnectedness and from reductionism to evidence of a living universe. This shift combines the resurgence of ancient wisdom traditions with “new science” and is a tangible way to engage in The Great Turning in our daily lives.