New Revolutions for a Small Planet

According to sociologist Kingsley L. Dennis, our current economic woes are part of a larger shift in the way our global systems function. In his recent book, New Revolutions for a Small Planet (Watkins, November 2012), Dennis provides a strong dose of hope for young adults everywhere—especially those hit hardest by the current economic crisis. According to Dennis, we are witnessing the last throes of the industrial revolution model and mindset. “The signs are all around us,” he says, pointing to the rise of decentralized communications, the growth of NGOs and volunteerism, and rising social unrest against dysfunctional political systems. “These are all harbingers of the next phase of our socio-cultural evolution.” New Revolutions looks at what young people can expect in the years ahead: The birth of the ‘empathic mind,’ which is heralded by greater global interconnections, networked communication, and a participatory culture; A burgeoning sense of a dynamic, enchanting cosmos; and the increased urge to find personal meaning and fulfillment in life; Greater awareness of how new innovations will lead to creative new ways of thinking that will solve the world’s current problems; New systems and models that will emerge to eventually make the old models obsolete. In his conclusion, Dennis writes that “Revolutions in communications and energy technology go together with our shifting forms of consciousness,” and that “life upon this planet is about to undergo a period of transition that will test our capacity to re-adapt and re-emerge on an unprecedented scale.”