Great Turning II
None of us know what the Great Turning will look like. We only know that our civilization will change, and that it will change dramatically. There is an obvious/inherent expiration date in operating from a view of unlimited resources while being part of a finite planet. And the transition may be in the form of an ecological/social crash or a softer landing. In any case, the change will be deep and dramatic.
As Joanna Macy says, it is the third major revolution in human civilization - after the agricultural and industrial ones.
And it may involve a collective "dark night of the soul". Our current collective identity - especially in the industrialized countries - will have to be stripped off and replaced with a more ecological identity.
From seeing ourselves as separate and entitled to unbound consumption, we may see ourselves as interconnected and living with limited resources. The "hole" in ourselves that we tried to fill through consumption, is now filled (more reliably) through a sense of intimacy and richness through our interconnections.
This is a process that many have gone through on an individual level, and as more of us do so - the collective changes are likely to be easier and less painful.
Labels: great turning