Great Turning

This article refers to the 2006 book "The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community" by David Korten, and The Great Turning Initiative based on that book and others' work, including Joanna Macy, who uses Great Turning to refer to a change she sees us in from a civilization primarily focused on industrial growth to a more life-sustaining civilization.

The Book

In "The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community", Korten makes a number of primary arguments:
* "Empire" - a form of social organization based on hierarchies, chauvinism, and domination through violence, started developing about 5,000 years ago. A primary characteristic of empires is a significantly unequal distribution of power and benefits, with a relatively small portion of the population receiving a disproportionately large share of the wealth.
* Corporate consolidation of power represents a modern version of empire.
* The rise of powerful modern technology combined with the control of empires is becoming increasingly destructive to communities and the environment.
* We are about to face a perfect storm of converging crises including climate change, peak oil, and a financial crisis caused by an unbalanced economy. This will cause major changes to the current economic and social structure.
* These crises present an opportunity, if we so choose, for significant changes that replace the paradigm of "Empire" with one of "Earth Community". The vision of "Earth Community" is based on sustainable, just, and caring communities which incorporate mutual responsibility and accountability. These values, which are shared by most of the world's people, are eloquently described in the Earth Charter.

The initiative

David Korten has been traveling throughout the US and Canada giving interviews [http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/381/everybody_wants_to_rule_the_world?page=1 Everybody Wants To Rule The World] - and interview with David Korten on the Great Turning by Arnie Cooper published in The Sun magazine] and presentations on the ideas of "The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community". Additional commentary, information and resources are available at The Great Turning website, [http://thegreatturning.net/ The Great Turning] – A resource website for the Great Turning initiative] and in various articles. [http://www.davidkorten.org/Images/SVBooks_Sept0%5B2%5D.pdf Can we grow our wings in time?] by Ron Williams published in Shared Visions] [http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/96503 Will Future Generations Remember Us with Blessing or Curse?] by Stephen Scharper published in the Toronto Star on Sept 30, 2006] At a Great Turning conference in Columbus, Ohio (March 30-April 1, 2007), a community of individuals interested in Great Turning issues was established which now maintains a Great Turning wiki.Author Joanna Macy promotes a similar vision in lectures and workshops, which she also calls "The Great Turning". Her key theme is that we are living during a transformation from an industrial growth society, which is causing a social and ecological crisis, to a more life-sustaining civilization. She refers to this is as "the essential adventure of our time". [http://www.joannamacy.net/html/great.html The Great Turning] – Joanna Macy's website about the Great Turning] . Joanna Macy and David Korten occasionally collaborate, sometimes presenting "Great Turning" talks at the same conference.

A following for some ideas of The Great Turning has developed in some religious communities. It has been the subject of sermons [http://greatturning.wikispaces.com/Sermons List of sermons based on the Great Turning] ] , and at least one religious organization, the Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community, has taken The Great Turning on as a major focus [http://www.uujec.org/turning.html Unitarian Universalists for a Just Economic Community] - information on their Great Turning program] .

ee also

* Permaculture
* Riane Eisler
* Ishmael

References

External links

* [http://thegreatturning.net/ The Great Turning] – A resource website for the Great Turning initiative
* [http://greatturning.wikispaces.com/ The Great Turning Navigators' Wiki]
* [http://www.davidkorten.org/ David Korten's website with current reflections on the Great Turning]
* [http://www.joannamacy.net/html/great.html Joanna Macy's website about the Great Turning]
* [http://www.futurenet.org/article_list.asp?ID=4&Type=1 List of "Yes! Magazine" articles by David Korten] most are related to the "Great Turning"
* [http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=333 Joanna Macy interview on the Great Turning] "Yes! Magazine" Spring 2000
* [http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=1473 Great Turning as a Compass and a Lens] Joanna Macy article in "Yes! Magazine" Summer 2006
* [http://www.greatturningtimes.org/ Great Turning Times] a free quarterly email newsletter about topics related to the Great Turning
* [http://natureleadership.org/about.php Institute for Nature and Leadership] a non-profit organization and collaboration of partners whose mission is to provide resources for the Great Turning.
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTKE_mpEUu0 YouTube Video] - David Korten on the Great Turning (2 min)
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwlXTAT8rLk YouTube Video] - Joanna Macy on the Great Turning (5 min)