Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future (With an Introduction to the Ideas of Creative Systems Theory) (The Evolution of Creative Systems Theory and the Concept of Cultural Maturity) - Softcover

Johnston MD, Charles M

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0974715441 ISBN 13: 9780974715445

Publisher: ICD Press, 2015

Synopsis

Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future looks deeply at how the most important challenges ahead for humanity will require more than just technical innovation or even just new ideas. They demand new human capacities, in effect, a “growing up” as a species, a new Cultural Maturity. It is written for those interested in acquiring the newly sophisticated leadership abilities that we will more and more need in all parts of our lives in times ahead.

The concept of Cultural Maturity makes understandable how institutional structures and beliefs that in modern times have served us well can’t be the ideals and end points that we have assumed them to be. It goes on to articulate a new guiding story for our time, one able to take us equally beyond denial, cynicism, and naïve wishful thinking. This book looks deeply at the changes the concept of Cultural Maturity describes—both how they make needed new capacities possible, and how we see their beginnings in many parts of our personal and collective lives.

The concept of Cultural Maturity is based on the ideas of Creative Systems Theory, a comprehensive framework for understanding change, purpose, and interrelationship in human systems. Creative Systems Theory describes how Cultural Maturity’s changes are as, or more, significant than those that brought us modern democratic governance 250 years ago. It also argues that if the concept of Cultural Maturity is not basically correct, it is hard to imagine a healthy and vital human future.

In addition to introducing the concept of Cultural Maturity, Cultural Maturity: A Guidebook for the Future presents important related ideas from Creative Systems Theory. Creative Systems Theory represents an example of culturally mature conception and offers a rich array of conceptual tools able to guide us in making the future’s increasingly complex choices.

About this title

About the Author

Charles M. Johnston, MD, is a psychiatrist and futurist. He is best known as the originator of Creative Systems Theory, and for directing the Institute for Creative Development, a nonpartisan think tank and center for advanced leadership training. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the future and how we can best prepare to meet it. His ongoing work can be found at www.CreativeSystems.org.

Edition details

• Publisher: ICD Press
• Publication date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0974715441
• ISBN 13: 9780974715445
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 636