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Whispers from the Arrow of Time: Essays from an Evolving Mind on How to Think about National Security in the Information Age
This anthology of essays written by author retired US Army Brigadier General Wayne Michael Hall involves critical thinking and planning in the new age-the Information Age-in relation to the Arrow of Time as it moves from past to present to future. The new age, the 21 st century, proves to be quite different from the past. Change and turbulence prove intimidating and challenging in new ways from past cultural and societal changes. Unfortunately, society and its military element of national power face even greater challenges than the rest of society in coping with how to think in this new context, as, sadly, the military's thinking capabilities continue to decline. Part of the reason for this decline lies in expecting machines to do one's thinking. Similarly, people accept data via social media as factual when this data is often meaningless. Alternatives to this endemic intellectual decline appear throughout these essays.
694 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2023
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August 1, 2023
The author retired US Army Brigadier General Wayne Michael Hall has written another superb book that reflects the current and future need for critical thinking and planning skills in the information age. As the operational mission space continues to evolve across the continuum of competition, conflict and statecraft, our thinking, planning and engagement methodologies must do the same.
Whispers from the Arrow of Time is an anthology of essays written by the author over the past thirty-three years. The essays include extensive discussion about “how to think” and thus enable the manifestation of high-level thinking of sufficient quality to create viable strategies and desired outcomes. The essays offer original ideas about how to think and understand and how to gain advantages over increasingly formidable and an ever-changing assortment of both state and non-nation state adversaries.
This book is about irregular competition, hybrid warfare, state craft and wars of wits in the information age and the dire need to better prepare our cognitive and planning skills for those arenas. It is about learning “how to think” about learning how to fight and compete in new ways against constantly transforming enemies and adjusting to unexpected changes occurring in nonlinear operational contexts. The book’s nine essays offer an engaging and insightful pool of recommendations on how we can deal with the challenges and possibilities of our progressively complex operating environment.
Unfortunately, our government and military face even greater challenges in coping with how to think in this emerging operational environment, as, sadly, our thinking capabilities continue to decline. Part of the reason for this decline lies in our overreliance on technology by expecting machines to do our thinking. Dependence on technology such as AI can make us intellectually lazy by reducing our need to think critically and creatively. When we rely on technology to solve problems and make decisions for us, we are less likely to engage in active thinking and problem-solving. Instead, we become passive recipients of information, blindly trusting technology to provide us with the answers we need. Similarly, people accept and receive the bulk of their intellectual feeds from platforms such as TV and social media with little desire to challenge the veracity of the facts provided or exegete the message presented.
National level leaders need analysis and thought to comprehend not only the “facts” as we know them, but also to assess uncertainties of complex operating environs and wicked problems so they can carefully weigh the risks of taking or rejecting specific actions. Solid and insightful intelligence analysis and planning can provide support to decision-making of national leaders and operators in the field who execute our diplomatic and military strategies. Decision advantage—that is, the ability to give the United States an information and operational advantage to enable the use of national power more quickly and wisely than others—has become even more important in today’s globalized world of 24/7 communications and interdependency.
“This superb anthology of thoughts arrives just in time to help reignite our critical thinking and planning skills. As geopolitical competitions intensify globally, we must not let the valuable lessons in the Whispers from the Arrow of Time lie inert within these covers. These are essays to be read, discussed, and applied to the challenges we are facing today.” The books essays provide ways to overcome the challenges that await America with the relentless movement of the Arrow of Time.
Whispers from the Arrow of Time is an anthology of essays written by the author over the past thirty-three years. The essays include extensive discussion about “how to think” and thus enable the manifestation of high-level thinking of sufficient quality to create viable strategies and desired outcomes. The essays offer original ideas about how to think and understand and how to gain advantages over increasingly formidable and an ever-changing assortment of both state and non-nation state adversaries.
This book is about irregular competition, hybrid warfare, state craft and wars of wits in the information age and the dire need to better prepare our cognitive and planning skills for those arenas. It is about learning “how to think” about learning how to fight and compete in new ways against constantly transforming enemies and adjusting to unexpected changes occurring in nonlinear operational contexts. The book’s nine essays offer an engaging and insightful pool of recommendations on how we can deal with the challenges and possibilities of our progressively complex operating environment.
Unfortunately, our government and military face even greater challenges in coping with how to think in this emerging operational environment, as, sadly, our thinking capabilities continue to decline. Part of the reason for this decline lies in our overreliance on technology by expecting machines to do our thinking. Dependence on technology such as AI can make us intellectually lazy by reducing our need to think critically and creatively. When we rely on technology to solve problems and make decisions for us, we are less likely to engage in active thinking and problem-solving. Instead, we become passive recipients of information, blindly trusting technology to provide us with the answers we need. Similarly, people accept and receive the bulk of their intellectual feeds from platforms such as TV and social media with little desire to challenge the veracity of the facts provided or exegete the message presented.
National level leaders need analysis and thought to comprehend not only the “facts” as we know them, but also to assess uncertainties of complex operating environs and wicked problems so they can carefully weigh the risks of taking or rejecting specific actions. Solid and insightful intelligence analysis and planning can provide support to decision-making of national leaders and operators in the field who execute our diplomatic and military strategies. Decision advantage—that is, the ability to give the United States an information and operational advantage to enable the use of national power more quickly and wisely than others—has become even more important in today’s globalized world of 24/7 communications and interdependency.
“This superb anthology of thoughts arrives just in time to help reignite our critical thinking and planning skills. As geopolitical competitions intensify globally, we must not let the valuable lessons in the Whispers from the Arrow of Time lie inert within these covers. These are essays to be read, discussed, and applied to the challenges we are facing today.” The books essays provide ways to overcome the challenges that await America with the relentless movement of the Arrow of Time.
Displaying 1 of 1 review