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The Turning Point: Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes
The New York Times –bestselling author of The Wisdom Codes bridges science with wisdom traditions around the globe to reveal how we can thrive in our rapidly changing world.
We solve our problems based upon the way we think of ourselves and the world. From peak energy and peak debt to failing economies and the realities of climate change, everyday life is showing us where we’ve outgrown the thinking of the past.
It’s also showing us where big changes in the world mean big changes in our lives. Through dramatic shifts in our jobs, our relationship to money, our health, and even our homes, it’s clear that our lives are changing in ways we’ve never seen, to a degree that we’re not prepared for, and at speeds that we’ve never experienced. It’s also clear that the thinking of the past is no longer enough to meet our needs today. A new, healthy, and sustainable world is emerging, and our ability to accept what it offers begins with our willingness
• Honestly acknowledge the facts of what we’re up against.
• Embrace the new discoveries that reveal the role of cooperation in nature and human communities.
• Create resilience in our lives, families, and communities based upon five proven and sustainable principles.
Through easy-to-understand science and the wisdom traditions of the past, The Turning Point identifies the extremes in the world that are reshaping our lives, the keys to thrive in the midst of the transformation, and the strategies to get us there.
We solve our problems based upon the way we think of ourselves and the world. From peak energy and peak debt to failing economies and the realities of climate change, everyday life is showing us where we’ve outgrown the thinking of the past.
It’s also showing us where big changes in the world mean big changes in our lives. Through dramatic shifts in our jobs, our relationship to money, our health, and even our homes, it’s clear that our lives are changing in ways we’ve never seen, to a degree that we’re not prepared for, and at speeds that we’ve never experienced. It’s also clear that the thinking of the past is no longer enough to meet our needs today. A new, healthy, and sustainable world is emerging, and our ability to accept what it offers begins with our willingness
• Honestly acknowledge the facts of what we’re up against.
• Embrace the new discoveries that reveal the role of cooperation in nature and human communities.
• Create resilience in our lives, families, and communities based upon five proven and sustainable principles.
Through easy-to-understand science and the wisdom traditions of the past, The Turning Point identifies the extremes in the world that are reshaping our lives, the keys to thrive in the midst of the transformation, and the strategies to get us there.
236 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2013
83 people are currently reading
649 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Braden
143 books688 followersNew York Times best selling author Gregg Braden is internationally renowned as a pioneer in bridging science and spirituality. Following a successful career as a Computer Geologist for Phillips Petroleum during the 1970s energy crisis, he became a Senior Computer Systems Designer for Martin Marietta Defense Systems during the last year of the Cold War. In 1991 he was appointed the first Technical Operations Manager for Cisco Systems where he led the development of the global support team that assures the reliability of today’s Internet. For more than 22 years, Gregg has searched high mountain villages, remote monasteries, and forgotten texts to uncover their timeless secrets. To date, his work has led to such paradigm-shattering books as The Isaiah Effect, The God Code, The Divine Matrix and his 2008 release, The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits. Gregg’s work is now published in 17 languages and 27 countries and shows us beyond any reasonable doubt that the key to our future lies in the wisdom of our past.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 29, 2023
The author talks about the coming crisis (that are here already) and how to built Resilience to them so that we can adjust and survive them. He really emphasizes cooperation over competition. "Kohn concludes: The ideal amount of competition...in any environment, the classroom, the workplace, the family, the playing field, is none.
I agree with this. Only through cooperation will mankind survive what is ahead.
I agree with this. Only through cooperation will mankind survive what is ahead.
September 8, 2014
I was worried that this book was going to be all hyperbole and not a lot of substance. Braden has a bit of a love affair with dramatic phrases like, "the most difficult question" and "the greatest crisis we face" and "the greatest challenge" and "the most profound question," which would be okay if he used them more sparingly. As is, though, I felt like there was a critical and profound question or issue every other page.
Luckily, as I read more, I became accustomed to Braden's language and was able to look past the drama and hear his, what I ultimately felt to be, very important message.
The gist of it is this: we are living in a unique point in history. Humankind is facing a lot of big changes that are happening fast and now. The world's population is skyrocketing, increasing our demand for limited resources, especially food. This, in turn, causes an increased need for energy (oil). At the same time, many countries, especially those sharing the most common currency, are in massive debt; this puts increasing pressure on economic systems around the world. Plus, there is no longer any doubt that our climate is changing, though we aren't quite sure why or how much.
Braden stresses that it is very important that people acknowledge this time of extremes and the potential negative outcomes that we may face in the near future. To not acknowledge the reality of these issues, Braden says, constitutes a "crisis in thinking," a nebulous phrase that he repeats often throughout this book.
Once we do acknowledge the existence of these problems, however, Braden believes we will finally be able to move on to solutions. We still have time to "do what it takes to avoid the tipping points of climate change, peak oil, and peak debt."
The solution begins by redefining "the story of us." Braden argues that our traditional beliefs about ourselves (especially in the Western world) are inaccurate. Contrary to the belief that the world is random and cruel, and that "only the strong survive," he asserts that, in reality, human life shows unmistakable signs of design and that nature relies upon the concepts of cooperation and mutual aid to perpetuate itself. Interestingly enough, I found this section to be one of the most interesting parts of the book, and, ironically, he doesn't go into much detail. (Apparently, he covers these topics more fully in two of his other popular books, Deep Truth: Igniting the Memory of Our Origin, History, Destiny, and Fate and The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief).
At any rate, by redefining how we see ourselves, we can better face the challenges that lie ahead. According to Braden, the solutions we need will be community-based and will require personal resilience developed before all hell breaks loose. I actually really appreciated Braden's suggestions for and observations about cultivating personal resilience. For example:
***Our ability to meet life's challenges hinges upon how well we know ourselves.
***Personal resilience can be developed through self-knowledge, a sense of hope, healthy coping skills, strong interpersonal relationships, and personal meaning.
***There are various coping strategies to help you get through times of crisis, such as being physically healthy, scaling back commitments, exercising regularly, making sleep a priority, connecting with other people, learning to relieve your stress through activities you enjoy, and seeking professional help if you need it.
***It's important to develop your own sense of what the world is all about, how you fit into it, and where you belong.
Braden believes that the solution to our future problems, especially those concerning food and energy shortages (Braden sees renewable energy as the most important issue to address in the immediate future), will be solved at a community-level. He recommends, among other things, eating locally; using local, renewable resources particular to your region (e.g., the American southwest should use solar energy since that area is very sunny almost year-round); and, most importantly, allowing local people to make decisions about their own area's needs.
While I enjoyed reading this book, and am very interested in reading Braden's other books, I must admit that Turning Point is incredibly dense and covers some pretty heavy, depressing subject matter. It's just hard to think about these huge, daunting issues. Sure, Braden explains things in terms a layperson (like myself) can understand, but it still took me some time--and mental fortitude!--to slog through this book.
If you are interested in knowing more about the effects that climate change, national debt, increased world population, and decreased energy sources will have on our world--and if you want to know how you can equip yourself and your community now to deal with the consequences of the unique and big changes that are coming--you will want to read Turning Point. It won't be a light read, but it will be a worthwhile one.
Luckily, as I read more, I became accustomed to Braden's language and was able to look past the drama and hear his, what I ultimately felt to be, very important message.
The gist of it is this: we are living in a unique point in history. Humankind is facing a lot of big changes that are happening fast and now. The world's population is skyrocketing, increasing our demand for limited resources, especially food. This, in turn, causes an increased need for energy (oil). At the same time, many countries, especially those sharing the most common currency, are in massive debt; this puts increasing pressure on economic systems around the world. Plus, there is no longer any doubt that our climate is changing, though we aren't quite sure why or how much.
Braden stresses that it is very important that people acknowledge this time of extremes and the potential negative outcomes that we may face in the near future. To not acknowledge the reality of these issues, Braden says, constitutes a "crisis in thinking," a nebulous phrase that he repeats often throughout this book.
Once we do acknowledge the existence of these problems, however, Braden believes we will finally be able to move on to solutions. We still have time to "do what it takes to avoid the tipping points of climate change, peak oil, and peak debt."
The solution begins by redefining "the story of us." Braden argues that our traditional beliefs about ourselves (especially in the Western world) are inaccurate. Contrary to the belief that the world is random and cruel, and that "only the strong survive," he asserts that, in reality, human life shows unmistakable signs of design and that nature relies upon the concepts of cooperation and mutual aid to perpetuate itself. Interestingly enough, I found this section to be one of the most interesting parts of the book, and, ironically, he doesn't go into much detail. (Apparently, he covers these topics more fully in two of his other popular books, Deep Truth: Igniting the Memory of Our Origin, History, Destiny, and Fate and The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief).
At any rate, by redefining how we see ourselves, we can better face the challenges that lie ahead. According to Braden, the solutions we need will be community-based and will require personal resilience developed before all hell breaks loose. I actually really appreciated Braden's suggestions for and observations about cultivating personal resilience. For example:
***Our ability to meet life's challenges hinges upon how well we know ourselves.
***Personal resilience can be developed through self-knowledge, a sense of hope, healthy coping skills, strong interpersonal relationships, and personal meaning.
***There are various coping strategies to help you get through times of crisis, such as being physically healthy, scaling back commitments, exercising regularly, making sleep a priority, connecting with other people, learning to relieve your stress through activities you enjoy, and seeking professional help if you need it.
***It's important to develop your own sense of what the world is all about, how you fit into it, and where you belong.
Braden believes that the solution to our future problems, especially those concerning food and energy shortages (Braden sees renewable energy as the most important issue to address in the immediate future), will be solved at a community-level. He recommends, among other things, eating locally; using local, renewable resources particular to your region (e.g., the American southwest should use solar energy since that area is very sunny almost year-round); and, most importantly, allowing local people to make decisions about their own area's needs.
While I enjoyed reading this book, and am very interested in reading Braden's other books, I must admit that Turning Point is incredibly dense and covers some pretty heavy, depressing subject matter. It's just hard to think about these huge, daunting issues. Sure, Braden explains things in terms a layperson (like myself) can understand, but it still took me some time--and mental fortitude!--to slog through this book.
If you are interested in knowing more about the effects that climate change, national debt, increased world population, and decreased energy sources will have on our world--and if you want to know how you can equip yourself and your community now to deal with the consequences of the unique and big changes that are coming--you will want to read Turning Point. It won't be a light read, but it will be a worthwhile one.
January 20, 2014
The Turning Point
Creating Resilience in a time of Extremes
Gregg Braden
1st Edition Jan. 2014
ISBN 978-1-4019-2923-7
The Turning Point is written by Gregg Braden New York Times best-selling author who is internationally renowned as a pioneer in bridging science, spirituality, and the real world. Gregg Braden is also the author of several other books such as The God Code, The Divine Matrix, Fractal Time, and Deep Truth. His 2007 best seller, The Divine Matrix, was recently selected as the source for the made-for-television feature, “Entanglement,”
His latest book “The Turning Point” which just hit the book stands in January of 2014 challenges the reader to shift the way in which we think of ourselves and our relationship to the world.
The Turning Point was created as a means to answer questions. Gregg Braden goes into great detail as to the state of our present world issues and how our thinking has to shift if we are to survive as a species. Are we willing to embrace the thinking that makes such possibilities a priority? The Turning Point is an in depth look at how our world has changed in all areas such as Climate extremes, Population extremes, Energy extremes, Economic extremes and what we, as an individual, can do to make sure Earth continues to thrive for all future generations.
The Turning Point gives us “The Big Picture” Gregg asks the reader to keep in mind five facts such as;
1. Now is different
2. The turning point of thriving transformation can replace the tipping point of extremes
3. Life gets better and resilience is the key
4. We already have new solutions
5. The biggest crisis is the most difficult to accept.
Throughout the book Gregg reminds us that shifting our way of thinking and becoming resilient to change is a means of surviving the changes we are experiencing. The Turning Point is a wake-up call for all of us. In times of extreme change such as we have seen and experienced in the past decade our own personal resilience to adapting to such changes will be key to our overall physical and emotional survival.
The Turning Point is written with the intention of empowering the reader in choices that can lead to thriving lives and a new transformed and sustainable world. He quotes Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist, Niels Bohr
“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it”
The Turning Point is a compilation of extensively researched facts of our ever changing world, its effects, and where we are heading unless we make significant changes in the now. I can honestly say that this book is an incredible resource of information and poignant suggestions that has made me see things in a much different perspective. The author is right when he says that too often we tend to not want to see the changes before us and hope things will go back to the way they were. But the changes are here, we are experiencing more and more turbulent times as the years have passed, we are undergoing a time of transformation and I have never been as receptive to listening as I have while reading this material.
Gregg Braden has spelled it all out in The Turning Point it is a book that will create a shift in awareness for the reader. A book everyone should read as we prepare ourselves to be resilient as a species and come together and implement solutions that will sustain plane earth.
Creating Resilience in a time of Extremes
Gregg Braden
1st Edition Jan. 2014
ISBN 978-1-4019-2923-7
The Turning Point is written by Gregg Braden New York Times best-selling author who is internationally renowned as a pioneer in bridging science, spirituality, and the real world. Gregg Braden is also the author of several other books such as The God Code, The Divine Matrix, Fractal Time, and Deep Truth. His 2007 best seller, The Divine Matrix, was recently selected as the source for the made-for-television feature, “Entanglement,”
His latest book “The Turning Point” which just hit the book stands in January of 2014 challenges the reader to shift the way in which we think of ourselves and our relationship to the world.
The Turning Point was created as a means to answer questions. Gregg Braden goes into great detail as to the state of our present world issues and how our thinking has to shift if we are to survive as a species. Are we willing to embrace the thinking that makes such possibilities a priority? The Turning Point is an in depth look at how our world has changed in all areas such as Climate extremes, Population extremes, Energy extremes, Economic extremes and what we, as an individual, can do to make sure Earth continues to thrive for all future generations.
The Turning Point gives us “The Big Picture” Gregg asks the reader to keep in mind five facts such as;
1. Now is different
2. The turning point of thriving transformation can replace the tipping point of extremes
3. Life gets better and resilience is the key
4. We already have new solutions
5. The biggest crisis is the most difficult to accept.
Throughout the book Gregg reminds us that shifting our way of thinking and becoming resilient to change is a means of surviving the changes we are experiencing. The Turning Point is a wake-up call for all of us. In times of extreme change such as we have seen and experienced in the past decade our own personal resilience to adapting to such changes will be key to our overall physical and emotional survival.
The Turning Point is written with the intention of empowering the reader in choices that can lead to thriving lives and a new transformed and sustainable world. He quotes Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist, Niels Bohr
“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it”
The Turning Point is a compilation of extensively researched facts of our ever changing world, its effects, and where we are heading unless we make significant changes in the now. I can honestly say that this book is an incredible resource of information and poignant suggestions that has made me see things in a much different perspective. The author is right when he says that too often we tend to not want to see the changes before us and hope things will go back to the way they were. But the changes are here, we are experiencing more and more turbulent times as the years have passed, we are undergoing a time of transformation and I have never been as receptive to listening as I have while reading this material.
Gregg Braden has spelled it all out in The Turning Point it is a book that will create a shift in awareness for the reader. A book everyone should read as we prepare ourselves to be resilient as a species and come together and implement solutions that will sustain plane earth.
December 16, 2020
Žijeme v době převratných změn. Nemá smysl toužit po návratu starých časů. Nikdy se nevrátí.
June 14, 2021
The aspects of globalization that connected the world in the past may be destroying the world today. p149
There is no doubt left that we are at a collective turning point, and no amount of wistful thinking will allow us to sink back into a normal daze characterized by faulty reasoning and reliance upon the benefice of authority. Gregg Braden attempts to lay it all out for those who are not too frightened to follow his reasoning. He does a pretty thorough job in combining statistics with mysticism and he is fairly convincing.
It is often easier to hang on to the familiar ways of the past - even when those comfortable habits no longer serve us - than to face the uncertainties....p39
Perhaps even more relevant is the fear of the average person being powerless to stop...corporations from doing things that are good for the bottom line of business but bad for the human race and the sustainability of the planet. p148
For one whose message contains some awfully grim probabilities, GB is cautiously optimistic. He seems to retain a stubborn faith in the heart of our collective intelligence and the possibility of evolutionary transformation. We would do well to study his findings and make our own investigations. His template for building resilient communities is a good place to start examining the things we take for granted. If we can put aside our cynicism perhaps we might find some purpose in "the gap between (our) limited beliefs and the possibilities of our own power." p91
There is no doubt left that we are at a collective turning point, and no amount of wistful thinking will allow us to sink back into a normal daze characterized by faulty reasoning and reliance upon the benefice of authority. Gregg Braden attempts to lay it all out for those who are not too frightened to follow his reasoning. He does a pretty thorough job in combining statistics with mysticism and he is fairly convincing.
It is often easier to hang on to the familiar ways of the past - even when those comfortable habits no longer serve us - than to face the uncertainties....p39
Perhaps even more relevant is the fear of the average person being powerless to stop...corporations from doing things that are good for the bottom line of business but bad for the human race and the sustainability of the planet. p148
For one whose message contains some awfully grim probabilities, GB is cautiously optimistic. He seems to retain a stubborn faith in the heart of our collective intelligence and the possibility of evolutionary transformation. We would do well to study his findings and make our own investigations. His template for building resilient communities is a good place to start examining the things we take for granted. If we can put aside our cynicism perhaps we might find some purpose in "the gap between (our) limited beliefs and the possibilities of our own power." p91
November 14, 2015
I received a complementary copy of this book from Hay House for review purposes. The opinions are completely my own based on my experience.
“Never in the modern world have we attempted to meet the growing needs of so many people through shrinking supplies of so few resources, with climate change supercharging the demand,” Gregg Braden writes early in his new book The Turning Point: Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes. At first I thought this was a book just about global problems – those biggies that affect the whole human race. “I’m glad we have people like Gregg Braden addressing this stuff,” I thought to myself. “I have enough on my plate in running the family business, getting our kids through college, and attempting to lose a few pounds. These bigger issues are too much for me to think about right now.”
But in Turning Point Gregg Braden does an excellent job in explaining these huge planetary problems in language an average person, like me, can understand. I liked how Braden put into perspective the turbulent times we are living in. “For 11,500 years or so,” he writes, “there had been fewer than 500 million people on the planet. To put this into perspective, it means that during this time the number of people being sustained by the resources of our planet was less than half the number now living in India today.” Wow.
Far from painting a doomsday picture, though, Turning Point is a book of hope. Braden contends that our ancestors have faced equally challenging problems, and through resilience and innovation came out better on the other side. We can do that too. “We humans have a history of embracing change and an amazing track record for successfully turning the extremes of crisis into transformation,” the author says. “Our willingness to think differently about ourselves and the world will be the key to the success of our journey.”
While I found Braden’s expose on global issues enlightening, I was surprised as I read further that he applies these same transformational principles to common problems we all face. Not sure when to leave a job? A relationship? The author gives questions to ask yourself when facing a big change. In a chapter on personal resilience he identifies unhealthy coping strategies and healthier alternatives when stress gets to be too much. In this way The Turning Point is a very practical book, applicable to every day life, in addition to addressing those larger global issues.
“There’s a time when every crisis can be turned into transformation; when simply surviving can become thriving. That time is the turning point,” Braden writes. Reading The Turning Point gave me a better awareness of the planetary challenges we are facing as a human race, but also gave me tools for transforming problems in my own little world. It’s a book worth reading.
“Never in the modern world have we attempted to meet the growing needs of so many people through shrinking supplies of so few resources, with climate change supercharging the demand,” Gregg Braden writes early in his new book The Turning Point: Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes. At first I thought this was a book just about global problems – those biggies that affect the whole human race. “I’m glad we have people like Gregg Braden addressing this stuff,” I thought to myself. “I have enough on my plate in running the family business, getting our kids through college, and attempting to lose a few pounds. These bigger issues are too much for me to think about right now.”
But in Turning Point Gregg Braden does an excellent job in explaining these huge planetary problems in language an average person, like me, can understand. I liked how Braden put into perspective the turbulent times we are living in. “For 11,500 years or so,” he writes, “there had been fewer than 500 million people on the planet. To put this into perspective, it means that during this time the number of people being sustained by the resources of our planet was less than half the number now living in India today.” Wow.
Far from painting a doomsday picture, though, Turning Point is a book of hope. Braden contends that our ancestors have faced equally challenging problems, and through resilience and innovation came out better on the other side. We can do that too. “We humans have a history of embracing change and an amazing track record for successfully turning the extremes of crisis into transformation,” the author says. “Our willingness to think differently about ourselves and the world will be the key to the success of our journey.”
While I found Braden’s expose on global issues enlightening, I was surprised as I read further that he applies these same transformational principles to common problems we all face. Not sure when to leave a job? A relationship? The author gives questions to ask yourself when facing a big change. In a chapter on personal resilience he identifies unhealthy coping strategies and healthier alternatives when stress gets to be too much. In this way The Turning Point is a very practical book, applicable to every day life, in addition to addressing those larger global issues.
“There’s a time when every crisis can be turned into transformation; when simply surviving can become thriving. That time is the turning point,” Braden writes. Reading The Turning Point gave me a better awareness of the planetary challenges we are facing as a human race, but also gave me tools for transforming problems in my own little world. It’s a book worth reading.
January 11, 2018
The outlook in this book is a good one and necessary in order to move forward from where we are.
July 7, 2014
Very interesting and practical way of deeply analysing the changes in our life system - the book is positive, because it shows positive, free ways of rendering our way of life more sustainable. Even while admitting that man cannot carry on as now without risking catastrophic changes to our planet, the Author says clearly that one can make a difference by being able to identify the impending turning points and switching our ways of gathering energy and using resources.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 7 July 2014.
Maria Carmo,
Lisbon, 7 July 2014.
April 5, 2014
Statistic were dry, boring, and not applicable to my life.I received it free from good reads and it was not what I expected based on the description.
July 22, 2025
The synopsis of this book grabbed my attention. I was excited to dig into the author's advice on how society can prepare itself for the various extremes we face. I was sorely disappointed. After about 100 pages, I had to give up and cut my losses. I found this book was lots of rambling with limited solutions.
December 20, 2017
Thought provoking and well-written.
April 17, 2018
Çok beklediğim kadar güzel çıkmadı.
Dünyanın değişimi bireylerin değişimden başlar... Yeni bir toplum için yapılacaklar...
Dünyanın değişimi bireylerin değişimden başlar... Yeni bir toplum için yapılacaklar...
November 4, 2018
Average book . Not particularly interesting for me.
December 14, 2019
Very Interesting and Awakening !
February 5, 2016
This is a very interesting, well written book about the times we live in and the way in which we can improve our decision making about the future. Unfortunately, it's compiled in a scatter-shot way that drains much of its energy. While Author Gregg Braden has many interesting things to say (particularly about the developments that have occurred in science in recent times), he also has a tendency to go off on a tangent before circling back to his main points. Perhaps this book should have been two books?
The main thesis, when Braden isn't off talking about new forms of energy or community building in Northern New Mexico, is that we live in a unique time in history. In order to make progress, we need to develop our thinking process. This, in and of itself, is a worthy notion and certainly could fill a book's worth of writing.
Perhaps because Braden is a speaker, his writing mirrors much of what he might say at the podium. There are charts, which surely he uses as PowerPoint slides in his talks. While some readers may gain from these, in a book typically those PowerPoint ideas are better conveyed via sentences and paragraphs. There's also a strange outline to be found in the last chapter of the book. Maybe that should have been the basis for the chapter or book itself. Maybe Braden just got tired of writing near the end, and decided to throw it in?
In any case, for the reader it's all a bit of a mess. The book is worth reading for its occasional ideas, but if a reader is looking for a straightforward laying out of arguments and facts, he or she isn't likely to find it here.
The main thesis, when Braden isn't off talking about new forms of energy or community building in Northern New Mexico, is that we live in a unique time in history. In order to make progress, we need to develop our thinking process. This, in and of itself, is a worthy notion and certainly could fill a book's worth of writing.
Perhaps because Braden is a speaker, his writing mirrors much of what he might say at the podium. There are charts, which surely he uses as PowerPoint slides in his talks. While some readers may gain from these, in a book typically those PowerPoint ideas are better conveyed via sentences and paragraphs. There's also a strange outline to be found in the last chapter of the book. Maybe that should have been the basis for the chapter or book itself. Maybe Braden just got tired of writing near the end, and decided to throw it in?
In any case, for the reader it's all a bit of a mess. The book is worth reading for its occasional ideas, but if a reader is looking for a straightforward laying out of arguments and facts, he or she isn't likely to find it here.
February 10, 2015
“There is a time when every crisis can be turned into transformation: when simply surviving can become thriving. That time is the turning point.”
“The Turning Point: Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes,” by bestselling author Gregg Braden was an awakening for me - an awakening for what’s possible even faced with the devastations of climate change, failing economics, war, hunger, etc. He firmly believes that “reluctance to reflect new scientific discoveries in main stream media, classrooms, and textbooks keeps us stuck in the thinking that has led to the greatest crises of human history.” He goes on to say that “we already have solutions to big problems, such as food, energy, and a sustainable economy. Our problem is a crisis in thinking.”
Throughout the book, Braden both discusses the problems we face, how they’ve come about, and what the real solutions are through community resilience. He poses questions for each of us, individually and collectively, to consider. Much like Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point,” Braden’s “Turning Points” is thought-provoking and challenging. As he points out, “much of the world we’ve known was meant to be a bridge to a better way of life, rather than a final destination that was to remain unchanged.” Not an easy premise for most of us, but one that will become vital to our survival.
“The Turning Point: Creating Resilience in a Time of Extremes,” by bestselling author Gregg Braden was an awakening for me - an awakening for what’s possible even faced with the devastations of climate change, failing economics, war, hunger, etc. He firmly believes that “reluctance to reflect new scientific discoveries in main stream media, classrooms, and textbooks keeps us stuck in the thinking that has led to the greatest crises of human history.” He goes on to say that “we already have solutions to big problems, such as food, energy, and a sustainable economy. Our problem is a crisis in thinking.”
Throughout the book, Braden both discusses the problems we face, how they’ve come about, and what the real solutions are through community resilience. He poses questions for each of us, individually and collectively, to consider. Much like Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point,” Braden’s “Turning Points” is thought-provoking and challenging. As he points out, “much of the world we’ve known was meant to be a bridge to a better way of life, rather than a final destination that was to remain unchanged.” Not an easy premise for most of us, but one that will become vital to our survival.
October 28, 2016
I enjoyed it, but it didn't really leave a deep impression on me. I think because I've already read so many books on similar topics. I think the author's thesis is overall upbeat even though it is in crisis and likely going to fail. He suggests that our current world is a byproduct of our outdated thinking (model of the world) and is the cause of the crisis that's already underway. To make matters worse he argues that a perfect storm is brewing that could bring about it's complete collapse. Despite all of this he isn't a prophet of doom and gloom, instead he explains how it is likely a just a stage in a larger transformation as our civilizations become more self-aware and eventually collapse under their own unsustainable weight ushering in a dramatic shift in collective thinking and new era.
This new 'era' will be a synthesis between the past and the present combined with balanced and equitable living. It all sounds quite hopeful and interesting, I just don't think it will play out peacefully. I think it will more likely happen after a catastrophic global collapse. But still something interesting to think about.
This new 'era' will be a synthesis between the past and the present combined with balanced and equitable living. It all sounds quite hopeful and interesting, I just don't think it will play out peacefully. I think it will more likely happen after a catastrophic global collapse. But still something interesting to think about.
October 19, 2014
I received this book from Giveaways. Before reading his book, I listened to his radio series on HayHouse radio. His basic premise is that the world has already changed, and those who are waiting for the “good old days” are waiting for something that no longer exists. One can view this news as depressing. However, Braden takes on many topics (including the environment, job creation, and the economy) and explains how if we are willing to embrace the new (including a more inclusive global perspective) that we can, indeed, create a better world. Highly recommended.
November 4, 2014
This was an interesting book, where the author explores tipping points in climate change and shows that while some of climate change can be attributed to humanity, much of it is also part of a natural cycle for this Earth. Nonetheless the author advocates for an awareness of our life choices and recognizing the turning points available to us. Its a good book, but I'd have liked some case studies and exercises in it. It is thought provoking and can give you some ideas on how to make some changes in your life.
May 19, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I obtained it through the First Reads giveaway from Goodreads. This book was quite an eye-opener. It was very informative and contained valuable information. I feel, however, that we as a society are not prepared for things to come. Maybe we feel that "it won't happen to us", or things could never get that bad. This book is a guide to preparing for these economic, energy, and climate changes.
March 24, 2014
I received this book for free and thought that it would be a way to find a positive way to view the world in such a time when positivity is hard to find. This book was not what i expected an unfortunately it was not my thing. I am sure the research and numbers are factual and stunning for some, but for me it seemed a little on the depressing side.
I will pass this book on to someone that I feel can benefit from it.
I will pass this book on to someone that I feel can benefit from it.
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January 8, 2014Can't wait to read!
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April 1, 2014I personally liked this book. Not many books can keep me entertained, but The Turning Point sure did. This book gave me hope for the future. Thanks Gregg Braden!
March 24, 2014
I liked this book very much. We are indeed living in a time of extremes. I worry about the future for my grandchildren. I felt more hopeful about the future after reading this book.
October 3, 2014
Brilliant book, everyone should read this!
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