44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The World at the Crossroads, January 22, 2007
This review is from: The Chaos Point: The World at the Crossroads (Paperback)
I very rarely review more than one book by the same author, but in this case it is absolutely justified.
In the 1960s the Club of Rome was one of the first organizations to declare that there were "limits to growth." Today that seems so obvious, but then the very idea stirred up a hornet's nest of opposition.
There are still plenty of people who are convinced that either there is no problem, or that we are going to innovate our way out of any potential difficulties.
Many other experts are now of the opinion that we have left everything too late, and that we are on an inevitable downward path toward oblivion.
In Ervin Laszlo's new book, he acknowledges the seriousness of our situation, but is one of the hardy band of pioneers who see the problems as a "decision window" where we face not only the danger of total global collapse, but also the opportunity for renewal of the world.
We all of us need to change the way in which we see the world and then to take action.
Or else we shall probably not be here that much longer.
This message is indeed very positive.
According to the author, we just need to wake up. And this book outlines a precise map for doing exactly that.
Highly recommended.
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36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chaos Point: Unique New Pathways for Transformative Thinking, August 12, 2006
This review is from: The Chaos Point: The World at the Crossroads (Paperback)
Ervin Laszlo is one of the most brilliant individuals of our times. In "The Chaos Point" he creates a tapestry based on his wealth of experiences in International Leadership and Transformative Thinking...the culmination of his co-evolutionary activities with The Club of Rome, and as Founder of the Club of Budapest. Within this book are contained the essences of Critical Strategies for Transformation within the context of Systems Science, and Chaos Theory. From this Chaos Theory Perspective, Laszlo highlights "Chaos Windows" as transition periods, and "Chaos Points" as Tipping Points - both critical opportunities during which decisive actions by Global Leaders can be disproportionally magnified to effect positive global transformation, which will result in co-evolutionary leaps in the Global Social Consciousness, and shift the balance of powers toward Global Peace and Biospsherical Sustainability. This is a brilliantly crafted book, and represents the cultimation of Laszlo's Life Works and the synthesis of over 20 books, and a wealth of experience in the field of Global Leadership and Social Transformation. Elliott Maynard, Ph.D., President, Arcos Cielos Research Center, Sedona, Arizona, USA, www.arcoscielos.com,
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37 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"A Book of Immense Importance", August 13, 2006
This review is from: The Chaos Point: The World at the Crossroads (Paperback)
Stop. Right now. Go no further. Although there may be several million other books in the Amazon system, I cannot imagine that there is a better one than Dr. Ervin Laszlo's, The Chaos Point.
When I picked up this book for the first time and glanced at the back of it, I got a feeling inside of me that I have experienced only a handful of times in my life. Indeed, before I had even finished reading the back cover, I instinctively knew that I was holding in my hands a book that would forever change the way I looked at our world.
What was written on the back cover that so moved me were the following words:
"We are at a critical juncture in history, a `decision-window' where we face the danger of global collapse - or the opportunity for global renewal. Written by Ervin Laszlo, the founder of systems philosophy and general evolution theory,The Chaos Point provides a concise overview of the present world situation, showing where we are and how we got here.
"According to Laszlo, for the next six to seven years - roughly until the end of 2012 - we have the opportunity to head off trends that would lead to a critical tipping point. Beyond this `chaos point,' we either evolve to a safer more sustainable world, or the social, economic, and ecological systems that frame our life become overstressed and break down.
"The 2012 chaos point need not be the end of the world, but it will certainly be the end of the kind of the world we have created. In today's decision window, we have a unique chance to break through to a new world. This pioneering book tells us what this new world can look like and how each of us can help to achieve it.
"The Chaos Point is a healing book. It not only identifies the malady every person and every society now suffers from, but offers a cure."
The Chaos Point is a call to action to all of us. It is a story of inspiration to every living human being upon the face of the planet. It doesn't matter what country you're from, what the color or your skin is, what your political leanings are, or whether your female or male . . . there is something for everyone inside the pages of this book.
So where do your interests lie? Financial and economic matters? The world of technology? Social concerns? Spirituality? Ecological issues? War and terrorism? Perhaps even matters of the paranormal? The Chaos Point includes coverage of all of these topics - and more.
While the breadth of knowledge contained in Dr. Laszlo's writing is breathtaking, what is even more impressive is the easy-to-understand manner in which he connects up seemingly differing aspects of our world and explains in common sense terms how literally everything in our existence here on Earth is interconnected. For instance, as a person who found science hazardous to my academic health during my school years, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book provides coverage of the topic in language that simply explains why certain basic scientific realities should be of concern to us all.
After reading The Chaos Point, you will come to realize how articles you see in the newspaper and once would have thought were totally unrelated subjects, are, in fact, inextricably intertwined issues and very much connected to one another. Yet, while this book presents an eloquent and well-documented summation of the extreme degree to which the central challenges of our time are all interrelated, its most persuasive feature is its focus on the capacity of human beings to make major changes when confronted with problems of immense scope and significance.
Dr. Laszlo passionately implores us all to recognize the seriousness of the situation we are in, for solving our problems requires us to first stop denying that they exist. Yes, he paints a hopeful picture of what could be for the human race, but he also honestly describes what most of already know, but are afraid and/or unwilling to admit:
Only if we develop a heightened awareness of the need to critically examine the underlying beliefs behind our many troubles can we expect to solve the ever-mounting dilemmas that presently threaten humanity.
The Chaos Point makes it unmistakably clear that the bottom line in all of this is that what happens in the next several critical years of humankind's tenure on Earth is up to each and every one of us. The essence of the book's message is that it's decision time for all who live on this beautiful planet. It all boils down to a matter of choice.
Ervin Laszlo fervently believes that we have the ability to make the choices necessary to move away from the self-centered, self-destructive path on which we have for so long traveled and avert the global catastrophes that await us all if we do not learn from our past mistakes. Indeed, The Chaos Point is ultimately an optimistic book that reflects the author's deep belief in his fellow human beings.
As a person who has long believed that people is what life is ultimately all about, I applaud Dr. Laszlo's commitment to his fellow human beings in the strongest possible terms. I would even go so far as to say that if you read this book, you will literally feel in your heart this sense of genuine, sincere commitment that I am talking about.
Although I could enumerate many additional reasons why I think that you should read The Chaos Point, perhaps the best way to sum up my take on it is to say that I cannot imagine a single reason why you should not. To be quite blunt, I would assert that this book should be made mandatory reading for all inhabitants of the planet. It is that important.
Let me conclude by suggesting that right now, right this very minute, as you are at your computer, you can begin answering Dr. Laszlo's call to action. How? By not only getting a copy of The Chaos Point for yourself, but also for the one person in the world that you care most about. That one individual whose life you hold the most dear. That human being whose presence on the planet means the most to you. But please, please don't wait to do it.
Act right now, for as Dr. Laszlo has so accurately pointed out, every day counts.
Rob Macomber, co-author of Ruth Montgomery Writes Again!
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