Customer Reviews

Hurtling Toward Oblivion: A Logical Argument for the End of the Age

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"Brevity is the soul of wit." Hamlet, Act II, scene 2, 100.

"When a false theory has to be maintained, it requires to be set forth with much care; it requires study, and learning, and cunning sophistry to gild over a falsehood and give it the semblance of truth, and make it plausible and congenial to the feelings of the people; but the most simple and unlearned person can tell you the truth. A child can tell you the truth, in child-like language, while falsehood requires the lawyer and the priest to tell it to make it at all plausible; it requires a scholastic education to make falsehood pass for truth." Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p.330 - p.331.

This is an arresting book. In simple and plain language, Dr. Swensen makes the case that we are heading towards disaster. He proves his point in ten chapters and 139 pages, so this is not complex, overwhelming or mysterious. And, although the good doctor IS a Christian, there is no theological jargon or spiritual cant and mumble here. The only idea that is religious per ser is the falleness factor discussed in chapter Five. But you don't need to believe in the Bible to realize that things go wrong. You just need to believe in Murphy's Law and the Second Law of Thermodynamics-entropy.

So what is Dr. Swensen's point? His is a voice of warning that several factors or tends are working together to cause serious havoc on the world-system. These trends are:

1) PROFUSION: More and more of everything. And he means EVERYTHING!
2) IRREVERSABILITY: We cannot undo what we have done-you can't unscramble eggs.
3) EXPONENTIAL GROWTH: This more and more of everything is happening faster and faster, so we are getting more and more of the original "more and more." This is on an exponential J-curve.
4) FALLENESS FACTOR: Things go wrong, or can be misused.
5) With all of these factors working together, we not only have a profusion of good (i.e. More educated people, more TVs and CT-scan machines), but he also have an EXPONENTIAL PROFUSIONOF EVIL
6) At some point this EXPONTIAL PROFUSION OF EVIL can overwhelm the world.

Sobering. Quite sobering. But this is not a "date setting" book for doomsday, nor is it a pessimistic book. It is a voice of warning about the process that may lead to doomsday.

Dr. Swenson takes the stand that this process is irreversible. That is an interesting debate. As a human I have hope, and as a Christian I believe in repentance, but many voices disagree with me. Pat Buchanan in his book "The Death of the West," agrees with Dr. Swenson that these trends are irreversible, although Toffler in "The Third Wave" says, though the trends unstoppable, we can survive.

On the other hand, other men say that we can change this Armageddon process. C. S. Lewis speaks of a type of scientific repentance in "Abolition of Man." Robert Bork speculates in "Slouching towards Gomorrah" that a religious revival, more public discourse on morals, a cataclysmic war, or a sever depression may reverse trends. . Fukuyama in "End of History and the Last Man" says that expanding democracy can solve the problem. Dr. Peter Kreeft advocates Charity--AGAPE--the Pure Love of Christ should be our weapon against the culture.

FYI, Unabomber Ted Kazcinski in his manifesto advocated terrorism against the means of industry-basically wholesale luddite-ism. This, of course, violates the principle of irreversibility, and is basically the ostrich approach to the world's problems. Even Mr. Kazcinski admits that this solution would not be permanent-see "Unibomber Manifesto," paragraph 212.

Weather we can stop it or not, some action on our part may lesson any blow, be it inevitable or not. So take heed!

As with his other works, Dr. Swenson has challenged the reader to consider things both marvelous and weighty. The great distinction of this book is that it presents Biblical truth concerning the end of the age with little reference to the Bible, eschatology, or theology. He had me scrambling for my calculator at times (because I couldn't believe his "exponential assertions"), only to discover that he was right on target. This entire book is a quick read which would make great fodder for discussion in a secular classroom.

I think one of the most important aspects of what makes a good book is that it must be convincing to the reader. The reason why this book is-Uses real world facts, Common sense, Science, and what many believe, the Bible. Many God fearing persons would disagree as some only accept the Bible, I for one accept this book since I live in reality, the world around me that I have to accept. This is a well planned out write, not in the least inventive or weak, rather solid and supported. I am happy I bought it.

I want to recommend another Spiritual, Scientific book very much like this, which also predicted the terror come to us, general prophecy as well as Armageddon in high detail. SB 1 or God by Karl Mark Maddox

I first heard Dr. Swenson discuss this book about 4 months prior to 9/11/2001 on a Focus on the Family radio broadcast, but I only heard the first day of the two-day broadcast. I thought at the time that his reasoning was very compelling.

After the events of 9/11, this broadcast came to mind, and I contacted FOF for a tape copy of the broadcast. I heard the second day broadcast for the first time, and his discussion on terrorism, in which he talked specifically about bin Laden and the previous bombing of the WTC. I had to get the book.

I believe Dr. Swenson's analysis of trends inevitably lead to the conclusion in the title. That being said, what is amazing is that the book is not a depressing read...not, that is, if you know Who is ultimately in control of all of history. If you are not a Christian, I think you will find this a fascinating read. If you are a Christian, I think you will find this a fascinating and uplifting book with some very practical applications on how to live in the here and now.

In Hurtling Toward Oblivion, Richard Swenson presents undeniable trends apparent in the world and carefully, chapter by chapter, weaves them into a conclusion that is somber, yet hopeful. If you are someone who is content in this world and into enjoying the good life, Swenson's writing will disturb you and perhaps move you to reconsider what is truly "important" in life given that our time here is limited. If the world's shaky and volitle environment strikes fear in you, Swenson offers reassurance that this world is not eternal and we have hope that God will create a new earth where there is no more suffering, no more threats of nuclear war, and no more death.

In conclusion, I appreciated Swenson's effort to separate himself from the multitudes of authors who subscribe to "apocalyptic fever" and attempt to de-code the book of Revelation, set dates for the end, and the like. Swenson, in a scientific way (he is a medical doctor) states what is true and undeniable, not hype.

The other reviews listed here have pretty much covered this great book quite well, so I can only add that the graphs, which are simple, and seemingly accurate, show his points exceedingly well! They demonstrate exponentiality, and include: life expectancy, health care expenditures, Gross Domestic Product, Gross Federal Debt, Air Miles Traveled, Volume of Advertising, Third Class Junk Mail, Total Mail-Surface & E-mail, World Population, Explosive Power of Weapons, Data Transfer During War, One Soldier/Defensible Area, and more. Graphs such as these speak a thousand words! A very thought-provoking book!

This book is disturbing, sobering, and fascinating all at the same time. While some may choose not to believe "fundamentalist" religious views that say the world will soon come to an end, this book essentially says the same thing in a different, perhaps more rationalistic way. The author, Dr. Swenson, methodically presents his case, showing that mankind is on a path to almost certain self destruction. It's a fairly easy read; Swenson gives good, scientific explanations for his conclusions, but the book isnt weighted down with too much scientific jargon. The book is also hard hitting in a relatively compact size, lengthy enough to convincingly make the author's case on multiple fronts, but not too long that it becomes tedious. If you've ever felt that our world may be heading towards a catastrophic end, this book makes the case for you, giving rational, logical, and scientific reasons for anyone to be convinced that mankind has long been sowing the seeds of his own destruction. Well worth the price, and then some.

Dr.Swenson has put forth an interesting proposition. Man's greed,avarice, propensity towards violence,and moral decline, along with natural economic and progressive forces have assured that the rapid maelstrom of mankind's destruction will continue unabated. Profusion,irreversibility, exponentiality, and the fallenness of the human race are the critical factors being overlooked by most in the fields of long range global forecasting. All of these elements, according to Swenson, are things that we neither desire to change or are incapable of changing at this juncture of recorded history.The author is not a pessemist in the true sense of the word's definition, but a realist based on current trends he sees around the world.

Thankfully those, like Swenson, who put their faith and trust in the God of creation and His Son who paid the price for our salvation need not worry or fret. God is preparing for those who believe a place in His new heaven and new earth. The end may be near, but there is new beginning beyond this present life.

Dr. Swenson has done his homework and has captured the wide view that we may all see more clearly where we are in the span of time. This book dove-tails with the book titled: The Great Controversy.

I initially became familiar with Richard Swenson after reading his excellent book "Margin." Having heard him speak on the margin concept several times, I increasingly came to respect his gift for analyzing a problem and prescribing some potential solutions. It is this affinity for Swenson's work, rather than any sort of specific interest in end-times or apocalyptic propositions, that drew me to this particular book, and I was left sorely disappointed.

At just over 100 pages, Swenson doesn't have space to waste much time. He quickly dives into his thesis, that the world is speeding along toward its ultimate and permanent demise. He draws this conclusion based on such realities as the exponential growth of all things. As he deftly describes, our society is all about more stuff, more gadgets, more money, more activities, more pollution, more war, more technology, more people, and so on.

My frustration with the book is that he seems to take a huge leap from his data to his conclusion. It is indisputable that our world is experiencing explosive growth in many, if not all, major categories. While never explaining how this perception will inevitably lead to the destruction of the world, he speaks as if the connection is obvious and indisputable. He suggests that the slowing and eventual ceasing of these explosive growth trends is utterly impossible, yet he specifically cites one reputable author who made that exact claim and provided evidence of several such slow-downs. I was never convinced and Swenson didn't bother to provide evidence that exponential growth must continue indefinitely until destruction ensues.

One other minor complaint is strictly mathematical. Swenson takes pains to explain that he has a degree in physics and is a person who studies the data from an analytical, scientific perspective. Unfortunately, he includes many charts throughout the book that purport to demonstrate exponentiality, yet they show straights lines. Obviously, these lines demonstrate linear growth, with a constant slope. That is not exponential!! It seems sloppy to fail to actually use exponential curves and seems to discredit the author's indisputable mathematical prowess.

Ultimately, I found this book to be repetitive and unconvincing. Swenson has some important insight to provide, and there is value in much of what he says. Unfortunately, he overextends his conclusions without providing sufficient validity to his rather alarmist claims. I agree that much of the modern human experience is unhealthy and unsustainable, but I remain unconvinced that the world is coming to an end.