Review of Aquarius Now
by Marilyn Ferguson
Review by C.S. Clarke, Ph.D.
If you are a fan of thinking clearly, reasonably and with
highly-refined "common sense," you'll be thrilled with this book.
If you value thinking for yourself, personal responsibility and personal
freedom and believe in acting in accordance with all of the above, you
won't want to miss it.
Aquarius Now is a
wonderfully refreshing, easily readable
philosophy book that teaches you how to think about the critical
issues that affect your life, your society and your world and then take
action on those issues. Note that I
said "how" to think, not "what" to think. And the "how" involves
using good sense. Ferguson sets out to show you how -- using the
good sense you already have -- you can discover that most of your
limitations are illusory and that you, personally, have the ability to
structure positive, lasting changes in yourself and others. Those
changes can, in their turn make better your immediate work and social
environment, your nation and even the planet Earth. Change is
happening, whether you want it or not, says the author. Choose
the kind results you want and make sure the change goes in that
direction. If you think about it the right way, it's entirely in
your power. Assuming, of course, you take action based on that
good thinking. Ferguson makes sure you understand that while you
begin with good sense thinking, you continue with good sense
action. Thinking structures action, action structures change.
One of the best features of Aquarius Now is
the subtle framework through which Ferguson, chapter by chapter,
gradually models the thinking processes she is encouraging, allowing
you to experience the unfolding of that processes like a flower
opening. After an overview, Ferguson follows a pattern of
presenting basic issues, considerations to make about those issues, the
mind tools
to use to think about them and anecdotes of how a few good thinkers
reason about the issues. However, she doesn't enumerate
points, as might be done in, say, a business self help book.
Rather, she simply discusses her ideas in a logically-flowing manner,
an imaginary one-sided conversation with her reader. As in a
computer game with advancement between levels, Ferguson takes you in
each chapter to the next level of issues, considerations, thinking
tools and models of good thinkers, building on what you discovered in
the prior chapter. Then, at the final level, you discover you are
simply at the beginning of another path, one you will take on your own,
equipped with shiny new tools and maps. Ready to design your own
levels.
See an excerpt from Aquarius Now. Click Here.
| "Minds are like umbrellas, they function best when open." ...Walter Gropius |
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