The fabric of civilization is being rewoven around us. The very nature of life, work and society is changing so profoundly that we are approaching a moment at which our old ways of thinking about the structures that sustain us may be seen as obsolete.
.This happens periodically throughout history — think of the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. Such eras often produce turmoil or upheaval, until leaders emerge who are able to help shape a new order for a new age.
Such trends mean that huge populations are connecting to one another and to communities worldwide. We are already seeing the implications in countless ways — from January’s flash-mob political protests in Brazilian malls, to the crowds that have amassed in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, to the success extremist groups have had in attracting recruits in Syria.
