I opened this series by exploring why the world feels unsettled in ways that don’t fit the usual explanations. I introduced the idea of systemic change: moments when multiple parts of civilization become active at the same time, pushing and amplifying one another. I described today as a phase of compression, where pressures build across domains faster than old structures can absorb them. This post will bring that idea down to everyday experience. What do phase transitions feel like in normal life?
This post marks the beginning of a new series on systemic change — an exploration of how civilizations transform at the deepest level. Over the coming weeks, we’ll trace the rhythm of history, examine the forces that drive reordering, and explore why this moment may be the first time in history when every domain of human life is active at once. Each post will build on the last, revealing how science, technology, society, geopolitics, economics, philosophy, and the environment are converging toward a new operating logic for civilization.
Another recent article explores the factors that drove civilization success. The article – along with a number of recent books – looks for historical signals that aid in our understanding of the future. In this case, the focus is geography, which the article positions as the reason both individuals and civilizations are the way they are today. If history informs our views of possible futures, then according to the article, geography has influenced history more than any other factor. The author uses Japan as an example.
Reimagining the Future 