Reflections on Evolutionary Activism

Reflections on Evolutionary Activism contains more than two dozen recent essays and poems by life-long activist Tom Atlee, founder of the Co-Intelligence Institute, to introduce this unique approach to evolutionary activism.Evolutionary activism goes quite beyond Darwin. Atlee says evolutionary activism is social change work inspired by the 13.7 billion year Great Story of evolution -- a story of unceasing creativity from the Big Bang till now. Evolutionary activists know we are all part of that Story and we are all related because of it. Not only did we all arise from the same early microbes and ape-like ancestors, but we are all made of the atomic dust of first-generation stars and supernovas. Evolutionary activists know the creative power of the universe is in every one of us and in our (potentially) wise interactions. They also know our social change work can find innovative guidance from the wise dynamics of evolution, knowledge readily available from the ongoing discoveries of evolutionary science. Activism is part of evolution unfolding today. Evolutionary activists use evolutionary understandings to transform social systems, cultures, and technologies so humanity can use its emerging crises to learn how to maintain a wholesome "fit" with our changing environment. A 2005 spiritual experience showed Atlee humanity as evolution becoming conscious of itself. "Conscious evolution," however, is more than a peak experience. It is a deep responsibility and mission, one that humbles and inspires evolutionaries as striving to play the evolutionary role they are called to, and to which they call all of us. In these essays and poems, Atlee proposes a cosmos-inspired "conscious evolution" movement to create a civilization not only sustainable and just, but wisely self-evolving. He vividly explores that movement's worldview, strategies and tactics, noting that it, too, will evolve. His book invites us all as authors of the Great Story of evolution.