(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, January 18, 2022)
Our current society cannot be considered civilized by any objective standard. We grow the fortunes of billionaires, even as we increase the numbers of homeless refugees and destroy Earth’s capacity to sustain life. This places us all at risk, rich and poor alike. The problem […]
Humans are a choice making species with a common future faced with an epic choice. We can continue to seek marginal adjustments in the culture and institutions of the Imperial Civilization of violence, domination, and exploitation that put us on a path to self-extinction. Or we can transition to an Ecological Civilization dedicated to restoring […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, October 5, 2021)
As the 20th anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center approached, I wasn’t paying much attention. But then I received an email from my longtime colleague John Cavanagh, former director of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. It was a private […]
(Commentary originally published by YES! Magazine, August 12, 2021)
Science tells us that we now have fewer than 10 years to reduce the human burden on Earth or trigger tipping points in Earth’s natural systems from which there is no return. Most discussion centers on the climate emergency, but we also have crises related to air, […]
by David Korten
May 25, 2021 (updated with minor revisions on November 3, 2021)
(This is the best version to read on mobile devices. Also available as a PDF for reading, downloading, printing, sharing, and republishing.)
This is a personal white paper directed to those who seek a future that works for all of Earth’s […]
Drawing on the work and insights of many colleagues and from ongoing conversations, this paper was written in an effort to connect the dots and engage a serious conversation about the causes of the existential crisis we face, while bringing a message of hope and possibility.
Click on the image below […]
This guide was prepared to accompany David Korten’s article, “Religion, Science, and Spirit: A Sacred Story for Our Time.”
Thank you for reading David’s “Sacred Story.” It is, at once, a very personal story and a global story, inviting deep reflection and conversation. Engaging in conversation is a powerful way […]
by Tim Fox, from McKenzie River Watershed, OR, in response to David Korten’s article, “Religion, Science, and Spirit: A Sacred Story for Our Time,” February 1, 2013.
Dear David,
First, thank you for all you do and for helping make YES! a reality. Positive visions can be hard to find, and as you point […]
by Roberto Vargas, December 14, 2012, in response to David Korten’s article, “Religion, Science and Spirit: A Sacred Story for Our Time.”
The night was cool and moonless, perfect for sitting around a backyard camp fire, wrapped in blankets and gazing into the skies. Wife, daughter, niece and I were sky watching for […]
(Originally published by YES! Magazine, January 18, 2013, posted here with permission.)
Twenty years ago, David Korten began wrestling with the question, had we become too individualistic and shortsighted to save our species? Here’s what he discovered about the power of foundational stories to keep us trapped in a suicidal economy—or awaken us […]