Thinking in Systems

Clear and illustrative use of language shines through this (and is immediately recognizable from Limits to Growth). Really outstanding short introduction to systems thinking, why systems surprise us, and why systems thinking is also no silver bullet for control of the complex systems that make up our world. The best (and final) chapters of this book are available online www.donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/ and www.donellameadows.org/dancing-with-systems/

Gives a new way of looking at things

This book is used in a few different classes at mpow, and I’m glad it is. I’m giving a talk on Monday about how leaders are catalysts for change, and I am going to be meditating on a few of the ideas presented here - in particular, the need to break out of our positionality & perspective to change things in a non-destructive manner. It’s very prescient of the time we’re in now, and sad to think about how its warnings have been unheeded by engineers & technologists at a point where we’re more reliant on & worshipping of shitty models than ever.