The Age of the Unthinkable

The Age of the Unthinkable
by Joshua Cooper Ramo

This book is deep. It talks about disorder in the world and why we constantly "get it wrong" when we attempt to change the state of our world.

Ramo sets the stage by citing several examples of world politics, wars, and even our most recent economic crisis. We should have seen these coming, but we didn't. Even in our deeply wired and connected environment, our leaders still make decisions based on the way things used to be, and not the way they are now. And even more important, not the way they will be!

After convincing us of the need for change, Ramo suggests three things necessary for Deep Security:

1. Using pattern analysis and evaluating seemingly unrelated events, look for precursers. This is chaos theory in new clothes. Ramo gives us several examples of how individuals and organizations succeeded by noticing things. Like the fact that accelerometers from car air bags could be used for the WII entertainment system. This is often refered to as convergence or mashups.
2. Be resilient. We cannot change the world to our liking. It didn't work in Vietnam and Iraq and it will not work in business either. We must accept the fact that "stuff happens" in sometimes chaotic and unrelated ways. We must have the ability to respond to the little things, like tunnels under the Egyptian border with Gaza.
3. Act surgically. When we attempt to pound our way to success, we usually fail. Small changes, strategically placed, are the way to head off disaster. [I wonder if this might work for climate change?]

Ramo finishes by suggesting that the old world of command and control cannot work in today's world. People and communities must be empowered. He embraces many of the same values Jeff Jarvis highlights in What Would Google Do? As I read the last chapter, I though of the Triple Bottom Line: Profits, Planet, and People. This fits right in with the world movement toward Social Responsibility.

I plan to return the book to my library, but I may have to purchase my own copy. I need to read the book again for greater understanding.