The new possible Visions of our world beyond crisis

This highly readable book explores how COVID-19 has indelibly changed the world, offering contributions that consider new possibilities for the future, addressing the climate crisis, white supremacy, poverty, education, politics, art, work, spiritual and religious traditions, and economics. One approach suggests using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) as a method of bridging the divide between individuals and groups who take up opposing positions. VTS does not demand resolution but allows one to appreciate other viewpoints and commonalities. Notably, the global pandemic has forced commonality on everyone, revealing the violence of communities today in obvious (e.g., the murder of George Floyd) and subtle ways. For example, the attention economy engendered by tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter has robbed users of choice by targeting individuals based on their clicks and keeping them confined to echo chambers--this is epistemic violence against the human need for meaning-making. One author calls for leaving space open for multiple worlds to speak multiple truths. Others call for building an economy of well-being and a civilization of love, grounded in shared experiences. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels. --Patricia A. Murphy, emerita, University of Toledo