I think we're at the part where the "grey champion" emerges from obscurity (Trump perhaps?) to lead us out of this Fourth Turning and into the next cycle. You cite a fascinating book, and a fascinating theory of human history, and I think the book is right.
I notice on TS that Trump is now, almost daily, posting about getting us out of this stupid war (Ukraine v. Russia). Maybe we are at, or approaching, the precipice that Q talked about, and Trump will emerge as the leader to get us out of that mess.
It is such a good book but very scholarly and slow to read. I thought the book said that Gen X would rise up and keep the society together perfect unsung heroes. Middle managers who are practical and mostly unnoticed bc we are overshadowed by the giant baby boomer hoard.
Yes it was a slog to read, but very comprehensive in its overview of history. I do recall distinctly their discussion of the "grey champion" in each 4th Turning, the last one being the Great Depression and WWII... it was FDR who led America out of that era -- Churchill in Britain -- and into the era of prosperity and post-war, post-depression vigor.
Sadly, I'm also reminded of the saying, "Hard times create hard men, Hard men create good times, Good times create soft men, and Soft men create hard times." You might say that process is a good summary of "The Fourth Turning" in a nutshell.
Maybe it takes a physical war to get us into the next phase although I pray that it doesn’t. I’m still very new to learning about these subjects but didn’t the previous phases all involve physical conflicts? Civil War, WW2, etc and then a rebuilding phase?
In the first paragraph of the article (link above) there is a link to the book, The Fourth Turning. Click on that link and it takes you to an Amazon page with choices of Fourth Turning in Kindle, Audible, and Paperback. I clicked on the Kindle link, and it took me to a completely different book with the same title.
This 'grey champion' is exemplified in historic literature.
Included are the 'outsiders' of religion. John the Baptist, Elisha/Elijah, Jesus to name a few in the Judaic-Christian tradition.
Same is true within Buddhist tradition of the monk in the forest who gives the ceremonial bowl to the next 'head' of the school. He himself the judge, then goes back to the 'neutrality of the forest (grey).
Reflected also in the military tradition of the farmer who takes up his axe and martials forces to defend the homeland and then return to the farm as again 'neutral'.
Where is the actual 'middle' in all these 50 shades of grey?
Each book of the Old Testament is a 'turning' of the cycle and becomes the actual lesson of the middle arm of the cross.
This is so interesting...Could you give me a link to part one...I have not been diligent on keeping up with some things, but this really sounds like something I want to read and I would like to start with part one...thank you so much for posting this...
I think we're at the part where the "grey champion" emerges from obscurity (Trump perhaps?) to lead us out of this Fourth Turning and into the next cycle. You cite a fascinating book, and a fascinating theory of human history, and I think the book is right.
I notice on TS that Trump is now, almost daily, posting about getting us out of this stupid war (Ukraine v. Russia). Maybe we are at, or approaching, the precipice that Q talked about, and Trump will emerge as the leader to get us out of that mess.
It is such a good book but very scholarly and slow to read. I thought the book said that Gen X would rise up and keep the society together perfect unsung heroes. Middle managers who are practical and mostly unnoticed bc we are overshadowed by the giant baby boomer hoard.
Yes it was a slog to read, but very comprehensive in its overview of history. I do recall distinctly their discussion of the "grey champion" in each 4th Turning, the last one being the Great Depression and WWII... it was FDR who led America out of that era -- Churchill in Britain -- and into the era of prosperity and post-war, post-depression vigor.
Sadly, I'm also reminded of the saying, "Hard times create hard men, Hard men create good times, Good times create soft men, and Soft men create hard times." You might say that process is a good summary of "The Fourth Turning" in a nutshell.
Maybe it takes a physical war to get us into the next phase although I pray that it doesn’t. I’m still very new to learning about these subjects but didn’t the previous phases all involve physical conflicts? Civil War, WW2, etc and then a rebuilding phase?
In the first paragraph of the article (link above) there is a link to the book, The Fourth Turning. Click on that link and it takes you to an Amazon page with choices of Fourth Turning in Kindle, Audible, and Paperback. I clicked on the Kindle link, and it took me to a completely different book with the same title.
This 'grey champion' is exemplified in historic literature. Included are the 'outsiders' of religion. John the Baptist, Elisha/Elijah, Jesus to name a few in the Judaic-Christian tradition.
Same is true within Buddhist tradition of the monk in the forest who gives the ceremonial bowl to the next 'head' of the school. He himself the judge, then goes back to the 'neutrality of the forest (grey).
Reflected also in the military tradition of the farmer who takes up his axe and martials forces to defend the homeland and then return to the farm as again 'neutral'.
Where is the actual 'middle' in all these 50 shades of grey?
Each book of the Old Testament is a 'turning' of the cycle and becomes the actual lesson of the middle arm of the cross.
This is so interesting...Could you give me a link to part one...I have not been diligent on keeping up with some things, but this really sounds like something I want to read and I would like to start with part one...thank you so much for posting this...
The link is at the very beginning of the second article.
Thanks!