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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I've tried reading this book multiple times and I finally got through it! The first two chapters are a bit harder to get through only because it talks about systems principles, but the third chapter was such a pleasant surprise! As promised in the Introduction, the third chapter talks about how embracing systems thinking can really alter one's worldview and I just found it really insightful. It was kind of like academic booked turned self-help. Really enjoyed how interdisciplinary the examples were too, highly recommend for anyone with an interest in understanding the big picture of complex problems
informative
slow-paced
I can’t describe how important this book is nor how sorry I am that it is over.
I have read it in pieces for nearly a year. It starts small—from the flow of a bathtub to those of the government and economy. Like a good video game, systems are easy to learn but hard to master.
The writing is pragmatic and clear, sometimes peppered with wry wit or a wink in the direction of phenomena we perhaps all acknowledge have gone horribly awry.
Still, what has struck me most about this book are the reflections on our own interconnectedness. All systems eventually meet; fixing one means diving into many disciplines, hearing many conflicting ideas, and seeing past them to capture the facts about how the system itself actually functions. Math and technology alone cannot resolve or explain a systems problem; our resources, and we ourselves, are diverse, holistic and resist useful prediction.
What surprises me most about this book is that it has not just made me a better thinker. It has made me a better person.
I have read it in pieces for nearly a year. It starts small—from the flow of a bathtub to those of the government and economy. Like a good video game, systems are easy to learn but hard to master.
The writing is pragmatic and clear, sometimes peppered with wry wit or a wink in the direction of phenomena we perhaps all acknowledge have gone horribly awry.
Still, what has struck me most about this book are the reflections on our own interconnectedness. All systems eventually meet; fixing one means diving into many disciplines, hearing many conflicting ideas, and seeing past them to capture the facts about how the system itself actually functions. Math and technology alone cannot resolve or explain a systems problem; our resources, and we ourselves, are diverse, holistic and resist useful prediction.
What surprises me most about this book is that it has not just made me a better thinker. It has made me a better person.
informative
As a total systems thinking n00b, I really liked this introductory text. It's one of those very satisfying books that takes little nuggets of common sense that you already know, and puts them together in new ways that make you start thinking about things differently. The progression through the topics feels logical, the illustrations are helpful, and the writing style is very smooth. I also appreciated the focus on sustainability; my reading of this text overlapped with that of [b:The Overstory|40180098|The Overstory|Richard Powers|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1555688602s/40180098.jpg|57662223], which I think added to my appreciation of both books!
I do wonder how many people arrive at this book’s door before having already discovered control theory, queuing theory, and emergent patterns, who might otherwise have gained more from reading this.
Review at https://stuff.graves.cl/posts/2024-03-10_22_04-book-review-thinking-in-systems
Never before have I read a book that simultaneously made me feel like I was a) uncovering secrets of the universe and b) being told that the sky is blue. That’s the brilliance of this book, and the beauty of systems thinking that Meadows points out in her opening chapter. Systems thinking just helps us UNDERSTAND the why behind what a lot of us intuitively know: e.g., “the rich get richer.” Recommend for anyone and everyone regardless of discipline.
A very good intro to systems thinking even with the 1990’s flashback.