Rebecca Costa

Five days ago we started an important new dialogue — one that just might save us.

We began by looking at all of the dangerous problems we face — a worldwide recession, climate change, pandemic viruses, terrorism, debt, and epidemic autism, breast cancer, and depression — as one problem rather than individual challenges. These problems have become too multilayered, too dynamic, too chaotic, and too complex for the capabilities the human brain has evolved to this point. In fact, every civilization eventually hits a cognitive threshold and gridlock is the first sign: it becomes unable, for multiple generations, to solve its most dangerous threats. The second is the substitution of beliefs for facts wherein public policy becomes driven by unproven myths and superstitions. In today's society, we show both signs.

That said, at no time in history has there been more reason for hope. Modern man has tools and technology that ancient civilizations did not, thus the opportunity to break the pattern of human ascension and decline has never been more within reach.

In addition to technology, we have proven and effective high failure rates models for situations where the right ...