Introducing Unconventional Wisdom.- Why 'Stuff Happens.-Why Hits Happen (short timescale events).-Why Wars, Elections, and Economic Crises Happen(medium timescale events).- Why Great Powers Come and Go (long timescale events).- How to Forecast Coming Events.-
John L. Casti is a Senior Research Scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Laxenburg, Austria, where he works on the development of early-warning methods for extreme events in human society. He is also the co-founder of The Kenos Circle, a Vienna-based society for exploration of the future, and author of the previous bestselling volumes, Paradigms Lost, Would-Be Worlds and The Cambridge Quintet. He lives in Vienna.
From the reviews:"They [the chapters] tell an engrossing story, and
the mystery heightens as it goes. . . . it's chatty and knowing."
Greg Benford, Physicist and science-fiction writer, author of
"Timescape" and "Deep Time"
"I am struck by how thought-provoking it all is. I am sure that
your book will draw a lot of attention" Tor Norretranders, Science
writer, author of "The Generous Man" and "The User Illusion".“This
is John Casti’s bold hypothesis in Mood Matters, which challenges
both traditional financial theory and human gut reaction about how
the world works. … The wealth of facts he presents should serve as
valuable fuel for future scientific researchers arguing both for
and against socionomics. In these times of financial turmoil, many
people will pick up Mood Matters with the hope of predicting
financial markets. … The book emphasizes the importance of
sociometers in signaling that fate.” (Richard Taylor, Science, Vol.
329, September, 2010)“Readable, exhaustively researched, and
completely iconoclastic, this book was a pleasure for me on many
levels. I am always eager to hear about new ways to view this old
world, and Casti has a very new way to view world events. His
thesis is that the mood of the people isn’t MADE by events, but …
MAKES events. … The exhaustive research I mentioned is all
documented in his appendices.” (Richard Derus, LibraryThings,
October, 2010)“In Mood Matters (2010) John Casti says a lot of
things … about how ones attitude (mood) shapes events, and how we
cycle back and forth between pessimism and optimism (mood). … a
thought provoking book.” (LibraryThing, August, 2010)“Mood Matters
is great fun to read as Casti’s writing throughout is smooth,
intelligent and humorous. … Casti explores the correlation between
the ‘mood of the crowd’ and a range of other trends … and events,
including the fall of nations and the outbreak of war. It is a
hugely interesting and wide-ranging study. … For those involved in
assessing trends and in predicting future events, whether social,
political or economic, this book … change the whole way they ply
their trade.” (Goodreads, August, 2010)“John Casti … offers a truly
unique and different perspective of why things happen – in our
lives, in our world, and in our political systems. … I find John’s
views of external events to be fresh and interesting … . he gives a
very interesting view of how social influences indirectly – yet
directly – impact the economic well-being of our society … . John
has done a really nice job … . Mood Matters is a very well-written
book, very detailed, and very thorough.” (Abraham Aizenman,
TodayNewsline, February, 2011)
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