The Watchman's Rattle: Thinking Our Way Out of Extinction »

With a proven track record of introducing new concepts and technologies, Rebecca Costa is a former CEO and founder of Silicon Valley start-up, Dazai Advertising, Inc. (sold to J. Walter Thompson in 1997), whose clients have included Apple Computer, Applied Materials, Oracle Corporation, 3M, Amdahl, United TeleCom, and General Electric Corporation. She attributes her natural ability to spot global patterns to a cross-cultural education and upbringing. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a BA in Social Sciences, and earned an MBA from Santa Clara University. She lives on the central coast of California.

In the tradition of Malcolm Gladwell and Thomas Friedman, Rebecca Costa reveals the four telltale patterns that emerge when escalating complexity paralyzes a society.

Library Journal

Sociobiologist and futurist Costa presents innovative messages about dealing with the many issues facing modern civilization. She identifies major belief systems that are impeding problem solving, calling them irrational opposition, personification of blame, counterfeit correlation, silo thinking, and extreme economics. Only a few great initiatives, like the microlending Grameen Bank, seem to overcome the five "supermemes." The author has studied the patterns of collapse of several historic empires. Her good news is that we do know enough to save ourselves from a global downfall. We have to tap the best independent knowledge and research to guide policy. Costa believes we must try all possible solutions at once on urgent crises, such as ocean overfishing. Also, neuroscience-based training can help our brains cope with unprecedented complexity. VERDICT The rafts of italics for emphasis can't reduce the value of this engaging book as a warning and a resource. It will give concerned readers new hope in human capability.—David R. Conn, Surrey P.L., B.C.