To thrive in a complex world, one must adopt a non-linear approach that considers seemingly unrelated, yet interconnected, elements.
For example, a small change may cause large effects, such as one slow-moving car creating a traffic jam. In a complex world, not every phenomenon can be explained through a linear, cause-and-effect approach. In other words, a person can’t be understood simply by parts of their bodies, but as a cohesive whole. In the book Getting to Maybe: How the World is Changed, the authors similarly elaborate on how complexity arises from the interdependence of various parts and how they interact. In an article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review, Ella Saltmarshe, whose work lies at the intersection of culture and systems change, writes: “The work of systems change involves seeing systemically - looking at the elements, interconnections, and wider purposes of systems - and acting systemically.” She then affirms how collective stories play a vital role in illustrating both seeing and acting when it comes to the complex systems in which we live. Complexity science allows people to understand the relationships among ever-changing interconnected elements through what is called systems change.
Society continually sees the difficulty of solving complex problems, whether it is an end to global conflicts, pandemics or climate change. Ultimately, systemic stories help people comprehend complex issues and create accessible frameworks to make decisions and act. According to researchers Elise Talgorn and Monique Hendricks, systemic stories offer “parallel storylines that intersect to represent an interpretation of a system.”Īs professors focused on environmental education, we use storytelling as a tool to communicate the complexity of the climate emergency in university courses and international workshops. One tool that can help consumers navigate this complexity is an approach called systemic storytelling. Making the decision to buy an EV shows how climate change and its solutions are complex systems. There are many interconnected factors to consider, including the cost, what model to choose, whether there’s adequate charging infrastructure, if the timing is right and what its environmental impact might be. Despite learning that climate change is hitting the planet faster than scientists predicted, society has been slow to decrease the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.įor a consumer, for instance, making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV) is a difficult decision.
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