I have really enjoyed and used The Fourth Turning: An American Prophesy by William Strauss and Howe. I have many notes in the book and even loose papers that I have added over time. I was looking forward to reading the update in The Fourth Turing is Here. I am sadly disappointed. Much of the book is rehashing the old material with more of the author's opinion compared to the first book. I can’t say more than his opinion because he does not source everything in a way to verify his words. For example, on p. 239, he states, “Overall, America’s blue zone is wealthier, healthier, more educated, more professional, more mobile, more economically unequal, and more ethnically diverse. America’s red zone is more churchingoing, more neighborly, more charitable, more family oriented, more rooted, more violent, less bureaucratic, and less taxed”.
He sourced: America’s blue zones are wealthier and healthier, more economically unequal, [Red zones are] more neighborly, more charitable, more entertaining, more affordable. I am curious about his sources for the other claims.
The book also goes on and on trying to prove his cycles theory, but it focuses on the events that prove his point, and history is way more complicated. His repetitious rabbit trails are exhausting, so it is easy to skim without thinking. For this reason, I prefer The Fourth Turning: An American Prophesy. It has fewer history lessons, so I can go out on my own and learn the history instead of depending on the author’s point of view.
There are several parts of this book that are updated or newer. 1. There is a section on what the rising generation, named the Homelanders, may look like. This section was interesting. Reading this section, I think, will help you decide if you need to adjust what you are doing as a family and may change how you mentor youth who were born 2006 and after. 2. The crisis predictions have adjusted based on the current situations we are in. These seem very plausible, which has led me to read a couple of other books: Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win by Peter Schweizer and When China Attacks: A Warning to America by Grant Newsham. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by the information in Red-Handed. I am still working on When China Attacks. So I guess it was worth the cost of the book if it motivated me to learn more about the world events.
He sourced: America’s blue zones are wealthier and healthier, more economically unequal, [Red zones are] more neighborly, more charitable, more entertaining, more affordable. I am curious about his sources for the other claims.
The book also goes on and on trying to prove his cycles theory, but it focuses on the events that prove his point, and history is way more complicated. His repetitious rabbit trails are exhausting, so it is easy to skim without thinking. For this reason, I prefer The Fourth Turning: An American Prophesy. It has fewer history lessons, so I can go out on my own and learn the history instead of depending on the author’s point of view.
There are several parts of this book that are updated or newer. 1. There is a section on what the rising generation, named the Homelanders, may look like. This section was interesting. Reading this section, I think, will help you decide if you need to adjust what you are doing as a family and may change how you mentor youth who were born 2006 and after. 2. The crisis predictions have adjusted based on the current situations we are in. These seem very plausible, which has led me to read a couple of other books: Red-Handed: How American Elites Get Rich Helping China Win by Peter Schweizer and When China Attacks: A Warning to America by Grant Newsham. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by the information in Red-Handed. I am still working on When China Attacks. So I guess it was worth the cost of the book if it motivated me to learn more about the world events.
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