Volume 16.1: The Growth Dynamic (Ferrera) - PDF

THE GROWTH DYNAMIC
Stephanie J. Ferrera, MSW 
Growth is a dynamic biological process for all living organisms. Turning points in the human growth trajectory are described, with focus on the interplay between economic, cultural and emotional forces. The mode of securing resources to sustain life evolved from the early hunter-gatherer societies, to the agricultural transformation, to the industrial and technological revolutions. With each transition, the relationships of humans to the earth and to one another were radically changed. Climate change and a host of related dangers have arisen as humans have become dominant in the ecosystem. To change course will require substantial growth in maturity or differentiation of self.