Surviving the Future:
A Path Through Tumultuous Times
Affordable and available to take whenever you’re ready, this flexible, interactive, online course demystifies the interlocking ecological, economic, and social crises of our often frightening and confusing times.
And offers a tantalizing cultural vision of how we might respond — reclaiming much that we miss — in the context of the diverse realities we each face today.
(sliding-scale pricing options from $50-$150;
lower-price scholarships also available at above link)
“Forward movement is not helpful if what is needed is a change of direction.”
— David Fleming
These are trying times for humanity: it is hard to avoid awareness that things are already bad and rapidly getting worse. And yet, this time is our lifetime — the only time we have to make sense of things and carve the stories of our lives. Perhaps we have a hazy understanding of what’s gone wrong, of why so many lives feel hollow, so many futures seem hopeless. Perhaps we recognize that economic systems and social structures are collapsing around us, under the weight of their own deep flaws. But we’re less sure of how we might prepare ourselves to weather this period of great transition, or how we might change direction to collectively survive -- and even thrive -- in the future.
A Path Through Tumultuous Times is a self-paced online offering grounded in the insights of the late David Fleming, who presciently understood that the market economy was doomed, but didn’t get mired in mourning. Nor did he give the usual advice to focus on personal lifestyle change or political campaigning, both of which can get dispiriting pretty quickly. Instead, Fleming looked to history to understand how cultures thrived before our economics-obsessed moment, and how they maintained lives with time for conversation, culture, and joy. And in so doing, he helped to birth a global movement.
Created and facilitated by author and activist Shaun Chamberlin — who shepherded the posthumous publication of Fleming’s life’s work Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future — this educational offering includes free access to the popular paperback/audiobook Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy. That’s supplemented by a range of evolving and carefully-curated resources, including pre-recorded video conversations with guests Nate Hagens, Helena Norberg-Hodge, Kate Raworth, Mark Boyle, Rob Hopkins, Isabelle Frémeaux, David Abram, Kali Akuno and Vandana Shiva.
Whether you’re completely new to exploring these issues or have been engaging with them for decades while gradually watching things worsen, A Path Through Tumultuous Times offers just that. With a menu of 70+ hours of content to select from and engage with as and when suits you — including readings (as audio or text), videos and guest webinars, optional synchronous live sessions, film clips, and facilitated forum conversations with both Shaun and others — this unique course is designed to suit diverse learning styles and lifestyles.
It can be worked through by yourself on your own schedule or treated as a gateway to our active and warm online community; either way it offers a deep explanation of what is unfolding on our planet, new perspectives on how we might respond, and connection with an accessible and richly fortifying global network of people navigating these times of profound change, together.
Testimonials
“It was one of the most important experiences I've had the privilege of participating in ever. I found that what I learned was relevant to understanding the obstacles and options towards shaping a viable future and useful to share with the growing number of people realizing our predicament.”
“In preparing the content and engaging with our forum discussions and questions, it was soon apparent to me how much work and love Shaun puts into this program.
I would enthusiastically recommend it to anyone wishing to engage with the challenges and opportunities our civilization will be faced with in the coming times.”
“I have received a solid grounding in the visionary work of David Fleming along with inspiration and insight from numerous and diverse guest speakers as well as all the wonderful quotes and songs included in the eight modules.
Above all — a wonderfully unexpected surprise — I have become part of a community. A group of like-minded souls where I feel safe enough to be vulnerable amid catastrophe. I have tried to give back to this community and will continue to do so.”
“The online format of the course was excellent! It flowed very smoothly and was user friendly.”
“Learning online isn’t as scary or difficult as I thought it might have been.”
“This course was so much more than I expected it to be. Such an inspiration!"
“Months after finishing the course, I am thinking and talking about it weekly.”
“There is a path forward, and there is hope.”
“Thank you for this course. When I started it 18 months ago, I felt desperate and lost. Especially during the first months, it helped me a lot to get better, allowing me to grieve and to find my way to move forward.“
“This course has vastly improved my understanding of the world we currently live in and our predicament. It has also given me inspiration for my future life and lots of further resources to engage with to keep me on this new path.”
“When I started, I expected to find a path forward, which I did.
Unexpected was the scale of and commitment I feel towards this vision, reflecting how empowering this course can be.”
“I have learned a lot of uncomfortable truths through this course, but rather than plunging into a state of depression and futility, it has inspired me and I feel I am ready for action. I feel more alive.
Perhaps being made aware that we are on the brink of a massive change has made me reevaluate my life and the things that are important to me. Let's do this!!”
“This was my first experience of online learning, and I didn't leave with a single disappointment. The course curates an extraordinary line-up of thinkers, writers and do-ers, interweaving them all into a compelling journey of deep thought and bonanza of possibility.
What a privilege! I am inspired, and in awe, and eternally grateful to all that contributed. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this course.”
“David Fleming's works on their own are well worth studying, but this course adds so much more to the experience. The core reading assignments from Fleming's works are well-structured, with options for different learning styles.
The guest speakers build on ideas or themes in the text of Surviving the Future and add dimension and context while providing additional food for thought to the really pleasurable discussions in the forums.”
“It changed the way I think, broke through some of my fixed perspectives, brought comfort.”
“Before taking A Path Through Tumultuous Times, I had been making small, incremental changes to my lifestyle like using less plastic and buying locally produced, organic food...
I had been increasingly upset by a sense of cognitive dissonance, but now see a way to live in alignment with my values and greater integrity.
More than a path, the course has given me a purpose for the future.”
“I will, without doubt, remember that this course was the catalyst for my epiphany: suddenly it came to me, this is why I'm on the Earth…
My life up-ended, my habits amended, my knowledge extended, my abilities enlisted, my instincts respected, my passion rekindled, my courage emboldened, my ambition ignited. Watch out world!”
“You are doing a fantastic job at holding space for people in transitioning and the process of learning, letting go and move beyond. This work is dearly needed and will be more so in the near future.”
“If I could dance on a tabletop to prove my appreciation for the course, I would do it… (and I can’t dance a lick!)”
— Surviving the Future course participant
Meet Shaun Chamberlin.
Shaun was involved with the Transition Towns network from its inception, co-founding Transition Town Kingston and authoring the movement’s second book, The Transition Timeline, in 2009.
In exploring the cultural narratives charting society’s course, he has since been one of Extinction Rebellion’s first arrestees, chair of the Ecological Land Co-operative, a director of the campaigning organisation Global Justice Now and (for his sins) an advisor to the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change.
He has written and edited diverse publications, including conceiving and creating the book Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival, and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy from the work of his late mentor David Fleming, and spoken at venues from Occupy camps to Parliaments.
He was also executive producer of the 2020 film The Sequel: What Will Follow Our Troubled Civilisation? , and puts the theory into practice as part of the community around legendary free pub ‘The Happy Pig‘.