Waking up as a process and perspective and being bothered as a sign of an unawakened self. If we are bothered, can we consciously choose to act as if we matter?
Bothering to Wake Up
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Quantum Social Change/Karen O’Brien
Karen O’Brien’s Substack blog dedicated to quantum paradigm for social change and reflections on the relationship between individual change, collective change, and systems change.
Let’s Wobble!
Embracing the wobble and staying with the both/and space between opposing perspectives.
An Axial Revolution
An axial revolution challenges unquestioned beliefs, assumptions, and paradigms to address challenges posed by global environmental change.
I need a miracle, every day
We may not see the impacts of our work right away, but we can trust that we are part of a larger whole—and that transformation is underway
Shifting Patterns
What pattern could you shift to contribute to quantum social change, and to help create a world where we greet the news each day not with “sh#*!” but with love?
The World We Prefer
Preferment has been on my mind lately. It’s my alternative to retirement; a recognition that now is the time to do things differently, and to consciously create a world where we all can thrive.
Unity through Community
The climate negotiations in Brazil were a missed opportunity for nations to express unity through clear and ambitious climate action. Moving forward, we need to build communities that care for all.
The Karma Effect
Understanding cause and effect is at the heart of responsible climate action. Karma isn’t fate but feedback, and a reminder that we matter more than we think.
Soul Searching
“Send” I hit the button this week and sent a letter to make it official that I will retire from the University of Oslo on January 1, 2026. In that moment, a wave of possibility collapsed into a particular reality.
The Astronomical Fall
Karen O’Brien reflects on Bill McKibben’s new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization—”we have to deliberately transform ourselves and our societies. Quickly.”
Another Reality Check
Are we underestimating or overestimating our collective capacity for social change? Our expectations shape how we see the world, and sometimes we need a reality check to shift perspective.
Let’s be Abnormal
Karen O’Brien: When chaos, confusion, and cruelty become hypernormal, it’s time to challenge normality. Let’s be abnormal and embrace our quantum nature—relational, paradoxical, and entangled to the core.