The Aquarian Conspiracy

  Originally published in 1980, this tome is a celebration of new ways of thinking about vocation, spirituality, and society in general. It is similar to Roszak's "Making of a Counter- Culture" in that it takes a broadly-defined movement and claims to present its principles and possibilities. Not fluff, and full of quotes and examples, but not too dry to be interesting.

Ferguson's idea was that the children of the '60's would introduce new ways of relating to different issues, challenging the old hierarchies of work, church, and home life. This would come about as the result of a kind of accidental conspiracy - different people in different walks of life individually pursuing the same philosophies. The result would be a new age defined by 'Transpersonal philosophy' and 'holism'.

While there have indeed been many social changes in the past 20 years none of them are historically revolutionary, and the old hierarchies remain, together with some new ones! I'd also say there's been an aggressive counter - counter-cultural movement! Not a work of prophecy, maybe, but a book with its finger on the pulse of something that is still alive.