lA Primer For Paradigm Shift
Jan Spencer has launched a new website, which he describes as a book in the form of a website: aprimerforparadigmshift.org.
In the Primer, “paradigm shift” is defined as the purposeful movement toward a society that meets its needs within the limits of the natural world. Such a society would value civic culture and social uplift, and be supported by an honest, responsible economic system.
The Primer offers a hard-hitting deconstruction of capitalism and its familiar mythologies. It also traces the origins of consumer culture back more than 100 years to Edward Bernays, often considered a pioneer of public relations. Jan suggests we are living in a socially engineered “cargo cult,” complete with rituals, shamans, and make-believe.
Capitalism is not broken—the problems and damage it causes are what it does.
A central theme of the Primer is that how we spend our time and money can actively support paradigm shift—from the personal level to the community scale. Reducing our ecological footprint is presented as a core action, alongside the need not only for a more equitable economy, but for a significantly smaller one.
Paradigm shift, Jan emphasizes, is not a distant utopia. For a growing number of people, it is already common sense in the present. Its values are rooted in the wisdom of the world’s spiritual traditions and in permaculture. We also have far more allies than we may realize—organized labor, faith communities, permaculture networks, MAGA – even groups with very different identities can share overlapping principles.
The Primer is grounded in real-world examples, especially in urban and suburban settings. These include Jan’s own 25-year-old suburban permaculture home in Eugene (see video), as well as organizations that empower young people and the often-overlooked potential of neighborhood associations.
Additional examples include shared housing and ecovillages, with particular attention to Kailash Eco Village in Portland. The Primer also explores practical ideas such as investing locally and transforming underused spaces—like strip mall parking lots—into small-scale, community-centered, micro neighborhood centers for commercial and residentia. Jan welcomes stories and reports of paradigm shift in action.
One of the Primer’s key insights is that a vast, largely unrecognized “horizontal movement” already exists. Most public-interest organizations are working to repair harms caused by overconsumption and the current economic system. From AARP to the Sierra Club to Occupy Wall Street, many of these groups are, in effect, on the same team—and could be far more powerful if aligned.
The Primer concludes with a call for a truth and reconciliation process for capitalism. The broader Primer Project includes the website, a monthly radio program, and a YouTube channel. Learn more at aprimerforparadigmshift.org, or contact Jan at janrspencer@gmail.com.