Karen O’Brien for Quantum Social Change | Substack

What's in a Wordle?

The words we use matter and can entangle us through shared contexts and meanings. But meanings can morph, so it's important to be explicit about values embedded in the words that guide our actions.

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Between This and That

Many people ask for examples of quantum social change. If we look at the in-between spaces, we may discover that there are many examples right in front…

May 29 • Karen O'Brien

The Listening Game

What if the future depends on how we listen -- both to science and to what matters to people?

May 1 • Karen O'Brien

An Axial Revolution

We’ve been going in circles for a long time, waiting for a revolution that changes everything. What if the future depends on much deeper shifts in…

Apr 15 • Karen O'Brien

Scaling the Good Stuff

The scale of destruction feels heavy right now. What if we focused on scaling transformative change by shifting unsustainable patterns and…

Apr 1 • Karen O'Brien

I need a miracle, every day

In a shaky world, what does it mean to have faith in a possibility and potential for transformative change? A visit to the Vatican left me reflecting on…

Mar 19 • Karen O'Brien

Shifting Patterns

Small shifts can change the world. Given the gravity of today's situation, can small pattern shifts contribute to a world that we all love?

Mar 8 • Karen O'Brien

What's the difference between a joke and a lie? Are we separate or one? Or both? Honestly, these are questions worth asking right now.

Feb 11 • Karen O'Brien

Exceptional Madness

The madness that we're witnessing is both familiar and exceptional. The idea of exceptionalism can be a source and an expression of madness. Through…

Jan 26 • Karen O'Brien

The World We Prefer

Fragmented thinking creates a fragmented world. Chaotic thinking creates a chaotic world. Can preferment thinking create a preferable world?

Jan 19 • Karen O'Brien

Enough is Enough

Why on Earth are we still treating global geopolitics as if we were playing the old board game Risk? It’s time to stop this risky game and respond with…

Jan 8 • Karen O'Brien

A Transformative Moment

It's time to fully engage with quantum social change. Stepping into preferment, I’m choosing uncertainty, entanglement, and oneness as the basis for…

Dec 31, 2025 • Karen O'Brien

Moving beyond the charade of climate action involves both responding to the root causes of today’s crises while simultaneously realizing our shared…

Dec 15, 2025 • Karen O'Brien

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…

Nov 24, 2025 • Karen O'Brien

What's Missing?

Bill Gates says we need a strategic pivot on climate change. But much is missing from his three truths. It's an old story, taking attention from the…

Nov 7, 2025 • Karen O'Brien