If it were an operating system...

I started reading this book by Stephen Dinan with skepticism. It has a new-agey feel that I don't trust. And sacred can have very trite religious connotations. But so far, he has some fascinating ideas seasoned with suspicious optimism. I especially like his description of how America has evolved. He says,

I see America's growth through the lens of the evolution of new levels of consciousness that expand our respect for the freedoms and right of others and which are then institutionalized in the form of law....I see the deepest and most enduring activities as those that lead to an evolution in our worldview and the societal systems that support it. To help understand these, again, I uses the metaphor of the evolution of computer operating systems. Here is my list of the major upgrades to the American operating system in the last 240 years:

1. America 1.0 (1776-1787): Nation is born. Articles of Confederation
2. America 2.0 (1787-1865): Constitution and Bill of Rights.
3. America 3.0 (1865-1920): Slavery is abolished.
4. America 4.0 (1920-1933): Women included as voting citizens
5. America 5.0 (1933-1960): New Deal legislation expands role of government to create safety nets
6. America 6.0 (1960-2000): Civil rights movement and women's movement expand full inclusion of more citizens
7. America 7.0 (2000-present): Emergence of truly global era, with globalized Internet, trade, travel, and movement of finance. (page 5)

I believe most of his book is going to discuss the best way to create operating system 7.0. (I'm on page 31.) I like this evolutionary metaphor. It reminds me of Ken Wilber's theories but with much simpler terminology.