Thinking In Systems - a lens for the whole world

I wish I could read 100 non-fiction books as good as this one.

Systems thinking is a way to view the world with less frustration and pettiness. This book explains so many concepts that apply to every possible field of study and line of work that there’s genuinely nobody I can’t recommend it to. It introduces you to a way of thinking that’s more likely to actually solve problems, and more likely to let you have the impact you want on any situation.

I’ve noticed the shift in myself since reading it. When I look at problems now, I’m more likely to consider the systems they exist in rather than just the problem in isolation. And I’ve come around to the idea that systems like politics, welfare and academia are just very complicated, not just out to get you.

I’ll be honest about the ceiling. This isn’t going to radically change your life. It’s a quick introduction to a way of thinking that’s a key to understanding the world, and it isn’t the only place you can pick that up. But I was very impressed by how well this book articulated it.

The format is about as perfect as non-fiction gets. There’s a summary at the end, which you should actually read first. That’s become my general approach to non-fiction: read the summary first and you’ll absorb the actual content much better. The sections are clear and logical, the quotes properly link to the topics and point you towards related works, and the author uses excessively clear language tied to real examples.

I don’t find every specific example or theory accurate, but every one still illustrates the point being made about systems thinking.

This sits among my top general non-fiction reads, up there with “Thinking fast and slow” and “The dictators handbook”, and it’s an easy 5/5. If you want one book to change how you look at problems, this is it.