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Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement

Join me, Prof Wayne Visser, for inspiring conversations with leaders in the breakthrough movement to regenerate nature, society and the economy. Thriving is about going beyond sustainability to a net positive agenda of innovation and regeneration. Each episode is a dialogue with thought leaders and pioneering practitioners, capturing their perspective on the six great transitions to thriving: how to go from degradation to restoration of ecosystems, from depletion to renewal of resources, from disparity to responsibility in communities and workplaces, from disease to revitalisation of health, from disconnection to rewiring through technology, and from disruption to resilience in infrastructure and institutions. We also explore what kind of leadership are needed to create a thriving future, and how organisations can take action to integrate thriving into their strategies, products and services. This is not about false hope or blind optimism, but we actively focus on innovative solutions and positive tipping points for change. The podcast builds on the foundations of my bestselling book "Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy." I look forward to having you join the movement for thriving and welcome your suggestions for who I should feature as invited guests on the podcast. Credits: Host: Wayne Visser. Podcast music: Amil Raja

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Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement

S3.E3: Wicked or Entangled? Unravelling our Knotty Problems

July 30, 2026 • Wayne Visser • Season 3 • Episode 2

0:00 | 20:16

Based on "Paradox" (Chapter 2)

Core Theme: Recognizing the "forces of fragmentation" that act as triggers for systemic transformation.

The Forces of fragmentation: A look at the six distinct ways our current systems are breaking down: Degradation of ecosystems, Depletion of resources, Disparity in communities, Disease in individuals, Disconnection through technology, and Disruption of infrastructure.

The Stockdale Paradox: Inspired by Admiral James Stockdale, this concept encourages us to confront the "most brutal facts" of our current reality while maintaining unwavering faith that we will prevail in the end.

Wicked vs. Entangled Problems: Reframing our global challenges not as "wicked" (which implies a villain) but as "entangled" balls of twine that must be carefully and collaboratively unraveled.

10 Lessons from COVID-19: A breakdown of how the pandemic taught us about exponential growth, positive tipping points (like car-free city streets), and the fact that extreme adaptation is possible when humanity is pushed.

Season 3 is an experiment. It features an AI-generated dialogue that deep dives into each chapter of the book, Thriving: The Breakthrough Movement to Regenerate Nature, Society and the Economy. Let me know what you think!