Table of Contents
By Ron Latanision and John Brown
On November 14, author Joe Simonetta spoke about the truth, which is under siege in our contemporary world;
and on November 28th Wilson Forum Historian Vincent Dixon spoke about a central debate of our time, the purposes and evolution of government.
By Ron Latanision and John Brown
Truth: The Choice Between Collapse and Renewal
Humanity’s Most Urgent Task in a Closing Window of Time
Truth is under siege in today’s world given the liberties that are taken on social media among many others where personal agendas and misinformation or disinformation have become prominent. On November 14th, author Joe Simonetta spoke about…truth! In his words: “In my talk, I will explore what I believe is humanity’s most urgent challenge. Our technological power has advanced at breathtaking speed, but our mental and emotional evolution has not kept pace. We still operate with a brain shaped by fear, greed, and tribal instincts — impulses that once ensured our survival but now imperil our future.
“At the same time, we continue to cling to inherited mythologies that divide us and distort our understanding of reality. Together, these forces create a dangerous mismatch between power and wisdom, one that now threatens the stability of civilization itself. At this pivotal moment in our evolution, we must transcend the primitive instincts of aggression, dominance, and short-term thinking that once ensured our survival — an unparalleled task, at an unprecedented scale, under the shadow of a closing window.
“What we need is not more belief, but a new understanding of what is truly sacred. It is not about Supreme Beings — it is about a Way of Being. Reverence for health, for one another, and for the Earth that sustains us is not idealism; it is the foundation of survival. From now on, every action we take, every system we build, must be judged by the only measure that matters: whether it diminishes and threatens life, or sustains and enhances it. When we violate these essential relationships, we don’t just suffer or decline — we unravel the fabric of life itself and edge closer to self-inflicted extinction. When we honor them, we give ourselves the only real chance we have — not merely to endure, but to build a future in which humanity not only survives but thrives.”
Joseph R. Simonetta is an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate whose work grows out of a lifetime of inquiry, diverse experience, and a deep commitment to understanding and advancing humanity’s future. Driven by a lifelong desire to reduce ignorance and suffering while expanding knowledge and justice, he brings an unusually broad and integrative perspective to the great challenges of our time — blending science, ethics, design, and philosophy into a coherent vision for humanity’s next evolutionary step. A former U.S. Army officer and lifelong athlete — including a twice gold medal–winning senior triathlete — Simonetta has lived and worked in diverse arenas, from architecture and real estate development to nonprofit leadership and public service, including two nominations for the U.S. Congress. He holds a B.S. in Business from Pennsylvania State University, a Master of Architecture from the University of Colorado, and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, with additional studies at Yale Divinity School. He has written twelve books, including TAOLISM: The Architecture of Life and EVOLVE: The Choice Between Collapse and Renewal, https://www.amazon.com/TAOLISM-Architecture-Life-Joseph-Simonetta/dp/B0F4RBLPPF which articulate a science-based, ethics-driven framework for human survival and flourishing. Simonetta’s work has been featured in talks, articles, and interviews across a wide range of platforms, including a widely viewed TEDx talk.
He continues to write, speak, and consult on issues at the intersection of human behavior, sustainability, and civilization’s future — inviting audiences to confront the realities of our time and embrace a path that leads not merely to survival, but to the thriving of life on Earth. His work challenges humanity to evolve beyond primitive impulses and divisive mythologies and to build a future defined by reverence for health, one another, and the living world that sustains us.
The Purposes and Evolution of Government
Past – Present – Future: Evaluating the Many Challenges Including A Special Look at Frances Perkins, Author of The New Deal
Vincent Dixon, Historian of The Wilson Science & Technology Forum, presented a Special Forum on Thanksgiving Friday, November 28th, on a central debate of our time: The Purposes and Evolution of Government. The challenges of our time intersect with foundational elements of economic systems, systems of law, beliefs in what government should, or should not do, shifting coalitions of nations, demographic changes, public health realities, and more. Stable consensus on many of these issues that existed after World War II and were adjusted and changed in the 1980s and 1990s are now in chaotic and dynamic flux across the world, in a new age, lacking any worldwide functional template.
At risk is scientific progress, public health, educational progress, and socio-economic progress, balanced on the double-edged knife blade of unstable populism. Understanding this incredible series of dynamic interactions is vital to engaging with the waves of Artificial Intelligence, the movement of masses of population, and the relative peace of ourselves, as challenged individuals. Frances Perkins, the actual author of The New Deal, is an example of how an inspired, knowledgeable individual drove change in an extremely challenged Depression Era.
Vincent Lawrence Dixon has been President and Senior Guide of Cambridge Advantage Tours. His education includes being home-schooled K-12 by his parents; Harvard Extension School, A.A., A.B., (Cum Laude); Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M.; and additional graduate work at Harvard Law School, Radcliffe Institute. He has been a regular presenter as Historian of the Wilson Science & Technology Forum, a Civics Expert, and a Newspaper Columnist, having been published in the Cambridge Chronicle, Winchester Star, Winchester News, and other publications. He presents regularly at Sanborn House of the Winchester Historical Society; Trolley Tours on Winchester Town Day, and has spoken extensively on legislation, and other similar matters.
UPCOMING WILSON FORUM PRESENTATIONS:
On December 12, Peter Ciriscioli, consultant engineer in new product development, will address the forum on “Autonomous Vehicles and AV Driver’s License Update,” about recent developments in the introduction of autonomous vehicles into our culture.
There will not be a talk on December 26, as we take a break for the Christmas Holiday.
All Wilson Science & Technology Forum presentations are recorded and can be streamed free on demand at the Wilson Forum’s website, https://jenksst.blogspot.com/
WinCAM broadcasts recordings of Forum presentations at 3 pm on Mondays and Fridays. For the schedule, go to https://wincam.org/schedule/education/ and search for “Wilson.” Likewise, our YouTube channel includes our video presentations: https://www.youtube.com/@wilsonsciencetechnologyfor3746/videos .
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The Wilson Forum’s meetings are via Zoom, at 10:30 am on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, with the exception of July and August.
To learn of upcoming Forum speakers, you can check the Jenks Center’s website https://www.jenkscenter.org/ (events > daytime > Wilson Forum).
Better yet, you can receive advance notification of upcoming talks by emailing a request to be added to the Forum’s roster to rlatanision@alum.mit.edu.
