Making Global Sense: Grounded hope for democracy and the earth (Inspired by Thomas Paine’sCommon Sense)

"Thomas Paine rallied Americans to a new sense of themselves and their possibilities. Judah Freed does likewise for citizens of the planet."
-- BILL McKIBBEN – Here Comes the Sun; The End of Nature; People's Climate March; 350,org

3-26 Update  for the 250th anniversary of Common Sense. Makes clear why we need No Kings. The right book at the right time.
 

IN THESE TRYING TIMES of rapid climate change when autocracy threatens democracy, Making Global Sense revives the ideas and ideals of Thomas Paine and the Enlightenment to champion 21st century enlightenment.

A book about how we got to where we are, and what we can do from here.

Seasoned journalist Judah Freed weaves essay and memoir to update Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Where Paine in 1776 challenged monarchy and hereditary succession, instead proposing the first modern republic, Freed challenges ancient alpha male rule and authority addiction (hidden by split perceptions), instead proposing mindful self rule, personal democracy and direct republics. Where Paine inspired independence and revolution, Freed inspires interdependence and evolution. Democracy is a personal growth process.

Making Global Sense reports that more than a billion of us on earth are aware of our global oneness. We're forming a global sense movement that's generating critical mass for a shift into enlightened free societies.

Judah Freed frames his essays within the memoir survival story behind his insights. He narrates childhood abuse, school bullying; joining a cult at age 20, fleeing at 24, facing his authority addiction and choosing self rule. He recalls ego follies in decades of local to international journalism with world travel adventures, like landing in Fiji amid a coup. He shares his soul choice as an elder to survive cancer, so he can finish this book.

(2026 edition last updated in April.)

 

AWARDS :

2023 Nautilus Book Award - Memoir 2023 Eric Hoffer Book Award - Culture 2023 Montaigne Book Medal  - Finalist 2023 Dayton Literary Peace Prize - Nominee 2024 COVR Visionary Awards - Rising to the Challenge 2024 COVR Visionary Awards - Earth Changes 2024 COVR Visionary Awards - Social Justice 2024 Colorado Evvy Book Award - Social Issues.

 

"Judah Freed has taken the gauntlet from Thomas Paine and other great innovators of democracy to guide us toward the evolution of democracy itself. Making Global Sense is a vital and wonderful book, well written and inspired."
– Barbara Marx Hubbard, Conscious Evolution

 

THE AUTHOR

Judah Freed is a seasoned journalist who's written or edited 15 books that won a dozen awards. His 50 years in journalism feature a decade covering Colorado, two decades pioneering coverage of interactive media for U.S. and European trade magazines, a decade covering Kauai, and today covering Colorado for a national news service.

Judah is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors (First Amendment and Banned Books committee), PEN America, The Authors Guild, Society of Professional Journalists, Colorado Authors League (past president), Denver Press Club (past board), and te intetnational Banned Books Week Coalition (executive steering committee). Judah also serves on the board of the Thomas Paine Historical Association as founding editor of The Beacon.