Jakub Ferencik

Up in the Air Jakub Ferencik

The world is increasingly divided and our problems are far from resolved. In this book, the author and blogger Jakub Ferencik shows how ideological opponents can understand one another, seek compromise, and effectively challenge the global problems of the 21st century. Up in the Air is about how two large ideological opponents, Christians and atheists, will have to battle out some of what are the biggest problems of this century from the "Age of Unreason" to moral ambivalence, to human rights violations, factory-farming and man-made climate change, to nuclear war, and nihilism. In today's discourse about everyday moral and political issues, from abortion to animal rights or the legalization of gay marriage, we tend to jump to conclusions instead of fully understanding what the "opposition" is saying. In this book, Ferencik argues that it is more effective to listen and properly understand our differences to resolve them instead of misrepresenting them due to ignorance or harmful intent. Social issues are complex and multi-faceted, which is why well-meaning citizens will come to drastically different conclusions with similar backgrounds and resources. In order to come up with solutions, Ferencik argues, we have to first understand each other, where we are coming from, and where we want to go. It is only then that we will be able to effectively challenge the problems of this coming century.