This is the first publication of The Fifth Element’s discussion paper series.

Introducing: Dancing with paradigms, could systemic wisdom emerge?

“There is yet one leverage point that is even higher than changing a paradigm. That is to keep oneself unattached in the arena of paradigms, to stay flexible, to realize that no paradigm is “true”, that everyone, including the one that sweetly shapes your own worldview, is a tremendously limited understanding of an immense and amazing universe that is far beyond human comprehension.”
– Donella Meadows

Rethinking how we change systems

The world is complex, and the challenges we face – climate disruption, social inequality, and fractured governance – cannot be solved by the systems that shaped modernity. Economic, political, and technological structures are often inadequate, and sometimes they drive the crises themselves. Meanwhile, knowledge is fragmented: business, politics, academia, and activism each operate in their own bubbles, with little connection between them. This separation locks us into patterns that make change difficult.

The challenge now is not just to act, but to rethink what we mean by systems change. Rather than searching for one grand theory, we must learn to weave together different approaches and worldviews. This integrative approach, holding complexity without reducing it to simple answers, builds on the legacy of No Limits to Learning, published by The Club of Rome in 1979.

Dancing with paradigms

Donella Meadows, author of Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System (1999), spoke of the highest leverage point: “the power to transcend paradigms.” In other words, recognising that no single worldview is absolute and that every paradigm is only a partial understanding of a vast, complex universe.

This is not a comfortable place to be. Humans crave certainty. But it is where The Club of Rome sees its role: embracing plurality, fostering dialogue across divides, and supporting cultural and systemic renewal. Meadows’ last publication was titled Dancing with Systems. Today, The Club of Rome extends that spirit to “dancing with paradigms.”

Introducing the discussion paper series

This is the essence of The Fifth Element, The Club of Rome’s programme dedicated to deep learning and mutual transformation. To advance this work, we are launching a new discussion paper series. Each paper is an invitation, an open exploration rather than a final answer.

Our first paper sets the tone. It argues that transformation begins with asking better questions, not rushing to solutions. Some questions are not meant to be “solved” but lived. The paper explores questions too often overlooked, for example:

• How do we navigate the divide between “us” and “them”?
• How can we move from a focus on capital to the long-term value of heritage?
• What does regenerative thinking mean for society, economy, and the planet?

It also introduces key threads of our inquiry, including intergenerational leadership, regenerative business, pluriversal worldviews, and shifting cultural meanings.

For anyone interested in how societies can move from fragmented systems to coherent, regenerative networks, the paper offers both insight and inspiration. It invites readers to explore the deeper questions of systemic change and contribute to shaping pathways that reconnect humanity with the natural world.

Read the full discussion paper here.

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