Review of ‘The Age of Unreason’ by Charles Handy (1989)

The keywords that stand out in ‘The Age of Unreason’ are ‘change’, ‘discontinuity’, ‘thinking backwards’ and ‘uncertainty’. The changes of the last twenty years have been immense and have challenged our comfortable perceptions of the world. Handy identifies how organizations and individuals must learn to cope with changing work patterns. The book flows from argument to analysis and from theory to practical examples of how the future, as Handy sees it, might work. This book could have been written today and still be timely and relevant as a roadmap for an uncertain future.

‘The Age of Unreason’ might be open to criticism as a utopian vision of how dynamic and adaptable members of society cope with the discontinuous change that quantum leaps in technology have forced upon us. Those who have embraced lifelong learning and surely most MBAs will fall into this category, are smart and can call on their own resources to succeed in tough times. It is not so clear how the less advantaged will prosper or even survive, although the author warns against creating a divisive society.

When Handy originally outlined his vision of flexible workers and entrepreneurs, the layman had not heard of the Internet, mobile phones weighed two pounds, and the world of work would still have been recognizable to our grandparents. Now, with the ubiquitous Web, fast telecommunications links, and a rapidly changing attitude toward employment practices, his vision is a reality. Many now have what Handy calls portfolio careers. I write this from my home where broadband communication has allowed me to manage my bank account, advertise my services as a consultant, and see the sad remains of my stock portfolio with little effort. His vision of the ‘clover organization’, consisting of a core of experts staffed by outside organizations and part-time contractors, has become a reality and technology has made it possible.

In Handy’s view, few of us now working will end our careers with a gold watch after forty years of uninterrupted service with a single employer. The three parts of the book are titled; Change, Work, Live. It is through the combination of these that we reach a satisfying balance in which a portfolio career is complemented by portfolio compensation, measured in both personal fulfillment and financial reward. Handy’s innovative approach, or backwards thinking, as he calls it, also extends to education. His views are radical. Schools would have individual contracts with students to provide a basic service. There would then be an area of ​​discretion or specialization, where the student could choose a range of options.

Retrospective is a marvelous thing and for this reason reviewing this work thirteen years after its publication has allowed a privileged view. One thing impresses and must be emphasized. Handy’s journey is one he has personally undertaken. After he has finished ‘The Age of Unreason’, reflect on the lessons learned, then read ‘The Elephant and the Flea’ (2001), where he describes how independent living has worked for him. This is more of a reflective and philosophical work than ‘The Age of Unreason’, but both can be seen as milestones in a rich and varied life. Handy manages to paint an attractive picture of the future in which many could work from home utilizing our talents to their full potential and diversity. Read ‘The Age of Unreason’ and imagine how Handy’s vision could work for you. Have any of us not dreamed of waking up in the morning and traveling 10 yards down the hall to our home office? Now where did I put my striped robe?