I started writing ‘The Turning’ in November 2024 as the United States elected a president. There was a sense of the very foundations of civilised democratic societies being under enormous pressure & being in flux…in a sort of turning. What was once this way turned to be another way.  Whether individuals use social media or not the minds of people running our media & in government are deeply affected by it. Ordinary people spend hours a day on it. Foreign states like China, Russia & North Korea employ thousands of people to stoke division & hatred in western democracies. People are intolerant of each other & distrustful of institutions. The degree of hostility & polarity is new & particular to our age of the internet & to giant tech. Giant tech is unaccountable, massively wealthy & self interested.  It will do anything to maintain its power & influence.  It has little interest or motivation to clean up or take responsibility for the tragic & chaotic mess it has created.  This is the melting pot of ideas & feelings that went into making The Turning.