"As I write at the end, if we step back and face the enormity of the torrent, then we have taken the first step to imagining what we might want to do about it"

Todd Gitlin’s observation invites reflection on the overwhelming scale of information and events in contemporary society. The word “torrent” evokes an unstoppable, rushing flood, suggesting that the world’s news, data, crises, and narratives bombard our senses with relentless speed and volume. Many people experience this as a numbing deluge; the sheer enormity of societal challenges, from political upheaval to environmental disaster, can lead to paralysis, resignation, or superficial engagement.

However, Gitlin suggests a critical turning point: to “step back and face the enormity.” This act differs from passively absorbing or being swept along by the torrent. Stepping back implies gaining perspective, creating space for reflection instead of simply reacting. Facing the enormity is a blunt acceptance of the chaos and challenge, requiring both courage and humility. It is a conscious resistance against denial, distraction, and indifference.

Only after recognizing the full scale of the issues we confront can genuine agency begin to form. Gitlin points to the importance of imagination in social and political life. By truly acknowledging the massive nature of our challenges, we also open a mental space to envision responses, however small, localized, or incremental those might be. Imagination becomes a prerequisite for action; instead of dogged persistence or blind hope, thoughtful engagement with the torrent spurs us to consider what could be different, what interventions are possible, and what kinds of futures we might want to build.

For Gitlin, the first crucial action is waking up, creating a pause between the world’s rushing demands and our habitual reactions. In this pause, there is room for analysis, creativity, and the formation of intentions. To recognize the torrent and not look away is already to begin shaping a response, however modest, which is the foundation of collective and individual change.