In a few more words: the fundamental model of all human civilisations has been like a pyramid scheme, that they only work as long as they are expanding and can tap new natural capital (land, resources, water, etc). Because the world is finite, we need to change this model so that civilisation can function in such a way as to not eventually strip the entire planet of life support. He takes a critical and comprehensive look at four civilisations that fell (Sumer, Rome, Maya, and Easter Island) and two that have survived (Egypt and China), looking at what worked, what didn't, how they grew, and what led to their collapses, and finds parallels with modern Western civilisation. It's not radical – he doesn't suggest everyone go back to being hunter-gatherers – but it's realistic and, above all, incredibly fascinating.
Because it's brilliant, that's why, and also staggeringly insightful, and it may change the way you see the world, history, civilization, life, the universe, and everything.
And colonialism, incidentally.
It's also a healthy dose of historical context in handy capsule form. Everybody needs more historical context! Git chore historical context! Inna bun!
It gets a little alarmist at the end (not unjustified...) but the rest of it is all straightforward and mightily sobering.
... Even though his rational arguments on the logistics of cities put a hole in the idea that Ankh-Morpork has a million people, which hurts my feelings. (Honestly, though, I can't picture it with a million people, so it doesn't make that much of a difference.)
I've only known North American cities and they're all so spread out ... the ones with a million or more people in them are hard to hold in the head all at once. I mean, A.-M. is really, really densely populated, you know, people sleeping in shifts and all that, but still...
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branchandroot
Really?
Date: 2005-05-31 06:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 09:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 09:39 pm (UTC)In a few more words: the fundamental model of all human civilisations has been like a pyramid scheme, that they only work as long as they are expanding and can tap new natural capital (land, resources, water, etc). Because the world is finite, we need to change this model so that civilisation can function in such a way as to not eventually strip the entire planet of life support. He takes a critical and comprehensive look at four civilisations that fell (Sumer, Rome, Maya, and Easter Island) and two that have survived (Egypt and China), looking at what worked, what didn't, how they grew, and what led to their collapses, and finds parallels with modern Western civilisation. It's not radical – he doesn't suggest everyone go back to being hunter-gatherers – but it's realistic and, above all, incredibly fascinating.
*Peep*...
Date: 2005-05-31 09:28 pm (UTC)Danie
no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 10:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-05-31 10:29 pm (UTC)And colonialism, incidentally.
It's also a healthy dose of historical context in handy capsule form. Everybody needs more historical context! Git chore historical context! Inna bun!
no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 01:53 am (UTC)Yeah, now I gotta go look for it at Barnes and Noble. Because it sounds good.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 02:00 am (UTC)... Even though his rational arguments on the logistics of cities put a hole in the idea that Ankh-Morpork has a million people, which hurts my feelings. (Honestly, though, I can't picture it with a million people, so it doesn't make that much of a difference.)
no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 02:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-06-01 04:20 am (UTC)