'Being Green' is no longer enough. "Whole Earth Discipline" is Stewart Brand's wake up call for the environmental movement, and his message is hard-hitting: unless environmentalists keep up with new science, they will become part of the problem. It is an exhilarating piece of writing and bang-on zeitgeist. Three profound transformations are underway on Earth: climate change, urbanization and biotechnology. In response to these seismic changes - and challenges - Steward Brand argues that the environmental movement must reverse some long-held opinions, and embrace tools and disciplines that it has traditionally distrusted - such as science and engineering - in order to forestall the cataclysmic deterioration of the earth's resources. "Whole Earth Discipline" shatters a number of environmental myths, and presents radical, counterintuitive observations - cities are actually greener than the countryside, nuclear power is the future of energy, and genetic engineering is the key to crop and land management. With a combination of scientific rigor and blazing advocacy, Brand shows us exactly where the sources of our dilemmas lie and offers a bold and creative set of policies and solutions for producing a more sustainable society.
Whole Earth Discipline: An Ecopragmatist Manifesto
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A rich, compelling guide to how old wisdom can combine with new technologies. --New Statesman
Thoroughly exhilarating... It's one of those books that you want to press on people and insist they read... Whole Earth Discipline doesn't present itself as the only road map, but I doubt you'll encounter a more entertaining or thought-provoking one. --Independent
Environmentalism has a worthy prophet, Stewart Brand, and a bible, Whole Earth Discipline... Entertaining and thought-provoking... I can see it being quoted thirty years from now. --Financial Times
A landmark book...Illuminating. --Scotsman
Brand offers his own vision of caring for ecosystems even as we transform them - adopting lessons from everyone from Native Americans to modern, scientifically informed restoration projects... [A] wise book. --Guardian
Thoroughly exhilarating... It's one of those books that you want to press on people and insist they read... Whole Earth Discipline doesn't present itself as the only road map, but I doubt you'll encounter a more entertaining or thought-provoking one. --Independent
Environmentalism has a worthy prophet, Stewart Brand, and a bible, Whole Earth Discipline... Entertaining and thought-provoking... I can see it being quoted thirty years from now. --Financial Times
A landmark book...Illuminating. --Scotsman
Brand offers his own vision of caring for ecosystems even as we transform them - adopting lessons from everyone from Native Americans to modern, scientifically informed restoration projects... [A] wise book. --Guardian
About the Author
Stewart Brand is the founder of and original editor of The Whole Earth Catalogue. He is the author of The Clock of the Long Now and How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built, and is the Director of the Global Business Network in Emeryville, California. He lives on a tugboat in San Francisco Bay.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
By M. Paine
Format:Hardcover
I did broadly change my mind as a result of reading this book about the potential advantages of progressive urbanisation - inevitable in any case - GM/GE organisms and nuclear power; the `main news' part of the book. Brand successfully includes these as possible solutions to the ecological crisis, part of the package needed. In this way his approach is refreshingly solution-orientated, identifying what is required as an engineering, problem-solving approach, in contrast to the tragic and pessimistic `decay narrative' of the romantic wing of environmentalism.
However there are serious lacks. Presumably because he is American, he does not imagine any alternative to corporate capitalism. He talks of `managing the commons' without recognising that one of the main thrusts of capitalism, for over four hundred years, is the privatisation of the commons for profit, more recently expropriating its intellectual property and patenting its DNA! He is clearly a technophile, but berates rather than understands the justified suspicion of science when it is in the service of this corporate capitalism. Western technological science co-arose with capitalism, is at best co-dependent with it, perhaps simply a product of it.
He fails to provide, therefore, any political economic context for his thesis or, for that matter, much cultural perspective. The future he imagines of successfully combating climate change could be either a utopia or a dystopia, depending whether the technical solutions are accompanied by a shift in values - or not....
Nevertheless he convincingly argues that the environmental movement will also have to shift its ground. The book's `eco-pragmatism' is therefore radical in suggesting some of the sacred cows it will have to abandon, and worth reading, even though the egocentric style is sometimes irritating, for Brand's encyclopaedic knowledge. It succeeds as a practical guide to changing one's mind and looking at difficult challenges in a new way.
However there are serious lacks. Presumably because he is American, he does not imagine any alternative to corporate capitalism. He talks of `managing the commons' without recognising that one of the main thrusts of capitalism, for over four hundred years, is the privatisation of the commons for profit, more recently expropriating its intellectual property and patenting its DNA! He is clearly a technophile, but berates rather than understands the justified suspicion of science when it is in the service of this corporate capitalism. Western technological science co-arose with capitalism, is at best co-dependent with it, perhaps simply a product of it.
He fails to provide, therefore, any political economic context for his thesis or, for that matter, much cultural perspective. The future he imagines of successfully combating climate change could be either a utopia or a dystopia, depending whether the technical solutions are accompanied by a shift in values - or not....
Nevertheless he convincingly argues that the environmental movement will also have to shift its ground. The book's `eco-pragmatism' is therefore radical in suggesting some of the sacred cows it will have to abandon, and worth reading, even though the egocentric style is sometimes irritating, for Brand's encyclopaedic knowledge. It succeeds as a practical guide to changing one's mind and looking at difficult challenges in a new way.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
"Whole Earth Discipline" by Steward Brand is a Green book, but it's written from a distinctly heretical perspective. Brand argues in favour of urbanization, Third World development, nuclear power and Frankenfood.
In his opinion, only modernization and high tech can save humanity from climate change and its consequences. The book also contains more traditionally Green chapters on land management, wildlife preservation, etc. The bottom line is the same, however: if we want better land management, perhaps we need GE crops. If we want to preserve large wilderness preserves, we need to urbanize and make sure to develop eco-friendly technology. If we want to control population numbers, we need higher standards of living.
Brand's support for nuclear power and GE (or GM) crops will be particularly hard to swallow even for moderate Greens. Apart from Brand himself, I think James Lovelock is the only well-known Green who supports nuclear power. Interestingly, Paul Ehrlich seems to be positive to GM crops. Otherwise, opposition to both nuclear power and GM crops are almost defining features of the Green movement.
One thing is for sure. If Brand's eco-pragmatism turns out to be another failed strategy, we're in for a really rough ride...
In his opinion, only modernization and high tech can save humanity from climate change and its consequences. The book also contains more traditionally Green chapters on land management, wildlife preservation, etc. The bottom line is the same, however: if we want better land management, perhaps we need GE crops. If we want to preserve large wilderness preserves, we need to urbanize and make sure to develop eco-friendly technology. If we want to control population numbers, we need higher standards of living.
Brand's support for nuclear power and GE (or GM) crops will be particularly hard to swallow even for moderate Greens. Apart from Brand himself, I think James Lovelock is the only well-known Green who supports nuclear power. Interestingly, Paul Ehrlich seems to be positive to GM crops. Otherwise, opposition to both nuclear power and GM crops are almost defining features of the Green movement.
One thing is for sure. If Brand's eco-pragmatism turns out to be another failed strategy, we're in for a really rough ride...
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Peter Kettle
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This extraordinary book should be read by all politicians and anyone concerned with our future. It is refreshing on many topics, and challenging to our preconceptions. It gives ground for hope, and tackles basic problems and concerns head on , without recourse to special arcane language. It questions so much, and proposes from a position of knowledge. One of the most refreshing books I have encountered. An unequivocal Five Star rating.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought provoking
Stewart Brand was at the forefront of the environmental movement and continues to be incredibly active for a man now in his 70's. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Gerry Gaughan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, worth getting just for the further reading suggestions
This is one of the best books I've read for a long time. It is full of great quotes and interesting titbits (my favourite being that kiwi fruits were selectively bred from... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. K. E. Varney
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thought-provoking study of what we need to do
US ecologist Stewart Brand has written an extraordinary and thoughtful book on climate change, urbanisation and biotechnology. Read more
Published on 7 Feb 2011 by William Podmore
5.0 out of 5 stars
Be open minded and read this book
I have just finished reading this book, borrowed from my local library. As soon as I finished it I bought the e-book version for my Kindle. Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2011 by Nick
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointing
Clearly faced with a challenge as difficult as climate change, environmentalists like me need to examine whether some of our beliefs stand in the way of making progress. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 2010 by Trois
2.0 out of 5 stars
Great writing, poor thinking
There's nothing wrong with writing a book that champions your own particular views about how to tackle a problem, but if you genuinely value reason and open-mindedness - as Stewart... Read more
Published on 27 July 2010 by Pitchfork Rebel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it
There's a surprising amount of hope in this book, compared to any other books I've read on climate change and environmental issues - the suggested survival strategy seems not only... Read more
Published on 29 May 2010 by Meri Mcnamara
4.0 out of 5 stars
It ain't all doom!
This is one for reference. The book is the most optimistic view I have read from an ecologist.
Published on 16 Mar 2010 by Stan Ford
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am making this mandatory reading for my friends
If you are going to read ONE SINGLE BOOK on climate change, this one is IT.
If you are going to do ONE GOOD DEED in your entire life, in order to redeem yourself and your... Read more
If you are going to do ONE GOOD DEED in your entire life, in order to redeem yourself and your... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2010 by bhulesch
5.0 out of 5 stars
Everyone should read this. Now.
Stewart Brands book on climate change, urbanization and biotechnology seems the only clear voice in the current climate change debate. Read more
Published on 6 Feb 2010 by Martin Lasthein Hansen
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