Thinking Fast and Slow
By Daniel Kanhneman
If it takes 5 machines 5 minutes to make 5 parts, how many minutes does it take 100 machines to make 100 parts?
For most of us, the instinctual response to this question is ‘100 minutes’ – but our instincts are wrong. The answer is actually 5 minutes. This problem demonstrates the two systems of thinking discussed by Daniel Kahneman in his 2011 book Thinking Fast and Slow.
According to Kahneman, System 1 operates automatically and quickly, based on memories and emotional reactions, while System 2 allows for slower, more complex analysis of logic and probability. So in this case, System 1 leads us to assume ‘100 minutes’ is the correct answer before System 2 had an opportunity to overrule an initial impulse with logical reasoning. System 2 can be lazy. Most of the time we rely on System 1, and only when conflict occurs or System 1 runs into difficulty does System 2 fully activate. As the 100 machines problem demonstrates, System 1 has limitations and biases and is prone to making errors. To overcome these errors, it is necessary to engage system two and pay attention.System 2 thinking requires considerably more effort. While it is entirely possible for our brains to process multiple simple things at once, processing effortful activities at once is near impossible. As Kahneman quips, ‘You could not complete the product of 17 x 24 while making a left turn into dense traffic, and you certainly should not try.’
Reviewed: April 2012
Where Good Ideas Come From
By Steven Johnson
In Steven Johnson’s Where Good Ideas Come From, he argues that open platforms, collaboration and experimentation are more facilitative to innovation than market forces and competition.
The book has a sizable appendix which presents a fascinating chronology of innovation from 1400 to 2000. Johnson groups these innovations into four categories, or quadrants, divided along two axes: whether the innovator was working alone or in a network, and whether or not they were working in a market driven environment. He shows that a significant proportion of humanity’s greatest innovations have occurred in the ‘fourth quadrant’: a non-market, networked environment, dispelling the prevailing belief that the free market inspires innovation.
‘The fourth quadrant should be a reminder that more than one formula exists for innovation. The wonders of modern life did not emerge exclusively from the propriety clash between private firms. They also emerged from open networks.’
Johnson relates this theory to Darwin’s observations in the Keeling Islands during the 1830s. Standing in the water, Darwin was impressed by the abundance and diversity of life teeming around a coral reef. More impressive to Darwin was the resilience of this community against the crashing waves and the force of the ocean. Much the same as the reef, Johnson argues cities operate as clusters for innovation, fostering networks and open platforms.
‘The popular caricature of Darwin’s theory emphasises competitive struggle above everything else. Yet so many of the insights his theory made possible have revealed the collaborative and connective forces at work in the natural world.’
Johnson concludes that openness is essential to innovation. Large organisations, both private and public, need to understand their role in creating these ‘fourth quadrant environments’ so they can better harness creative thinking and facilitate innovation. Governments should act as open platforms, encouraging networks and the creation and diffusion of new ideas. The success of companies like Google and Twitter has shown that ‘a little openness goes a long way.’
Reviewed: April 2012
Futuretainment: Yesterday the world changed now it’s your turn
By Mike Walsh
“Massed produced media must give way for media produced by the masses.” page 34.
In his insightful new book, digital futurist Mike Walsh observes that until recently media content originated from professionals, was marketed by experts and distributed through authorised channels. Contemporary consumers, however, are empowered to watch, listen and read what they want courtesy of the networks to which they belong.
The decline of traditional top-down models of media distribution has far-reaching consequences for businesses and consumers alike and these are explored here. Walsh coins the phrase ‘audience networks’, where content is discovered, shared and made popular by members. He therefore argues that Twitter, Facebook and other networks represent considerably more than social pastimes.
Walsh is well-qualified to comment. As a leading authority and speaker on the digital future, the strength of the book lies in his ability to analyse the complex landscape of connectedness and define the resultant issues and trends. A range of topics, including content authenticity, brand development (“the future of advertising is entertainment”), payment models, avatars and gaming are discussed. Significantly, when assessing the impact of current and future technology, Walsh finds human behaviour to be of greater importance than what new technologies might enable us to do.
Art director Vince Frost’s original photographs and high-impact graphs complement the text and serve to make this complex subject more accessible. It is a self-described “rethink of the business book” and as much a work of art as a business tool.
Businesses wanting to make sense of where the future of digital technology, media and marketing might lie, would find this especially informative. The Futuretainment website is the perfect compliment to the book.
Reviewed by Louise Grace-Pickering, May 2010
Long-Range Futures Research: An Application of Complexity Science
By Robert H. Samet
Long-Range Futures Research: An Application of Complexity Science is an ambitious book which provides a guide to civil, societal, technological and environmental changes. Divided into three parts, the book first explains a systems approach to understanding the world now and into the future. The second part of the book applies the systems approach to individual aspects of society including urban development, technological development and civil structures. The final part of the book moves onto an analysis of wider issues, including the interaction between world development and sustainability, and geopolitics.
The overarching theme throughout these sections is how the “science of evolution and complexity provides an approach for exploring the complex and unprecedented patterns of global change expected in the future”. From these sciences we can learn that a small number of rules and laws govern complexity. By studying these, the author suggests we can understand the future.
Another important idea put forward by Samet is that the traditional notion of economic equilibrium is not accurate. Instead, a concept of far-from-equilibrium is more apt and provides a greater understanding of the way that complex systems evolve and develop over time.
Long-Range Futures Research is a book that provides many interesting facts and insights. The book is complex and not one that is likely to attract the casual reader. While the extensive range of topics may be at the expense of detail in some areas, it could serve as a useful reference owing to this broad focus and the data contained in the appendices.
Reviewed by Chris Aitken, April 2010
Throwim Way Leg
By Tim Flannery
What an intriguing and enlightening adventure that Tim Flannery takes you on in ‘Throwim Way Leg’. While Tim’s personal experiences covered in the book are during the 1980s and 1990s in New Guinea, the pace of change he saw during that period is similar to what other countries have experienced over much longer periods, if not centuries.
The finding of new species almost daily makes great reading, however it is particularly poignant to note that the local helpers just want to eat these new wonders, even if it has taken days or months to find just one specimen. During his travels, Flannery is introduced to new concepts of viewing the relationships between people and the planet. The different groups of people that Tim lived with while working in both the Papua and Irian Jaya parts of New Guinea could well be teaching the people of the ‘developed’ world how the ‘modern’ world could live.
From reading one gets a sense of how little we actually still know of our fellow planet’s inhabitants, whether they be flora or fauna. The grandeur of the Papuan landscape with towering cliffs, glacial capped mountain (at the equator) and raging rivers that disappear down what Tim describes as possibly the largest ‘plug hole on earth’ are all part of a wonderfully wet and forest clad landscape. This landscape is slowly being removed through ‘modern progress’ such as forestry and mining. Tim encounters very different approaches to the way locals are involved and treated by the large corporations.
The Tree Kangaroos are a strong part of the story, as they were the focus of the 15 trips Tim made primarily to research them. Tim’s discoveries are amazing. No wonder these tree dwelling Kangaroos are on the verge of extinction, some being so friendly that they would walk up to people! A very easy meal they then become.
Those fortunate enough to experience the forests and highlands of New Guinea obviously obtain new perspectives on the sustainability of our planet, as fellow writer-scientist and thinker Jared Diamond also explored the this region of the world. So enjoy another perspective on the great writing talent that Tim is. While having only read The Weather Makers before Throwim Way Leg I am now off to explore more of Tim’s writings!
Reviewed by Dr Merrin Pearse, March 2010
The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better
By Richard Wilkinson & Kate Pickett
This is a book with a big idea, big enough to change political thinking, and bigger than its authors’ had first intended. In her Valedictory speech Jeanette Fitzsimons referred to The Spirit Level as an ‘important book’ and recommended it to anyone who wanted to better understand the core Green message of the last 38 years.
The authors, Wilkinson and Pickett, bring together international data based on thirty years of research. Together they demonstrate that more unequal societies are bad for almost everyone within them – the well-off as well as the poor.
“Across whole populations, rates of mental illness are five times higher in the most unequal compared to the least unequal societies. Similarly, in more unequal societies people are five time as likely to be imprisoned, six times as likely to be clinically obese, and murder rates may be many times higher. The reason why these differences are so big is, quite simply, because the effects of inequality are not confined just to the least well-off: instead they are the vast majority of the population.”
This groundbreaking book teaches us how to shift the balance from a self-interested consumerism to a friendlier and more collaborative society. It shows us a way out of the social and environmental problems which beset us, and opens up a major new approach to improving the quality of life for everyone.
The authors cleverly show how sustainability in the face of global warming, and energy/water/food shortages links into the picture and how greater equality would help us towards dealing with these dooming issues. “It falls to our generation to make one of the biggest transformations in human history”. The conclusion of this book is simple-we do better when we’re equal.
Reviewed by Lisa Bazalo, February 2010
The Top 50 Sustainability Books
After a hiatus on our book reviews we are back! Before we kick off the column properly for 2010 we would like to draw attention to Cambridge University’s new publication ‘The Top 50 Sustainability Books‘. We have this little gem on order for our library, but until it arrives you can read a review of it on the Our World 2.0 blog and if you would like to see how many of the 50 you have read, check out the list of the featured books here.
Also, we welcome book reviews, so keep us in mind when you come across that special book! You can email any reviews or recommendations through to library@sustainablefuture.info
Cheers,
Willow Henderson, January 2010
2009 State of the Future
Jerome C. Glenn, Theodore J. Gordon & Elizabeth Florescu
“The good news is that the global financial crisis and climate change planning may be helping humanity to move from its often selfish, self-centred adolescence to a more globally responsible adulthood.”
We are living in a unique time in human history as technology, communication, and trade have combined to make humanity more interdependent than ever. The Millennium Project think tank sees this interdependence as an opportunity for us to create and implement global strategies which can improve prospects for humanity. But how will we do this? Who will do this, and can we all agree on what the future might or should be?
The aim of futures research is to systematically explore, create, and test both possible and desirable futures to improve decision-making. By presenting a comprehensive picture of the world today, the 2009 State of the Future report aims to provide improved understanding of global issues, opportunities, challenges and strategies, while engaging readers in thinking about and planning for the future.
While the format and the pressing issues remain largely the same as in previous issues, a notable addition to the 2009 report is the discussion of the global financial crisis and its effects on the present and future world. Another increasingly prominent issue is the place of ethics in the future world and in decision-making related to crises such as climate change and the recession.
A feature of interest is the State of the Future Index, reassessed each year. This is a ten year projection of conditions in the future which takes into account variables such as education, warfare, health, and human rights. This shows, in the 2009 report, a decrease in global living conditions between the present day and 2019, something that has not been seen in the index in recent years.
The global perspective of this report makes it incredibly valuable for us at Sustainable Future, but this is also an excellent resource for anybody interested in the state of both the present and the future worlds.
Wendy McGuinness, Chief Executive of Sustainable Future, represented Australasia in the Millennium Project’s annual meeting in July 2009.
Reviewed by Perrine Gilkison, August 2009
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving.
Eugene Bardach
“The analytical work in problem-solving generally proceeds in a certain direction, from defining the problem at the beginning all the way to making a decision and explaining it at the end. But remember, this is a process much given to reconsidering, reviewing, changing one’s mind – in other words, retracing one’s steps on the path before starting out one more”
This straightforward, effective guide to policy analysis addresses the psychology, as well as the logic, of the analytical public policy process. Expanded coverage of cost-effectiveness analysis include a new excerpt from a report on the relative worth of mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers, introduced to provide an example of real, high-quality policy analysis, along with some commentary from the author.
Bardach’s use of simple terminology and up-to-date examples makes the book very easy to read. This book has significant relevance to Sustainable Future’s 2058 project. The seventh step in the book, “Project the Outcomes” is what Eugene Bardach believes to be the “hardest step” in policy analysis, mostly because of the uncertainties involved in projecting the future.
This book has been quoted as a gift to practising policy officials in government, lecturers, researchers and students.
Reviewed by Nicola Bradshaw, May 2009
Wool to Weta: Transforming New Zealand’s Culture & Economy
Paul Callaghan
Auckland University Press, Paperback, $30
“We should discard the myth that because we are good at farming, our best high-technology future lies necessarily in biotechnology. Our best high-technology future will lie where our skills, our talents and our enterprise are apparent.” (p. 20)
In his engaging new book, Wool to Weta, Paul Callaghan explores the future of New Zealand’s economy. Building on his 2007 public lecture series ‘Beyond the farm and the theme park’, Callaghan looks at sustainable wealth generation in an economy still firmly rooted in the primary industry. He argues that our problems lie deeper than issues with our economy, and puts forward that the issues are increasingly at a cultural level. To attempt to get back our former prosperity (2nd most prosperous country on earth 50 years ago) Callaghan suggests that as a country we need to change not only our attitudes toward science, but our investment in it as well. Rather than relying on our pastures to continue to provide for us, Callaghan is interested in encouraging ‘a marriage of physical sciences and engineering’, in other words, strengthening the relationship between science and entrepreneurship. This relationship will ensure that our economy makes full use of our brightest minds, and will be a vital factor in encouraging successful ex-pats back to our shores.
The book utilises a series of interviews with ‘New Zealanders involved in wealth generation through science-based business, in economic thinking and leadership, in investment and in education and philanthropy’ to offer examples of New Zealand success stories. Videos of the interviews are available on the MacDiarmid Institute website.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, April 2009
Outliers: The story of success
Malcolm Gladwell
Allen Lane, Paperback, $40
In his latest book, Malcolm Gladwell questions ‘Why do some people achieve so much more than others? And what is the secret of their success?’ He explores these questions by weaving a wide range of research and observations into simple stories and anecdotes. The three ideas that really have value for our work programme, Project 2058, are as follows:
- People need to feel entitled. This enables people to feel comfortable, ‘open to sharing information and asking for attention.’ (p. 105)
- Work ethic matters. As a culture, how effectively and how hard we work might be more hard-wired into us than we might like to think.
- New Zealand’s pilots have the lowest Power Distance Index scores. This indicates that ours is a culture which values our right to discuss, debate or disagree with a decision maker – in this case the captain.
Gladwell’s usual conversational style makes the book easy to read, with many a good yarn. Much of the content provides lessons for our work programme; in particular Project 2058. Lessons from the book indicate that for New Zealand to be successful in the long term, it will be vital to foster a questioning and hard working culture.
Reviewed by Wendy McGuinness and Willow Henderson, March 2009
Rescuing the New Zealand Economy
Bryan Gould
Craig Potton Publishing, Paperback, $30
Bryan Gould, a former Law Don at Oxford, MP for the British Labour Party, and Vice-Chancellor of Waikato University, has written this book in an attempt to re-engage the New Zealand public in the debate of how we can save our economy.
By clearly setting out the recent economic history of New Zealand and identifying what he thinks to be the majors errors, Gould puts forward the idea that bad policy implemented in New Zealand’s recent history is crippling the economy. He is particularly critical of monetary reforms and ‘free market fanatics’, yet the book is strongest when he begins to cast his eyes forward, instead of back. Gould makes a number of insightful and strategic suggestions for New Zealand’s future, implying that the future is not all doom and gloom. What needs to happen, he argues, is for New Zealand to engage in the debate once more, and not to simply allow our economic direction to be dictated by government alone.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, February 2009
Time Management from the Inside Out
Julie Morgenstern
Hachette Australia, Paperback, $35
We have a very long To-Do list for 2009 at Sustainable Future, so we felt that it was apt to review a book we have been using to help us clear our desks for the New Year.
Julie Morgenstern is a professional organiser, and her book is a clear, easy to follow guide that tackles the hardest thing to organise of all: your time. Morgenstern suggests that there are three causes of the clutter that steals our time: Technical errors, external realities and psychological obstacles.Morgenstern explains the shape each of these might take, enabling you to pinpoint what is and is not directly in your control to change. This core idea of identifying your strengths in order to overcome obstacles is one we plan to explore further in our development of a national sustainable development strategy.
With chapters on how to identify where your time is going, when to do what tasks, and even what type of planner is best for you, Time Management from the Inside Out guides you gently towards feeling more in control of your time– highly recommended.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, January 2009
The Endless City
The Urban Age Project by the London School of Economics and Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Society
Phaidon, Hardback, $100
We end 2008 with a favourite of ours at Sustainable Future. The Endless City is a tome of a book, and is one you could easily spend hours browsing through over the holidays.
The startling cover outlines the key issue at hand: 10% lived in cities in 1900, 50% is living in cities in 2007, 75% will be living in cities in 2050. With such an increase in both the populations of existing cities, and the growth of new cities, the importance of understanding how a city functions, thrives and grows sustainably is paramount.
Such a huge lesson is often difficult to absorb, and essays from a range of renowned contributors offer depth and perspective. What makes The Endless City unique, however, are the book’s visual displays. Innovative data-analysis software offers impressive maps and graphics quickly conveying the widely varying nature of growth and making the wealth of numbers, statistics and facts used within the book easy to understand.
The book compares and contrasts the growth of six major cities: New York, London, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Mexico City and Berlin. Patterns and vast differences become clear in the types of growth occurring in each of these cities, and as such, it becomes possible to identify the social, structural and economic aspects of a thriving modern city.
For further information visit the book’s website or the Urban Age Project website.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, December 2008
Hot, Flat, and Crowded
By Thomas L. Friedman
Allen Lane, Hardback, $54.99
“In the green revolution we’re having, everyone’s a winner, nobody has to give up anything, and the adjective that most often modifies “green revolution” is “easy”. That’s not a revolution. That’s a party. We’re actually having a green party…But in America, at least, it is mostly a costume party. It’s all about looking green – and everyone’s a winner.” Hot, Flat, and Crowded, p 205.
The above passage indicates Friedman’s cynicism at the manner in which America is facing up to the three challenges of what he dubs as the Energy Climate era: Climate change, globalisation and rapid population growth.
According to the US Patent Office, “Green” was the single most trademarked term in 2007. Friedman argues that the harsh realities of Climate change and the developing world’s ballooning middle class will not be something we can achieve with a simple greenwash. The revolution will require difficult decisions, strong leadership and a great deal of change.
Friedman discusses the issues with a focus on America, though it seems his definition of the word ‘America’ extends beyond the United States. Friedman is talking about the American lifestyle and the exponential growth of those on the globe with the desire, and ability, to consume with the same appetite as Americans currently do.
While the book does draw on the usual sets of alarming statistics, Friedman optimistically sees the problems of tomorrow as the opportunities of today. He places great emphasis on the imperative for creativity and innovation, and the chance this time of crisis offers America to emerge, once again, as a respected leader.
Friedman’s anecdotal style makes the book an enjoyable read, making it easy to see why the book has received global acclaim – Hot Flat and Crowded was the winner of the Financial Times/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year in 2008.
The book is made up of 17 chapters, and will be published as Version 2.0 in hardback with an 18th chapter containing ideas, opinions and solutions offered by readers. To contribute to the Chapter 18 project, visit Friedman’s website.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson and Lucy Foster, November 2008
The World Without Us
By Alan Weisman
Virgin Books, $29.99
In this tour of a world without humankind, Weisman investigates the idea that Earth could be better off without us. Though Weisman acknowledges that the complete extinction of the human species is an unlikely event, the threats of ballooning populations, run-away climate change, pandemics or nuclear holocausts make this book an intriguing read for pessimists and optimists alike.
Manhattan, considered by Weisman to be the epitome of urbanity, is ravaged by fires, sky-scrapers fall like giant trees, and bridges buckle, slowly transforming the urban jungle to a literal one. Man-made structures like Panama Canal collapse without human attention, and the Petro-chemical plants of the world become ‘flaming geysers’ releasing deadly toxins for decades. It is not all as bleak as it sounds, with flowers, birds, insects, and other wildlife predicted to recover much more quickly than might be expected. Fascinating examples of the natural world’s propensity to heal include Korea’s DMZ which has become a nursery for species on the verge of extinction elsewhere. The What if?’s in this book offer lessons and insights into the complex structures we live within, and highlight the scale of damage we inflict upon our environment.
Weisman also published three scenarios tracking widely divergent ecosystems, titled Three Planetary Futures available from Vanity Fair here. The Book’s website also features some interesting multimedia, including a world tour of locations mentioned in the book, flash animations and some amazing illustrations of New York by Ken Brown.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, October 2008
Futurecast: How Superpowers, Populations, and Globalization Will Change the Way You Live and Work
By Robert J. Shapiro
St. Martin’s Press, $44.95
Former U.S Undersecretary of Commerce, Robert J. Shapiro, outlines the three forces he believes will most significantly shape our future as being globalisation, aging populations and America’s position as an unrivalled superpower. Taking these forces, Shapiro looks forward to 2020, and sets out areas of risk and growth in the near future. The strength of the book lies in Shapiro’s analysis of the economic implications of an aging global population. Shapiro argues that the contraction of labour forces will stifle economic growth, and substantial numbers of retirees will place immense pressure on government pensions and healthcare programs, issues we discuss further in our Think Pieces 4 and 5. Interestingly, Shapiro omits Climate Change as a force shaping our future and his discussion of this issue is limited to less than a chapter. He argues against the cap-and-trade method behind Kyoto, and claims future efforts to encourage a global approach to greenhouse gas emissions will be lead by the U.S and China. He also optimistically predicts leaps in nanotechnology leading to the widespread adoption of clean energies–a likelihood which we might expect or at least hope for, but one which perhaps does not encourage the urgent action we require today. Nonetheless, FutureCast is a compelling read, and Shapiro paints a vivid picture of developments we might expect to see in the next 20 years.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, September 2008
2008 State of the Future
By Jerome C. Glenn, Theodore J. Gordon and Elizabeth Florescu
2008 State of the Future explores possible and desirable futures based on the current state of the world. This is the twelfth report in the series and builds on all previous research and analysis asking the question, is the future getting better or worse?
The book begins by outlining 15 global challenges that we have the resources, networks and technology to address but a lack of coherence and direction prevents us from doing so. Having set up this framework, key areas are explored through more detailed studies including education, sustainable development, environmental security and global governance.
One way The Millennium Project ensures their information is as comprehensive as possible is through Nodes – “groups of individuals and organisations that interconnect global and local perspectives.” Currently, there are no Nodes based in New Zealand, a potentially exciting idea for us here at Sustainable Future and any other interested organisations.
The Millennium Project’s 2008 State of the Future is so effective because despite alarming statistics it remains optimistic. Within the realm of futures writing it is all too easy to get weighed down by bleak and cynical facts, yet here, feasible solutions are offered to proposed problems making it a thought provoking and motivating read.
For more information watch our interview with Jerome C. Glenn, the director and cofounder of the project.
Reviewed by Lucy Foster, August 2008
The Way We Will Be 50 Years From Today
Edited By Mike Wallace
Thomas Nelson, $42.95
What is our vision for the future and how do we achieve it? This is the simple premise that inspired Mike Wallace to interview sixty of the most inspired thinkers and pose the provocative question, what is the shape of the future? The outcome is superb. In The Way We Will Be 50 Years from Today, Wallace has edited the responses into sixty short, accessible essays offering ideas that are fresh, challenging and above all, stimulate the imagination. Spanning multiple fields, the interviewees share their vision for the next half century in a combination of fear and hope. The responses are incredibly varied, yet the underlying theme that anything is possible is prevalent, as is the notion that it all depends on us and our actions in the present. These essays are relevant and applicable to all and the collection has a place on every book shelf.
Reviewed by Lucy Foster, July 2008
The One Thing You Need To Know: About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success
By Marcus Buckingham
Free Press, RRP $29.99
Marcus Buckingham, in “The One Thing You Need to Know”, describes what common elements he sees throughout examples of outstanding achievement in managing, leadership and career success. His ideas need not be confined to the office, however. The key to success in these areas can also be applied to one’s marriage, personal interactions, or in our case at Sustainable Future, even futures thinking. Buckingham emphasises the utmost importance of focus, arguing that core controlling insights are present in any situation; even the most complex. Identifying these insights will involve making a decision between what is “merely important” and what is “imperative”. This clarity will then enable decisions to be based upon a strong foundation, leading to precise action and results, and thus success. Losing sight of these insights, however, will undermine even the best efforts. Much more than just ‘management theory’, Buckingham’s clear, informed writing makes this book an enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, June 2008
Five Minds for the Future
By Howard Gardner
Harvard Business School Press, RRP $61.99
Five Minds is structured in five different parts, each representing a different “mind” that will “command a premium” in the years ahead. Each of these different minds will enable people to cope with the increasingly globalised and knowledge based society.
- The disciplined mind diligently employs the way of thinking associated with major scholarly disciplines, professions, and trades.
- The synthesising mind is one that is able to select crucial information and put it together in ways that make sense both to themselves and to others.
- The creating mind is able to go beyond the known, ask bold new questions, and model innovative new approaches.
- The respectful mind looks at how we relate, how we think about difference, and truly values diversity, beyond tolerance or political correctness.
- Finally, the ethical mind fulfills responsibility by striving simultaneously toward good work and good citizenship.
In suggesting how we are able to develop these minds, Gardner highlights the educational directions he believes are necessary. For example, it is schools which are charged with the responsibility of creating the “respectful mind”. The book is based around decades of research and draws upon a wealth of diverse examples to illustrate the resulting ideas. It also includes personal reflections from Gardner’s career that make the book funny and interesting to read.
Reviewed by Sarah Wilson and Willow Henderson, May 2008
In Defense of Food: The Myth of Nutrition and the Pleasures of Eating
By Michael Pollan
Allen Lane Publishing, $37
What to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health: a manifesto for our times Humans used to know how to eat well, Pollan argues. But the balanced dietary lessons that were once passed down through generations have been confused, complicated, and distorted by food industry marketers, nutritional scientists, and journalists- all of whom have much to gain from our dietary confusion. As a result, we face today a complex culinary landscape dense with bad advice and foods that are not “real.” These “edible foodlike substances” are often packaged with labels bearing health claims that are typically false or misleading.
Indeed, real food is fast disappearing from the marketplace, to be replaced by “nutrients,” and plain old eating by an obsession with nutrition that is, paradoxically, ruining our health, not to mention our meals.
Michael Pollan’s bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we might start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives and our palates and enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy.
Reviewed by Marcus at Unity Books, April 2008
The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World
By Alan Greenspan
Penguin Books, $65.
The combination of an increasingly globalised world economy and a change in the way we do business is rapidly changing the way the world works. In the long term, the sheer velocity of such change could lead us to just about anywhere. But in the short term, in 2030 for example, where will our world be? And what outcomes should we be trying to avoid?
Greenspan’s predictions suggest that the answer to achieving an increase in productivity lies in innovation and ideas. Greenspan suggests that ‘Creative Destruction’, the idea that in order for these new ideas to develop, old ones must be destroyed, offers us the path to success, yet we are anxiously turning away from it. “Confronted with the angst of the baneful side of creative destruction, virtually all of the developed world and an ever-increasing part of the developing world have elected to accept a lesser degree of material well-being in exchange for a reduction of competitive stress.”
Winston Churchill once said “The further backward you look, the further forward you can see.” Greenspan uses the gift of hindsight gained while holding the position of Chairman of the U.S Federal Reserve Board throughout the 1987 stock market crash, the boom and bust of the 90s, and the events surrounding 9/11, to look to the future of both the U.S and global economies.
Reviewed by Sarah Wilson and Willow Henderson, March 2008
Carbon Neutral by 2020: How New Zealanders Can Tackle Climate Change
Edited by Nikki Harre & Quentin D. Atkinson
Craig Potton Publishing, $35.
Climate change has become one of the central issues of our time, yet it is an issue weighed down by messages of doom and gloom and a pervasive sense of helplessness about how we should effectively respond. This book offers a positive response by presenting solutions from a range of New Zealand experts, all of whom show how we can rethink our current practices, mobilise people and put in place new ways of doing things that will help create a carbon neutral society here in the South Pacific.
The book is aimed at a general readership, both individuals and organisations, and it is hoped that it will be read by managers and employees in small and large businesses, people working in local government, community organisations, schools and tertiary institutions, as well as any citizen who is concerned and wants to do something positive. This is a timely, important book and a positive response to an absolutely critical issue from many of the best-informed people in New Zealand.
February 2008
Future Tense: The Coming World Order
By Gwynne Dyer
Scribe, pb $30
The central message of ‘Future Tense’ is that the foundations of World War III are being laid today. The whole world needs America to lose the war in Iraq as soon as possible, lest the stand-off between Islamists and American neo-conservatives escalates into a new global conflict.
Gwynne Dyer analyzes the history of tensions between the Arab world and the West and shows how fringe groups of extremists on both sides now feed off each other: terrorism in Western cities provides justification for military reprisals, which in turn strengthen the cause of Islamist fanatics. Dyer argues that unless America honours its commitment to the United Nations, the rule of law and multilateralism, then the drift back into alliances and military confrontations will begin and the world will edge toward the brink of disaster.
January 2008
Crimes Against Nature: Standing Up to Bush and the Kyoto Killers Who are Cashing In on Our World
By Robert F. Kennedy
Penguin Books, pb $28
In this powerful indictment of George W. Bush’s White House, environmental attorney Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., presents an impassioned, excoriating account of how Bush and big business are plundering the environment while taking corporate favoritism to unprecedented heights. He shows how, in a cabinet that boasts more CEOs than any in history, industry lobbyists wield unprecedented influence on policy; how the government has rolled back key environmental laws and suppressed reports on issues like global warming while covering up its true agenda with clever PR; and how everyone’s health and security worldwide are being sacrificed at the altar of profit.
Written in the belief that there’s another way, Crimes Against Nature powerfully makes the case for democracy against the corrosive effects of corporate corruption.
December 2007
Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet
By Mark Lynas
Fourth Estate, $35
Six degrees refers to the possibility that average global temperatures will rise by up to six degrees within the next hundred years. Utilizing highly up-to-date scientific research and political forecasting Lynas paints a reliable picture of how the collapse of our civilisation can unfold unless urgent action is taken. Most vitally, Lynas’ book serves to highlight the fact that the world of 2100 doesn’t have to be one of horror and chaos. With a little foresight, some intelligent strategic planning, and a reasonable dose of good luck, we can at least halt the catastrophic trend into which we have fallen — but the time to act is now.
November 2007
Reinventing Paradise: How NZ is Starting to Earn a Bigger, Sustainable Living in the World Economy
By Rod Oram
Penguin Books, trade paperback, $35.00
This collection of columns by the highly influential and award winning business journalist, Rod Oram, is essential reading for those interested in NZ place in the global market. Pulling together his writing over the last 7 years the collection shows how NZ has fared in the global economy and what opportunities & challenges lie ahead. Oram’s fascinating analysis, taking complex issues and making them not only understandable but compelling, reveals how NZ business and society can respond to global issues, such as global warming, peak oil and political instability, and develop a larger, enhanced and more sustainable living within the global community.
October 2007
The Upside of Down: Catastrophe Creativity & the Renewal of Civilization
By Thomas Homer-Dixon
Text Publishing, trade paperback $40.
This is not just a catalogue of crisis points and doom prophecy, “The Upside of Down” sets out a theory of the growth, crisis, and renewal of societies. Today’s converging energy, environmental, and political-economic stresses could cause a breakdown of national and global order. Yet there are things we can do now to keep such a breakdown from being catastrophic, some kinds of breakdown could even open up extraordinary opportunities for creative, bold and sustainable reform of our societies, if we’re prepared to seize these opportunities when they arise.
September 2007
Off the Grid Homes
By Lori Ryker
Gibbs Smith, $40
The follow-up volume to the successful “Off the Grid: Modern Homes + Alternative Energy”, Lori Ryker’s newest book looks at six contemporary architectural projects that integrate alternative technologies for generating and conserving energy. Being off the grid can refer to many different aspects of energy and resource independence, from rainwater collection, to photovoltaic (PV) systems, to gray-water systems and more. Diagrams and clear explanations of technologies and their appropriate applications are provided alongside the case studies that explain just how the technologies work and how they may best be applied to each individual situation.
August 2007
New Zealand Unleashed: The Country, Its Future & the People Who Will Get It There
Steven Carden with Campbell Murray
Random House NZ, paperback $40.
In this book Steven Carden doesn’t outline what New Zealand should do, rather he argues how New Zealand should be ; how we, as a country and culture, can thrive on the uncertainty of the future, rather than fear and resist it. To accomplish that, he examines aspects of biology, physics, psychology, New Zealand’s history, business and education. Divided into four parts- the End of Certainty, How to Build a Successful Society, New Zealand’s DNA, and A Few Ideas for a More Adaptive New Zealand, Carden describes how we can nurture these key traits to help build a stronger, more adaptive and sustainable country in the future.
July 2007
World Changing – A User’s Guide to the 21st Century
Edited by Alex Steffen
Abrams Publishing, Hardback, $70.00
An incredibly interactive book designed to allow, indeed empower, individuals to effect change. Based on the idea that it’s not enough to wait around for policy and top down decision making to dictate issues concerning sustainability and our future, instead that enabling individuals to contribute in a staggering number of ways is far for the better. From consumer consciousness to a new vision for industry; non-toxic homes to refugee shelters; microfinance to effective philanthropy; socially responsible investing to starting a green business; citizen media to human rights; ecological economics to climate change, this is the most comprehensive, cutting-edge overview to date of what’s possible in the near future — if we decide to make it so.
June 2007
Insatiable is not Sustainable
By Doug Brown
Greenwood Press, paperback, $47
In today’s culture of insatiable freedom, many believe that to be human is to be an insatiable self-actualizer. Yet insatiable is not sustainable. In order to solve today’s crisis of environmental sustainability–and human sustainability–we must let go of our obsession to constantly be more. The desire to have all that we can have comes, Brown argues, from a cultural norm that has evolved to become an economic, social, and moral imperative-that To Be is to achieve more, improve more, and insatiably have more, to the point of planetary extinction. Incorporating the views of classic scholars – Aristotle, J. S. Mill, Marx, Thorstein Veblen – into his own unique interpretation, Brown traces human history from the earliest hunters and gatherers through the emergence of capitalism and the evolution to today’s insatiable self and the culture of insatiable freedom. In conclusion, Brown argues cogently for the creation of a culture of sustainability, offering practical ways to achieve this goal.
May 2007
The Carbon Buster’s Home Energy Handbook
By Godo Stoyke
New Society Publishers, paperback. $29.00
Most people are unaware that environmental problems such as climate change can be easily mitigated, at a profit, on a personal level, through the intelligent application of appropriate technology. The Carbon Buster’s Handbook neatly describes how easily households can reduce their environmental footprint while saving very real amounts of money. Though targeted for the North American market it is still highly applicable to NZ and the rest of the world. The book allows individuals to quickly and accurately assess which products are a good deal and which aren’t. It systematically analyzes residential carbon emissions and energy costs and prioritizes solutions based on highest carbon reductions and monetary returns, yielding results that are often surprising. Readers are able to dramatically reduce their carbon emissions – far below the levels targeted under the Kyoto Protocol.This book allows us, as individuals, to effect change personally. An important responsibility and opportunity.
April 2007
Ecovillages: New Frontiers for Sustainability
By Jonathan Dawson
Green Books, $28.00
In recent years, ecovillages – local communities which aim to minimise their ecological impact but maximise human wellbeing and happiness – have proliferated worldwide. They incorporate a wealth of radical ideas and approaches which can be traced back to Schumacher, Gandhi, eco-feminism, and the alternative education movement. This briefing describes the history and potential of the ecovillage movement.
In an age of diminishing oil supplies, the Briefing examines the lessons that we can learn from ecovillages to show us how to live in a more ecologically sound and sustainable way.
March 2007
Black Earth White Bones
Chris Else
Vintage, $28 pb
It’s the summer of Pacific settings for NZ novels. Lloyd Jones’ Mister Pip, the runaway bestseller seen in most hands across NZ all January, is set in Bougainville. Like this month’s review title, it makes lucid and informed comment on the negative local effect of the Pacific phosphate mines within the main story. In BLACK EARTH WHITE BONES, set in the small fictitious nation of Ventiak. Chris Else enlarges the lens and the international investment structure is also under the spotlight. A financial scam is underway on the island, and the mining company attempts to court the novel’s protagonist, Kit Wallace. The dynamics are brilliantly portrayed. Kit – a NZ poet with avoidance problems – is running out of money, and his situation parallels that of Ventiak itself. Without prematurely revealing the plot, there are futher themes of interest to SustainableFuture readers in BLACK EARTH WHITE BONES. One is the Rage, which has been building for some time. This is the periodic rampage across the island by savage ants, wiping out whatever lies in their path. Great treatment! And truly thought provoking. A beach book with brains, releasing February 2.
February 2007
Confronting Climate Change
Edited by Ralph Chapman, Jonathan Boston and Margot Schwass
Victoria University Press, pb $40.00
For those who are tired of a climate change debate communicated through vague hand-waving gestures and pretty pictures, VUP’s Confronting Climate Change addresses the crucial debates with rigorous thinking and critical intellect. In this timely volume, some of the top minds from New Zealand and around the world present their perspectives, research and predictions regarding climate change as well as the opportunities and adaptations that await us in the next decade and beyond. Confronting can’t be beaten for academic insight and scholarly clout, and should be considered a necessity for anyone who wants to really get to grips with the truths of climate change and its impact on New Zealand.
January 2007
The Long Emergency
James Howard Kunstler
Atlantic, pb $30
Global warming has become increasingly prominent in our social consciousness in the past year and, as always, this brings an excess of literature to choose from. With this book, Kunstler cuts through the chaff by adopting a broader analysis of the impending dangers that our careless lust for progress has created. The author examines not only the phenomenon of global warming, but also the rise of such factors as famine and disease, water shortages and the resulting geopolitical conflicts, and the misleading myths surrounding alternative energy sources. The consequence of these disregarded dilemmas will manifest itself in the Long Emergency, the ultimate trial of our species where we must swallow our pride, accept the inefficiencies of our current policies, and adopt changes that put sustainability at the forefront in order to survive.
December 2006
A Short History of Progress
By Ronald Wright
Da Capo Press, pb $35
One of the central questions Wright seeks to answer in this concise and gripping work is, “Why, if civilizations so often destroy themselves, has the overall experiment of civilization done so well?” He tries to answer it, with some success, by describing ‘progress traps’ that confer success at the cost of sustainability. These progress traps often take the guise of cultural belief, an almost mythical beast that, with the correct sacrifices, offers a strange mix of immortality and wealth; the determined deforestation on Easter Island is a particularly chilling example of this. Wright bangs the old drum of ‘Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it” but he taps a compelling rhythm, one that takes a tired adage & transforms it into an urgent reality. A precise & extremely compelling work that inspires a desire to know more.
November 2006
