Our Global Crisis: “We’ll Never Run Out!” received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Brian D. McLean.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Our Global Crisis: “We’ll Never Run Out!” September 28th, 2024
What’s the book’s first line?
Humans stand at the pinnacle of evolutionary success.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Our Global Crisis takes a critical look at the current woes facing our global socioeconomic society and the planet, yet it does so from a unique perspective. While common issues, such as climate change, sustainability, and so on, are discussed, the focal point is the cause of those problems, humanity itself. Much of the content concerns human nature and our evolutionary journey and reveals certain characteristics of human behaviour that consistently lead us to treat the planet and its resources the way we do. Most importantly, by gaining a better understanding of who we are as a species, several possibilities become evident as to how we can alter our future to avoid the dire scenarios facing our planet.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
The inspiration for Our Global Crisis did not occur through a single event or thought. In fact, it evolved slowly over the course of the last decade of the 20th century. Throughout my life I have had the good fortune of being able to take a step back from objects and processes in motion and observe “the big picture”. In most cases, I can usually ascertain fairly readily where problems may occur, and if they are already present, what is causing them.
Towards the end of the 20th century, I began to take an interest in our planet’s future as I could see that our global society was increasingly becoming a threat to its own long-term survival, and that our then current approach to remediate the situation was going to be insufficient to change the outcome. At that point, I decided to observe humanity and the workings of our socioeconomic society to see if I could make any meaningful contribution to saving our society and the planet. It was those observations that led to this book.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Watching the day-to-day affairs of our global society unfold as they do, including our treatment of Earth and its resources, I am reminded of patrons at an “all you can eat buffet.” While they may leave happy and content, having satisfied their appetites with a bountiful assortment of food items, are they aware of the waste, the spoilage, or how little remains in the kitchen by day’s end?
I can never quite get that picture out of my head. I look at what we are doing to the planet, our global buffet, and realize that should our behaviour go unchanged, then the outcome is inevitable. Our planet is finite, our resources will run out. If we do not want this to be the outcome for our species then we all need to change, not tomorrow, but today.
At the very least, I would like people to read this book and come away with the understanding that everyone is both part of the problem and part of the solution, for the many issues in the world today. Ideally, I hope that those who read Our Global Crisis will be moved enough to make changes in their lives and behaviours, and in the lives of those around them; changes that cumulatively benefit the health of our global society, this planet, and Life itself.
When did you first decide to become an author?
To be perfectly honest, I never had any intention of becoming an author. While I love to read, obsessively in fact, putting my thoughts on paper has always been a difficult process. Each and every word is carefully considered, and I have been known to spend several days on a single sentence, just to make it fit perfectly.
Before Our Global Crisis was even a consideration, I had spent nearly a decade observing the ongoings of humanity and the workings of our global socioeconomic society, to satisfy questions I had about the future survival of our species.
It was only when I came to the realization that my findings should be shared with others, that I began compiling my thoughts and observations, and began thinking of publishing a book. To be truthful, even though a book was forming in my mind, another seven years would pass before I felt I had acquired enough knowledge to present my findings and conclusions about humanity’s relationship with Earth and Life, and what I believed to be the ultimate cause of the problems we currently face.
Even then, it required another 16 years of writing to bring Our Global Crisis to a level that I thought necessary to properly convey the knowledge and message I wanted to share with society.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes, this is my first book, and although I have included only a selection of the material that I have collected over the years, I doubt there will be another book in my future. If you do not include the decade that I spent on understanding humanity’s relationship with Earth and the biosphere, this book has required some 22 years of my time to complete. At this point, I feel that I have done all that I can to enlighten humanity for the benefit of our species.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
Actually, I am fortunate, as I am retired and in pretty good health. As such, and because I do not think that writing a book is an adequate commitment towards saving the planet, I now spend much of my time outdoors restoring riparian and temperate forest ecosystems affected by clearcut forestry practices. As that tends to take a lot out of me, during my downtime I also dabble in landscape photography, stargazing, and astrophotography.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
Now that Our Global Crisis has been published, I have returned to making notes for my own personal usage, on an as needed basis. However, while I was working on my book, on those days when everything “fell into place”, I was probably actively writing for about four hours a day.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
I think the best part of being an indie author is being able to accomplish what I wanted to do on my terms, on a timeline of my choosing. I am a deep thinker and a bit of a careful writer, and that requires time to complete. I do not think clearly if I cannot dedicate the time that I think is necessary to complete my work to my satisfaction. That said, being an indie has its drawbacks too. Staying focused and committed can be difficult at times, and when difficulties arise, say with getting your book published, it can be problematic to connect with someone who can help you or provide mentorship.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Stay focused and committed to your project: See it through to completion. I think, that in itself, is probably the greatest reward.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
I have never been motivated by either fame or fortune, for I have never had a desire for either. My only reason for writing Our Global Crisis is that, in some small way, I thought that I might be able to give something back to this planet we call home. For we treat it poorly and have taken too much from it.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
I have been fascinated for years with the writings of Jared Diamond. His works are thought provoking and compel us to take a deeper look at who we are as a species.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
This should come as no surprise. I would be equally happy to have written either Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Society or Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Both works are by Jared Diamond.