In OUR GLOBAL CRISIS, a carefully researched and hugely detailed volume, author Brian D. McLean looks at the history of humanity: the civilizations that blossomed and then collapsed. By focusing closely on the catastrophes of the past, McLean seeks to guide a path that could avert the imminent disasters of climate change, overpopulation, and food scarcity and security.
McLean begins with a fascinating chapter titled “A Resource Lost: How to Squander Nature’s Gifts.” This chapter details the tragic story of humanity’s annihilation of the passenger pigeon, which was reduced from a population of 3-5 billion to extinction in a little over 300 years. He uses this as an example of humankind’s propensity for short-sighted over-exploitation and chronic mismanagement of the Earth and its natural resources. Later in the book, he presents a similar inspection of what happened on Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Rapa Nui existed in isolation, which, the author asserts, can be viewed as similar to how Earth in its entirety exists in a contained isolation. Their society was rich and sophisticated, and its success depended on maintaining a fine balance of limited resources. By overusing certain resources, the Rapa Nui instigated their own demise.
Though McLean stresses that it is not the threats to a society that the book focuses on, but rather the causes of those threats, his conclusion as to what that cause may be is crystal clear: humanity itself. He asks a vital question: “Do we have the desire and the willingness to change, not only our society, but the very nature of who we are? Changes that will allow us to thrive and adapt to realities we face as we enter the Anthropocene era.”
McLean identifies certain evolutionary traits that once enabled humans to forge ahead, regardless of the consequences. He writes: “Our single-minded determination to accomplish our goals, overcome obstacles, and press onward has always been a part of our salvation, but if we are not exceedingly careful, it could also be a source of our undoing.” His concern is that, without attempting to adapt and subvert this inclination, the end of our civilization is inevitable.
McLean has been working on this book for many years. And though much of OUR GLOBAL CRISIS is dense and slow-moving, it is always fascinating. He is meticulous in explaining his theories and ideas. While the book is full of dire warnings about impending disasters, the author concludes with a glimmer of hope: “If Earth and Life are to survive, each of us will need to make sacrifices, for the lifestyles we seek are no longer possible. It is time to adapt. It is time for us to evolve.”
OUR GLOBAL CRISIS is a comprehensive and fascinating study of the state of the planet. Author Brian D. McLean skillfully uses historical examples to highlight what is happening now and what could happen next. Difficult ideas are tackled in clear, confident prose, and though not all readers will agree with the author’s conclusions, they can be certain he has done extensive, well-sourced research.
~Kent Lane for IndieReader