The idea of progress is a relatively knew idea within the history of humans. The idea of progress is fundamental to the ideas of Capitalism and economic growth. Many Americans blindly believe that of progress, economic growth, and Capitalism are leading to the betterment of humans. If one carefully reads the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report, it states that CO2 (and other greenhouse gasses) emissions are driving global warming and thus climate change. That report also says that economic growth and population growth are driving those emissions.
Climate change is one of the "progress traps" Wright is talking about. Progress does not inexorably lead to the betterment of humans. Nor do growth economies, including Capitalism. Wright helps readers see the big pictures of how humans have interacted with the Earth in ways that destroy civilizations and threatens to ruin our host, Earth.
The Myth of Progress by Tom Wessells is another good book about progress.
- File Size: 1651 KB
- Print Length: 224 pages
- Publisher: Da Capo Press (March 17, 2009)
- Publication Date: March 17, 2009
- Language: English
- ASIN: B001JAHG98
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Text-to-Speech:
Enabled
- Word Wise: Enabled
- Lending: Not Enabled
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Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#351,737 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #277 in Ancient Early Civilization History
- #454 in History of Anthropology
- #625 in Cultural Anthropology (Kindle Store)
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