In Who Rules the Earth?, author Paul F. Steinberg argues that in order to make real (and lasting!) environmental changes, we must change the very rules that we live by, as opposed to only making changes at an individual scale. In this sense, as a society, we are governed by social rules that Steinberg refers to as institutions. Although these social rules dictate our lives, we are often prone to overlooking them, as Steinberg makes incredibly clear when he offers his reader a chance to take a simple walk on the beach. In doing so, the author sheds lights on the abundance of institutions that we are surrounded by, such as the public trust doctrine or the US Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, which work towards both allowing public beach access and protecting the coasts throughout this country (Steinberg 2015, 21).
After establishing that, indeed, our world is completely governed by these institutions, Steinberg discusses their pros and cons in the line, “At their best, social rules protect human rights and promote long-lasting prosperity. At their worst, social rules comprise elaborate systems for the subjugation of entire peoples and promote the pursuit of the quick buck regardless of the cost to our economy and our ecology” (Steinberg 2015, 26). On a lighter note, however, Steinberg admits that the possession of power by anyone (whether it be an individual or a group) is only temporary. Many of the rules that we live by today were established by people who are long gone! Because of this, I think that it’s safe to say that ghosts are currently flying the plane. But maybe ghosts aren’t all that bad, as our friend Casper proved. Steinberg goes on to beautifully point out that, “The question before us is not whether change is possible. Change is ubiquitous. The question, rather, is who is participating in the process” (Steinberg 2015, 59), which, I think, supports this friendly-ghost theory. If enough people with the right motives (who don’t ‘promote the pursuit of the quick buck regardless of the cost to our economy and our ecology,’ as was mentioned earlier), are fighting for institutional change, our ghosts, who may govern the lives of future generations, could very well prove to be friendly.
Delving further into institutional changes, Steinberg argues that we must “think vertically,” or act along the vertical structures of institutions because, “tackling these unruly problems requires that we include in our field of vision multiple levels of political organization…” (Steinberg 2015, 162). Steinberg then defends his suggestion when he states, “if we are serious about promoting sustainability–if we wish to move beyond the current infatuation with green consumerism, and tackle the underlying causes of environmental problems–we cannot confine our energies to one level of governance” (Steinberg 2015, 163).
After reading this book, I feel a strong sense of hope. Before, I was often discouraged because I felt that, realistically, individual-scale action wouldn’t really add up in enough time to “save the world!” But, as Steinberg points out in his final chapter, everyone should continue with their individual actions, but keep in mind that institutional action is necessary. “It is a matter of balance, complementing these everyday acts of individual conscience with larger actions that promote social change” (Steinberg 2015, 278). In terms of moving forward, I think that it is important that I spread awareness and a sense of hope to others of my generation, as someday our ghosts will bear a heavy weight on the lives of future generations.
References:
Steinberg, Paul F. 2015. Who Rules the Earth?: How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.