Paul F. Steinberg explains how those of us who want to make a difference should go about doing it in his book, Who Rules the Earth?. He does so in an enlightening and thought-provoking manner that clearly articulates where we have failed in the past and what we must do now.
Steinberg argues that in order to protect the future of our planet, we must act institutionally, which requires us to address the social rules that visibly and invisibly control our day to day lives. According to Steinberg, “social rules can be understood in terms of these three R’s: roles (“As a consumer,…”), rights (“you can return this item…”), and responsibilities (“in good condition within 30 days with proof of purchase”)” (Steinberg 2015, 27). In regard to climate change, these three R’s apply because countries have responsibility to control greenhouse gas emissions, but their roles and rights become entangled when this responsibility is placed next to the developing economy and national sovereignty. Furthermore, this discussion revolving social rules leads us to confront the issue of power, which at many times seems out of our hands or impossible to overcome. Steinberg states that subscribing to the idea that we are powerless only limits our potential. Too often we are not aware of the alternative options, but when we organize for change we are able to dismantle this power. He calls us all to become involved when he states that “Participation is fundamental to the exercise of power” (Steinberg 2015, 247).
Steinberg does not argue that institutions with power act only as a blockade to creating change, in fact he illustrates that government matters because it controls the efficacy of environmental policy and acts as a major force behind technological change. However, governments are limited when attempting to create global legislation or treaties that protect the forests or reduce greenhouse gas emissions because there is no international government to enforce these rules. While this may be confusing to grasp- whether or not institutions are beneficial, it illustrates another one of Steinberg’s main arguments we must think and act at multiple levels, or think vertically. He stresses that we need to rethink our common beliefs, and that “to think locally and act globally is just plain wrong. It is far too simplistic in its portrayal of the sources of environmental problems and the solutions at our disposal” (Steinberg 2015, 163). We must realize that many of our common beliefs are misconceptions and will not change the world. These ideas include: major breakthroughs happen on their own, environmental conditions automatically improve as societies grow richer, government regulation limits our solutions to environmental problems, and that if all make small-scale lifestyle changes and greener consumer choices the we can save the planet. Rather we should follow the eight principles of institutional action that Steinberg concludes with, some of which were mentioned previously, but include: think long-term and ask why questions, bridge research and action, build unconventional coalitions by cultivating diverse opinions, create public value, learn from successes and fails of others, cultivate process expertise, think vertically, and lastly keep recycling (Steinberg 2015). Steinberg’s arguments are composed of complex, interconnected ideas that ultimately seem to offer an improved, alternative path to how we must think and act to create change in the world.
This book has many profound ideas that are completely new to me, in fact at times Steinberg’s arguments completely oppose my own beliefs. However, I found this text to be one of my favorites of the semester. After reading it I feel properly equipped to think and act in such a way that will actually promote change. I must think critically and focus on confronting the many complexities that are involved in taking action, rather than simplifying them and therefore limiting what I can do. This can be applied to all academic areas- you cannot just get away with knowing the bare minimum, you have to learn the details in order to fully understand what you are studying. In a broader sense, I learned that institutions are unavoidable. They control an overwhelming amount of our daily lives, whether we know it or want them to and as a result we must participate in this power rather than ignore it. Over the past few weeks we have stressed institutional action and although many scholars support it, I doubted that big companies or the government would actually listen. However, Steinberg offered many instances of when an individual was able to find a voice among these institutions, proving the potential and effectiveness of participation. The thought processes Steinberg employs are necessary in becoming a critical, respected, and knowledgeable scholar and citizen.
Works Cited
Steinberg, Paul F. 2015. Who Rules the Earth? How Social Rules Shape Our Planet and Our Lives. New York, United States: Oxford University Press.