Who Rules the Earth has been a nice way to end out the semester. While many of the books we have read have been quite productive, most focus on how mismanaged environmental action is, the faults in common perceptions and schools of thought about the environment, and the disagreement sown throughout discussions dealing with environmental issues. In many ways Who Rules the Earth shares many of these trends. However, it does have a few key differences. While Who Rules the Earth does discuss many of the complex issues that at times seem almost impossible to solve, the book overall has an optimistic theme. This is not to say that the other works are not being productive or pessimistic, rather Who Rules the Earth will present a problem as well as thoughts on taking action. The common idea throughout the entire work is learning how to effectively take action.
In order to articulate this idea into arguable topics, the author dissects this common idea and turns it into a main argument that is just as prevalent throughout the text. Steinberg makes the argument that institutions are building blocks of not only our society but our global economy and can take the form of everything from a Nuclear family, to international government coalitions. Steinberg agrees that even things like “markets for buying and selling goods are themselves institutions” (Steinberg 2015, 103). The books argues that we have to understand and adapt to these intuitions in any form they take whether they are laws, regulations, design standards or legal agreements (Steinberg 2015, 229). In addition to engaging these many different types of institutions, the author urges the reader to remember that our current environmental victories were due to previous generation’s collective actions (Steinberg 2015, 219). Steinberg discusses how as individuals we can’t do much, but as a collective group engaging the syste, shifts can occur.
I think in terms of making me consider how to take action in my scholarly and personal life Who Rules the Earth had been by far the most instructional for me personally. Coming into 160 I definitely subscribed to the idea think globally act locally, and while I think that is still a good sentiment, I definitely agree with the author that it is way too simplistic of a concept to base one’s environmental action around. I think the lessons that I will take are not only the knowledge that regulation can in fact be beneficial for everyone, without sacrificing efficiency. A lot of more conservative people from home tend to be very against regulation, but being able to have an interesting and productive conversation about its benefits is something I think I will be able to draw on a lot. Another lesson I will take away from this book is that Focusing specifically on one area to engage action in might not actually be the best way to go about evoking change. If Who Rules the Earth has taught me anything it is that in order to evoke change many people have to work on many levels to as an effect.
Works Cited
- Steinberg, Paul. 2015. Who Rules the Earth. New York: Oxford University Press.