Jeremy Lent in conversation with Stuart Cowan
City Lights and Melville House present
Jeremy Lent
discussing his new book
Ecocivilization: Making a World that Works for All
Published by Melville House
It has often been said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism—and yet that is what the historical moment urgently calls for. Climate change has reached an emergency state, inequality continues to grow, and, for many, the future has never seemed more bleak. Incremental policy improvements are no longer enough—we need a deep transformation of our current civilization to continue to survive.
In Ecocivilization, leading thinker Jeremy Lent reimagines the basis of our civilization, and argues for a new global system of living, one based on life-affirming principles modeled after nature’s own design. What enfolds is a robust framework incorporating Lent’s own expertise, and the lived experiences of those on the ground already putting ecological civilization’s core tenants into practice—justice, mutuality, diversity, and symbiosis.
From the global economy to universal housing and income, from infrastructure to agriculture, every major aspect of our society could be redesigned to work together as a coherent whole, setting the conditions for all people to flourish. Ecocivilization shows how this future on a regenerated Earth is not only desirable, but entirely feasible.
Jeremy Lent, described by Guardian journalist George Monbiot as “one of the greatest thinkers of our age,” is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis, and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. He is the author of the books The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning and The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe. He is the founder of the Deep Transformation Network, a global community exploring pathways to an ecological civilization, and the nonprofit Liology Institute, dedicated to fostering an integrated worldview that could enable humanity to thrive sustainably on the Earth. He lives with his partner in Berkeley, California.
Stuart Cowan brings 25 years of experience as a planetary strategist, ecological designer, systems scientist, and regenerative economist. Stuart currently serves as Executive Director of Buckminster Fuller Institute, where he launched the BFI Innovation Lab + Venture Studio to support a cohort of about 10 initiatives centering planetary thriving, ranging from life-centered AI to bioregional-scale regeneration.
Praise for the work of Jeremy Lent
“We need to think big—the crisis we’re in demands nothing less. And this book does just that, understanding the climate crisis as both a symptom of a degraded system, and a possible entry into building something fresh and new. It will fire your imagination.” —Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future
“A passionate book that takes us though our past, present, and most importantly, the future we can, and must, create.” —Riane Eisler, author of The Real Wealth of Nations
“Lent’s Ecocivilization is a magnificent undertaking, a brilliantly informed guide through the past and into radically different futures. He shows that humanity is indeed at a turning point in its story, and he summons us to a great project. A must-read.” —James Gustave Speth, co-founder, Natural Resources Defense Council
“Jeremy Lent’s book is not only an insightful analysis of our present social, political, economic, and ecological challenges, it is a vital call toward transformation of our Earth community. It highlights a major paradigm shift toward a viable future in the aspirations of ecological civilization. This book will be a critical compass in leading the way toward a generative movement of movements.” —Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-director, Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology; co-author of Journey of the Universe
“We are stuck in a morass of our own making—a violence-prone civilization intent on destroying its life support systems. Jeremy Lent has been to the mountaintop and here describes a far better, more human and humane civilization on the horizon. The primary impediment to better possibilities is vision without which we will surely perish. Ecocivilization is about visionary imagination that builds on our inherently social disposition and our affinity for justice. It is, however, a compass, not an itinerary that points toward practical possibilities: an ecological civilization calibrated to a planet with an ecosphere. This is an important book and deserves close reading, debate, and action.” —David Orr, author of Ecological Literacy: Education and the Transition to a Postmodern World
“Our civilization is coming to an end. And thus: It is high time we aimed at co-creating or returning to eco-civilization … I see there as being no higher calling than following this aim. This book is an intellectually impressive and impassioned guide to what it actually could look like.” —Rupert Read,co-director, Climate Majority Project; author of Why Climate Breakdown Matters
“Jeremy Lent is a radical thinker and an eco-activist. His book Ecocivilization is a constructive critique of current predicament of humanity and an inspiring vision for a new paradigm. The book makes a compelling case to make a shift from the industrial and commercial civilization to an ecological civilization in which humanity can live at ease with itself and also live in harmony with our precious planet Earth. This life-affirming worldview presented by Jeremy Lent in this book is urgently needed to insure the well-being of present as well as the future generations.” —Satish Kumar, founder, Schumacher College
This event is made possible by support from the City Lights Foundation.