Civilization Critical

Civilization Critical: Energy, food, nature, and the future by Darrin Qualman, 2019, Fernwood Publishing.

“Civilization Critical: Energy, Food, Nature, and the Future” by Darrin Qualman appears to be a thought-provoking and ambitious examination of our global mega-civilization and its relationship with energy, food, and the natural world. The book aims to help readers understand the construction, fueling, and piloting of this “vast and soaring thing” into which more than seven billion people are “now strapped”.

Qualman argues that our current petro-industrial consumerist civilization is unique, not merely a more advanced version of previous societies, but “wholly new — in its structures, processes, trajectory, and speed”. He emphasises that it represents a break from the patterns and flows of natural systems and pre-industrial civilizations. The book seeks to convey a sense of wonder at this complex contrivance while also exploring its “design flaws and structural cracks”.

A central theme seems to be the contrast between circular flows in natural systems and the linear flows that characterize modern eCivilization, particularly in areas like food production. The book examines how we have shifted from energy derived from “carbohydrates, not hydrocarbons” to a reliance on “100-million-year-old sunlight captured by long-gone plants”. This transition to linear systems, fuelled by fossil fuels, is presented as a key driver of eCivilization’s development.

Qualman adopts a systematic approach, studying “civilizational geometry and civilizational mechanics, focusing on patterns, systems, core connections, basic flows, shapes, and theory”. He aims to develop new unifying ideas about the functioning of both civilizational and natural systems and their interface. The book also positions itself as a practical handbook, using concrete examples from everyday life and history to illustrate its theories. Examples range from food production and energy use to the evolution of consumer culture and the impacts of technology.

The author draws upon a wide range of intellectual influences, acknowledging debts to thinkers such as Ronald Wright, Howard and Eugene Odum, Vaclav Smil, David Christian, and Tony Wrigley, among many others. This suggests a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on history, ecology, economics, and other fields to understand civilization’s past, present, and potential future.

The book is structured into several parts, beginning with an examination of “Loops, Lines, and Webs: The Shapes and Flows of Civilizations and Ecosystems”. It delves into specific aspects like circular flows in food production, linear flows, assembly lines, and waste. Later sections explore “Complexity, Time, and Feedback Loops” and “Governance and Direction,” suggesting an analysis of civilizational dynamics and the challenges of guiding our complex systems. The final part focuses on “Sustainability and Solutions,” indicating an intention to address how a successor to eCivilization might become sustainable.

Qualman is critical of the term “sustainability” due to its overuse and debasement, opting instead to outline the necessary transformations, including circular material flows, contemporary solar energy sources, and systems local in space and time. He stresses that the “absolutely vital first step” is to cease actions that worsen our situation.

Overall, “Civilization Critical” appears to be a comprehensive and critical analysis of the fundamental drivers and characteristics of modern civilization, emphasizing its unprecedented nature and its intricate relationship with the natural world. It aims to provide both theoretical understanding and practical insights relevant to navigating the future. The author’s acknowledgement of numerous intellectual debts suggests a well-researched and considered perspective. The book seems relevant to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the interconnected challenges facing our global society.