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Grand Transitions

How the Modern World Was Made

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Grand Transitions

By: Vaclav Smil
Narrated by: Robert Fass
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About this listen

What makes the modern world work? The answer to this deceptively simple question lies in four "grand transitions" of civilization - in populations, agriculture, energy, and economics - that have transformed the way we live.

Societies that have undergone all four transitions emerge into an era of radically different population dynamics, food surpluses (and waste), abundant energy use, and expanding economic opportunities. Simultaneously, in other parts of the world, hundreds of millions remain largely untouched by these developments.

Through erudite storytelling, Vaclav Smil investigates the fascinating and complex interactions of these transitions. He argues that the moral imperative to share modernity's benefits has become more acute with increasing economic inequality, but addressing this imbalance would make it exceedingly difficult to implement the changes necessary for the long-term preservation of the environment. Thus, managing the fifth transition - environmental changes from natural-resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and global warming - will determine the success or eventual failure of the grand transitions that have made the world we live in today.

©2021 Oxford University Press (P)2021 Tantor 20th Century Business Development Business Development & Entrepreneurship Ecology Modern Natural Resources Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Business Thought-Provoking
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I liked his thoroughness and his mostly unbiased and scientific approach, but it was hard to listen to so many numbers continuously and i think he should make the examples more down to earth like he did in the first chapter.
It really gave an amazing perspective on what the modern world is though and how we got here.
I also think he is biased against climate action and veganism and dismisses them without giving proper attention to why they’re necessary.

Biased against climate action, needs more effort to make the numbers digestible

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