This polemical book examines the concept of sustainability and presents a critical exploration of its all-pervasive influence on society, arguing that sustainability, manifested in several guises, represents a pernicious and corrosive doctrine that has survived primarily because there seems to be no alternative to its in effect, its bi-partisan appeal has depressed critical engagement and neutered politics. It is a malign philosophy of misanthropy, low aspirations and restraint. This book argues for a destruction of the mantra of sustainability, removing its unthinking status as orthodoxy, and for the reinstatement of the notions of development, progress, experimentation and ambition in its place. Al Gore insists that the 'debate is over', while musician K.T. Tunstall, spokesperson for Global Cool, a campaign to get stars to minimize their carbon footprint, says so many people are getting involved that it is becoming really quite uncool not to be involved. This book will say that it might not be cool, but it is imperative to argue against the moralizing of politics so that we can start to unpick the contemporary world of restrictive, sustainable practices.

Williams, Austin

Amphora Press

bungee books

Exeter, UK, Charlottesville, VA, England, 2008

United Kingdom and Ireland, United Kingdom

May 1, 2008

INTRODUCTION
Part One
1. THE OPT-OUTS
Energy and the end of universal provision
2. THE NEW PAROCHIALISTS
Transport and mobility denied
3. THE LIMIT-SETTERS
Architecture’s loss of humanity
4. THE INDOCTRINATORS
Environmental educators’ underhand tactics
5. THE PESSIMISTS
Putting the brakes on China and India
6. THE NEW COLONIALISTS
The Developing World’s sustainable underdevelopment
7. THE MISANTHROPISTS
America’s unease with Modernity
CONCLUSION: RECLAIMING THE FUTURE

This polemical book examines the concept of sustainability and presents a critical exploration of its all-pervasive influence on society. My proposition is that 'sustainability, manifested in several guises, represents a pernicious and corrosive doctrine that has survived primarily because there seems to be no alternative to its canon: in effect, its bi-partisan appeal has depressed critical engagement and neutered politics. It is a malign philosophy of misanthropy, low aspirations and restraint. This book argues for a destruction of the mantra of sustainability, removing its unthinking status as orthodoxy, and for the reinstatement of the notions of development, progress, experimentation and ambition in its place. Al Gore insists that the 'debate is over'. While musician KT Tunstall, spokesperson for Global Cool, a campaign to get stars to minimize their carbon footprint, says 'so many people are getting involved that it is becoming really quite uncool not to be involved'. This book will say that it might not be cool, but it is imperative to argue against the moralizing of politics so that we can start to unpick the contemporary, moralistic world of restrictive, sustainable practices. The debate is not over

<p>This polemical book examines the concept of sustainability and presents a critical exploration of its all-pervasive influence on society, arguing that sustainability, manifested in several guises, represents a pernicious and corrosive doctrine that has survived primarily because there seems to be no alternative to its canon: in effect, its bi-partisan appeal has depressed critical engagement and neutered politics. It is a malign philosophy of misanthropy, low aspirations and restraint. This book argues for a destruction of the mantra of sustainability, removing its unthinking status as orthodoxy, and for the reinstatement of the notions of development, progress, experimentation and ambition in its place. Al Gore insists that the ?debate is over?. while musician K.T. Tunstall, spokesperson for ?Global Cool?, a campaign to get stars to minimize their carbon footprint, says ?so many people are getting involved that it is becoming really quite uncool not to be involved?. This book will s</p>

"This book explores the all-pervasive influence of sustainability and environmentalism in modern society. From architecture to transport, from foreign policy to domestic ideology this book demonstrates that sustainability represents a pernicious and corrosive doctrine that has survived primarily because there seems to be no alternative to its canon. In effect, sustainability's bi-partisan appeal has depressed critical engagement and neutered politics." "Sustainability is a malign philosophy of misanthropy, low aspirations and restraint. This book argues for a destruction of the 'sustainable' prefix, removing its unthinking status as a contemporary orthodoxy, and for the reinstatement of the notions of real development, progress, experimentation and ambition in its place."--BOOK JACKET

This polemical book examines the concept of sustainability and presents a critical exploration of its all-pervasive influence on society.
Comments:
‘A much needed diagnosis of the bleak anti-human pathology sometimes described as environmentalism’
Dominic Lawson, columnist for The Independent
‘A very persuasive contribution by a thoughtful subversive.'
Prof Frank Furedi, author of ‘Politics of Fear’ and ‘Where Have All the Intellectuals Gone’
'Austin Williams has a gift for lobbing well-directed grenades.'
Philippe Legrain, author 'Immigrants: Your Country Needs Them'

"In 1933, Chicago celebrated its centenary with an International Exposition entitled ‘A Century of Progress’. It was held to commend the ‘progress of civilisation" that had...

156, [8] p. ; 21 cm
Includes bibliographical references and index

2023-06-28