The Long View

This is the one book that explains why humans have become poor at understanding the passage of time and how we can change fast to plan for a shared future.

“Living in the age we do, we have never before had such leverage to shape the trajectory of the future, with so little collective recognition of that fact,” writes Richard Fisher. 

"The future is not what it used to be," remarks Richard Fisher – just one of the snappy sound-bites that make this book an absorbing read rather than a moral diatribe about protecting future generations.

An investigative journalist, Fisher presents the philosophy of longtermism and its urgency for resolving the threats posed by global warming, artificial intelligence, and genetic engineering. But he also explores cultural attitudes towards time and the scientific reasons why human beings prioritise short-term pay-offs over long-term benefits. Best of all for me are the memorable anecdotes when he wanders off piste.

In The Long View, Richard Fisher provides a kaleidoscopic view of mental time travel. The book dives into the history of long-term thinking and explores its many facets, including the economic forces and political pressures that drive people to focus on the here and now. We learn about the psychology of foresight, but also about how foresight can be channeled by religion, philosophy, and art. Despite the huge range of topics, Fisher pulls together a clear-headed analysis that will serve as a powerful counterweight to the short-termism he aptly diagnoses in the opening sections of the book. Fisher writes… show more.