I do stand by that the end of the book does become repetitive in messaging and tone, and that Walker's views on industrial effects on society and the environment are extremely pessimistic.can you blame him? As much as I would love to believe that things could change, in my almost six years of studying environmental sciences and seeing how the public views climate change, I'm pessimistic about it too! And this book proves how long these industrial pollutings have been ingrained in our society, and does a good job at mirroring this events to the events of our modern day. Walker does an incredible job recounting the histories in this book while also making it engaging to read throughout the majority of the book. I think the true value of this book is in its historical perspective. However, since the end of my semester I have gone back and picked at the book on occasion on my own time, I came out the second way around a bit more positive than before. In fact, I outright disliked this book because I believed it to be extremely pessimistic in tone, lacking in the appropriate science and almost pretentious at times due to how Walker explains some of his arguments in a "holier-than-thou" tone. I originally read this for a project in my Environmental Toxicology class, and the initial reaction I had toward Toxic Archipelago was.not good. Recommended reading for anticiv anarchists, optimists, pessimists, people who are going to be underwater in 8 years, people who believe things can be fixed. If this book isn't relevant to the times we live in, none that touch on these important concerns are.
I was terrified that he was going to end on the positive notes I mentioned before that almost every book that touches on environmental subjects does, instead it left on a beautiful note that defied that dichotomy of positive and negative. The results are stunning, even when he repeats himself and refers to other chapters, which usually can be annoying and distracting. Walker compares his writing to Hmong storytelling, which meanders and at times things that seem to be unconnected, actually are, if one can connect the pieces of the puzzle. If he wanted to go work in one, they already exist, but of course there's a reason nobody wants to live near those things.
#BRETT WALKER TOXIC ARCHIPELAGO HOW TO#
But who works the mines, slaves in the factories and ultimately suffers because of mankind's constant hunger? Recently someone tried to tell me we need collectivized power plants! I didn't know how to respond to that idiocy. These stories are not just indictments against 'bad corporations', but the entire nation building project, including the massive militaries that have been amassed. In the US we are relatively privileged, but there are plenty of places (Richmond, CA for example, site of a Shell oil refinery) that cause the same kinds of pain associated with the kinds of industrial diseases discussed in this book.
The population of the world is already unsustainable, and the proof is all around us.
Consumption won't slow down, even with all the regulations governments could enact, which spells doom for us. I especially hate optimism when all the evidence points to disaster, but you are still told "there's still time." What does that mean anyway? Assuming time was relevant, how do we know we do still have time? At this point we can only sit back and watch.
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