The Birth of the Anthropocene

by Jeremy Davies

The world faces an environmental crisis unprecedented in human history. Carbon dioxide levels have reached heights not seen for three million years, and the greatest mass extinction since the time of the dinosaurs appears to be underway. Such far-reaching changes suggest something the beginning of a new geological epoch. It has been called the Anthropocene. The Birth of the Anthropocene shows how this epochal transformation puts the deep history of the planet at the heart of contemporary environmental politics. By opening a window onto geological time, the idea of the Anthropocene changes our understanding of present-day environmental destruction and injustice. Linking new developments in earth science to the insights of world historians, Jeremy Davies shows that as the Anthropocene epoch begins, politics and geology have become inextricably entwined.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Environment, Academic, Nature, History

248 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Jeremy Davies is made of ink, but don’t dip a feather in him. It tickles. He once painted a fingernail black and no one really noticed. He was disappointed.

He’s also an editor, a religious atheist, a liker of strong coffees, a Shakespeare-lover, a political anarchist and someone who rarely has a pen when he needs one. He has been a PhD candidate, a personal trainer, a life model, a bouncer, an infantry soldier and someone who rarely had a pen when he needed one.

He has had words published in a variety of places, in a variety of publications, in a variety of forms, in a variety of moments: Canada, Wet Ink, SMS and twelve minutes past three in the afternoon being some of these.

His first novel Missing Presumed Undead will be re-published by Satalyte Publishing in February 2014, with more to be written.

Reviews

[Marisa Markowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, The Birth of the Anthropocene lays a great foundation for becoming more aware. It's a great start to learning more about how our actions impact the world, and it definitely sparks beneficial conversation.

Davies recognizes that Earth as we know it is not how our ancestors knew it - first by establishing a difference between the Holocene and the Anthropocene, the two epochs in earth’s history including human life. Additionally, descriptions of past epochs depict the instability of Earth throughout time, drawing special attention to the six major extinctions that have occurred. …(Will humans be a part of the seventh?)…

Davies also accurately portrays opposing opinions, with a slight sense of sarcasm, that helps readers understand differing perspectives. He addresses concerns like the inaccuracy of the “Universality” that coincides with the term “Anthropocene” – referring to the reality that not all humans across the globe have the same ecological impact. In the end, he returns to his “Call-to-Action”-esque opinion to help society move toward integrating sustainability in everyday life.

The diversity of ideas presented helped to strengthen his argument, but at times the abundance of them became too repetitive or confusing to follow along. The topic of the Anthropocene has a lot of information to cover, and Davies found a good balance between opinions and geological/historical facts.

All I'm trying to say is, if you're looking for a good read to help you think differently about the world around you... this is definitely a great place to start!

[Francis Kilkenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The effect of human civilization on our environment is so profound that we may be entering a new geological epoch. Davies explores this possibility from multiple perspectives, but with a particular eye to the science of stratigraphy. Using this lens Davies is able to place the human story within the context of deep-time. We are not apart from this immense history, but it’s latest phase. At the same time our current global system is, in at least certain ways, novel. The book ends with a sketch of possible ways to view the Anthropocene within environmentalism, leaving us with more questions than answers. This is appropriate given that we are only at the beginning of this great transition.

[Soph Nova · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit jargony and overacademic for the interesting topics put forward. That being said I was about ready to give it 4 stars until its main solution was fossil fuel divestment! Such a sweeping historical narrative, and such a narrowly-oriented tactic. Shows a real disconnect between the philosophical ideas put forward and the political solutions that could/should flow from it.

[Barbara Adde · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is hard to rate. It took a month to read 209 pages. It’s a textbook disguised in a little blue nondescript book. Very dense, very informative. The most interesting were the introduction and the last chapter, chapter 5 - “An Obituary for the Holocene,” but I could barely finish it because it was written like a thesis rather than to be understood.

[Unies Ananda Raja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shit! Udah nulis panjang-panjang malah ga muncul :(

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, new concepts I had heard only bits and pieces of so far. Trying to wrap my head around some of these ideas. Wondering what the impact would be. As much philosophy as science.