The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long Term in a Short Term World

by Roman Krznaric

Could economists have foreseen the 2008 crash?

Could political pundits have predicted Brexit or Trump?

Long-term thinking struggles to take root in a world where immediate results are demanded and rewarded. Short-term thinking is endemic across all aspects of life.

In The Long Now, leading popular philosopher and bestselling author Roman Krznaric shows just how crucial long-term thinking is, not just for ordinary people but across political, economic, environmental and business worlds.

From the personal to the political, Krznaric identifies the flaws of today’s short-term mindset. Drawing on ideas from a wide range of perspectives including neuroscience, cultural history, politics, economics, art and religion, he offers eight key approaches as a roadmap for the future of long-term thinking and planning.

Unless we change our habits today our quick-fix, short-term culture can threaten societies in the long run.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Politics, Sustainability, Environment, Psychology

288 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2020

About the author

Roman Krznaric is a social philosopher who writes about the power of ideas to create change. His latest book is the international bestseller The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long Term in a Short-Term World. His previous books, including Empathy, The Wonderbox, How to Find Fulfilling Work and Carpe Diem Regained, have been published in more than 25 languages. He is Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University’s Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing and founder of the world’s first Empathy Museum. His new book, History for Tomorrow: Inspiration from the Past for the Future of Humanity, is published in July 2024.

Reviews

[Justo Martiañez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Estrellas

Pues tras leer este libro no se si maravillarme por la cantidad de conceptos y palabros grandilocuentes que se están desarrollando para mentalizar a la Humanidad de que es el momento de pensar en el futuro y dejar de lado nuestra mentalidad cortoplacista y consumista: que si "tiempo profundo", "mentalidad de legado", "justicia intergeneracional", "pensamiento catedral", "predicción holística" o "legado trascendental", o bien descojonarme cuando pienso en mis conciudadanos que votaron en masa a una señora que les presentó una hoja en blanco como programa electoral, a cambio de un plato de "libertad", consistente en la libertad para poderse tomar una caña sin mascarilla, y lo que en realidad han hecho es dar carta blanca para el desmantelamiento del sistema público de salud, de la educación pública y a la postre lastrar el ascensor social que es la clave de una sociedad igualitaria. Y descojonarme más cuando veo al gobierno de España y a la Unión Europea pagando a otros países más pobres para que maten a los emigrantes antes de que lleguen a nuestras bonitas playa y nos molesten, o cuando veo a la mitad de los estadounidenses apoyar a un energúmeno exaltado y negacionista, a la mitad de los brasileños apoyando a un violento enajenado que está destruyendo a marchas forzadas el pulmón de la Tierra, a un país como Rusia, con un loco al mando emprendiendo campañas militares cual Zar redivivo y amenazando al resto del mundo con lanzarles bombas atómicas si protestan....¿sigo?.....¿Cómo se puede luchar contra esto con buenas palabras y con teorías tan maravillosas?

Sinceramente soy muy pesimista., no tengo demasiada fe en el género humano. El libro está muy bien, expone todo esto, como abordar un cambio de rumbo que asegure un futuro para nuestros descendientes, no es apocalíptico y baraja todas las opciones y consecuencias de seguir un rumbo u otro.....sin embargo no creo que estemos preparados para abordar estos cambios, por lo menos no ahora.

4 estrellas por la valentía de exponer lo que hay, donde estamos, hacia donde vamos, las consecuencias de no cambiar de rumbo y las herramientas para hacerlo......aunque supongo que seguiremos hacia adelante sin hacer nada.....oigan casi 50 grados en Extremadura esta semana, no parece muy normal ¿no? ¿Haremos algo alguna vez o seguiremos tomando cañas?

[Fin Moorhouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely eclectic but a little dewy-eyed for my taste. Also strangely pessimistic about human ingenuity for a book about longtermism: lots of emphasis on degrowth, resource depletion, and all-round belt-tightening and sobriety. There is such a thing as too much progress apparently!

Talk of new technology is surprisingly thin too, and near-zero interest in weirder ideas like space colonisation or transhumanism. Also, possibly misleading to describe the Limits to Growth report as prophetic and fail to mention anything it got wrong.

On the other hand: so many delightful examples of longtermist projects in art and politics, and some lovely new metaphors and framings for ideas in sore need of them. And very glad to have learned about Joseph Bazalgette — what a legend!

[Hope P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book, I feel like I've learned a lot about history but also how we can think more long-term and try to tackle climate change. Books like these help me to feel more optimistic about the future, and how philosophical tools can help us picture a better one.

[Stephen Tummon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be mandatory reading

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful companion book to Kate Raworth's Doughnut Economics, and I was delighted to find out that she and Roman Krznaric are married!

Both books are accessible, engaging, and prescriptive.

Raworth and Krznaric show us how and where we've gone wrong in our politics, economics, and cultures in the past, and how those mistakes created the many crises we now face. Most importantly, they offer detailed and inspiring solutions to the problems we face, and lay out a road map for creating global communities and economies that work in service to life and health, provide value for what we value, allow everyone to thrive on a healthy planet, and strive to leave a robust, regenerative, and sustainable Earth for generations to come.

[Philip · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first came across the Long Now Foundation a little over 10 years ago when I was getting familiar with the works of Brian Eno and Neal Stephenson. I remember thinking that it sounded like a neat little idea for a foundation/movement, but was disappointed to find that their output was little more than the occasional seminar. Now Roman Krznaric, a Research Fellow of the Long Now Foundation, has written something that could be described as a manifesto for the cause.

The idea of long-term thinking is a very simple one, and Kraznaric does a good job of selling it. The earlier chapters are as compelling and thought-provoking as their titles suggest ("deep-time humility", "cathedral thinking"). In later chapters he tries to show examples of how to "apply" this thinking to the real world, and this is where it feels like he is on shakier ground. For example, his arguments that citizens' assemblies or devolution were good avenues for long-term thinking lacked any serious, concrete data to back them up. He praised certain countries and cities for their relative long-termism - I would have liked to see Krznaric explore what led them to adopt long-term policies: was it a particular political philosophy, economic circumstances, lessons learned from past crises, or simply listening to "Music for Airports" a lot?

I also wondered if he was perhaps, slightly ironically, constrained in his thinking by the time and culture in which he wrote the book. I felt like his writing was very coloured by his political leanings: it wasn't that I necessarily disagreed with him (I expect we agree on a lot), but maybe I was just hoping a book on long-term thinking might transcend all that. He spent a lot of time talking about the climate crisis - fair enough: it's an incredibly important topic where long-term thinking is essential. But there were large parts of the book where it felt like Krznaric had shifted the subject from long-term thinking to environmental sustainability, which feels like a slightly different topic. There were some huge problems that could have been addressed, like our current attitudes to retirement and pensions, or our obsession with extending our life expectancy ever-higher, where some long-term thinking might give a radical new perspective.

Overall, I'm glad I read the book. It's an important and engaging topic. I did not agree with everything Krznaric said, and from the looks of it many other people on Goodreads feel the same way. But if Krznaric is reading through these reviews, I can imagine him smiling. After all, he wanted this book to encourage long-term thinking, not long-term dogmatism! In that sense, the book is a success, and one I will gladly recommend to others.

[Teo · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020.10.06–2020.10.12

Contents

Krznaric R (2020) (07:51) Good Ancestor, The - How to Think Long Term in a Short Term World

About the Author
Preface

Part I: The Tug of War for Time

01. How Can We Be Good Ancestors?

02. The Marshmallow and the Acorn: Inside Our Time-Torn Brains

Part II: Six Ways to Think Long

03. Deep-Time Humility: Humankind as an Eyeblink in Cosmic History

04. Legacy Mindset: How Can We Be Remembered Well?

05. Intergenerational Justice: Reasons to Respect the Seventh Generation

06. Cathedral Thinking: The Art of Planning into the Distant Future

07. Holistic Forecasting: Long-Term Pathways for Civilisation

08. Transcendent Goal: A Lodestar to Guide Humanity

Part III: Bring On the Time Rebellion

09. Deep Democracy: Is There an Antidote for Political Myopia?

10. Ecological Civilisation: From Speculative Capitalism to Regenerative Economy

11. Cultural Evolution: Storytelling, Design and the Rise of Virtual Futures

12. The Path of the Good Ancestor

Appendix: The Intergenerational Solidarity Index

Acknowledgments
Endnotes
List of Illustrations
Bibliography
Index

[Wim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful inspiring book on how we can counter the short-term tendencies in our society and become time rebels by adopting various innovative principles and put them into practice through collective action.

This book is probably for readers who are already convinced of the need for a radical rupture away from our current destructive consumer culture towards a thriving humanity in balance with the earth, and it focuses on how to achieve this by bringing more long term perspectives into our politics, economies and societies as a whole.

[Wallis Greenslade · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read - an essential framework for thinking beyond the human lifetime time scale towards a just and equitable future for all

[Haden Botkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's perhaps a cliché to say that this should be required reading, but I stand by it. Our efforts to confront the climate crisis are incumbent upon collective liberation from short-term thinking. Krznaric provides a roadmap for adopting long-term perspectives with ideals such as intergenerational justice and paradigms such as deep time to guide practice (I particularly recommend the sections on cathedral thinking and deep democracy). I especially appreciated the numerous case studies peppered throughout (social movements, public policy, scientific endeavors, cultural projects) of how humanity has engaged in processes of long-term thinking, reflecting our inherent ability to do so, even amid persisting short-term thinking tendencies.

Additionally, although this is not explicitly labeled as a "leadership" book, I read it as a cogent call for collective leadership. Krznaric makes the point several times that the vested interests of politicians and the global elite (including their—and our—commitments to capitalism and neoliberalism) will likely prove to be a pressing barrier to change. "The priority", Kznaric stresses, "must be what we can do together" (p. 243). Gooooood stuff.

[Servet (indaGoodHouse) Casabona · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good Ancestor is an incredibly thought-provoking and inspiring book that challenges us to think about the long-term impact of our actions. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in making a positive difference in the world. Whether you are an individual looking to make a difference in your own life or a leader trying to shape the future of your organization or community, this book is sure to provide you with valuable insights and inspiration. By adopting a long-term perspective and embracing ancestor thinking, we can all play a role in creating a better future for ourselves and the generations that will come after us.

In this book, Krznaric argues that we are currently facing a global crisis of short-term thinking and that the only way to overcome this crisis is to adopt a long-term perspective. He argues that the key to this is what he calls "ancestor thinking," or the idea that we should think about the impact of our actions on future generations. He then provides a range of practical strategies for how we can start considering the needs of future generations. The book is filled with interesting examples and case studies, and Krznaric's writing is engaging and accessible.

Krznaric begins by discussing the history of long-term thinking and how it has shaped the world we live in today. He cites examples such as the creation of the Pyramids in Egypt and the building of the Great Wall of China as examples of long-term thinking that had a profound impact on the world. However, he also points out that long-term thinking has not always been the norm, and that there have been periods in history where short-term thinking has prevailed.

The author then goes on to discuss the current state of long-term thinking, pointing out that we are living in an age of short-termism. He cites various examples of this, including the way that politicians and business leaders focus on short-term gains rather than long-term sustainability, and the way that the media only focuses on immediate headlines rather than long-term issues.

Krznaric argues that this short-term thinking is dangerous, as it leads to a range of problems such as environmental destruction, economic inequality, and social unrest. He argues that the only way to overcome these problems is to adopt a long-term perspective and start thinking about the impact of our actions on future generations.

To do this, Krznaric suggests a number of strategies, including:

- Developing a "deep time" mindset: This means thinking about the long-term consequences of our actions, and considering how they will affect the world in hundreds or thousands of years.
Engaging in "intergenerational dialogue": This means having conversations with people from different generations and learning from their experiences and insights.
Embracing "anticipatory governance": This means taking a proactive approach to addressing long-term problems, rather than simply reacting to them when they arise.

- Cathedral thinking: it's a mindset derived from medieval thinking that is about thinking in multiple generations rather than one lifetime. Cathedral thinking takes the long view. It means pursuing an ambitious goal or idea that might require several generations to complete. It means laboring in the present in service of future glory. In one aspect, “cathedral thinking” is a call to imagine and believe in the grandeur of our pursuit and to equate it with the divine. Another aspect is the call to mindfulness of the future in all that we do, evoking a certain humility and humanness in what we do.

- Change democracy to give voice to future generations. The author enters into a delicate argument, pointing that the current democratic system He believes that we need to reinvent democracy for the long-term, exploring the idea of deliberative democracy, which emphasizes open and inclusive discussions and decision-making processes. He argues that this approach can help to bridge divides and create more effective and equitable solutions to complex problems, and promote intergenerational justice.

- Holistic Forecasting. Traditional forms of forecasting, such as economic or technological forecasting, tend to focus on short-term trends and fail to consider the broader social, environmental, and political contexts in which they operate. A more holistic approach to forecasting is needed, which takes into account a wider range of factors and considers the long-term impacts of our actions. One of the key ideas is the concept of scenario planning, which can help us to think more creatively and imaginatively about the future, and to consider a wider range of possibilities and outcomes. By developing multiple scenarios, we can be better prepared for different eventualities and avoid being caught off guard by unexpected events.

Overall, Krzanric argues that becoming a good ancestor requires a fundamental shift in our thinking and behavior, and that we must move away from the short-termism and individualism that have dominated our society for so long. He suggests that we need to adopt a more long-term perspective and embrace a sense of intergenerational responsibility. The book presents a compelling vision for how we can create a better future for future generations by adopting a long-term perspective and embracing our responsibility as good ancestors. It offers inspiration and guidance for individuals and communities who are seeking to make a positive difference in the world.

[Lorea Fuentes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siento que es un libro que todos tenemos que leer para entender realmente el significado de la pregunta: “qué le estamos dejando a las futuras generaciones?”

Cambio radicalmente mi perspectiva de cómo lo que hacemos actualmente tiene un verdadero impacto en las demás generaciones y como no somos merecedores de todo lo que nos han dejado nuestros antiguos ancestros

Creo que si me hubiera gustado un poco más de énfasis en el ámbito social y de consumo, tiene mucho énfasis ambiental (muy valioso) pero creo que podría ser un poco más completo. Aún así, lo recomiendo mucho.

[Soniya · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy read! As a strong believer in social utopia, optimism of the will, and the need for radical transformation and struggles in convincing others of such thinking, this book does a great job in providing not only arguments about the need for long-term thinking, but also ways in which we can become a good ancestor for generations to come. A book I would recommend everyone (young to old) to read! This is a book I will come back to when faced in predicaments of short-term thinking.

[Mario · Rating 5 out of 5]

How might we design solutions whose effects only could be perceived by people beyond our life span? This is the key for long term thinking, the only way humanity has to overcome the planetary crisis we are living in.

[Harmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dit opent je ogen, maar wat mij betreft blijkt uit een aantal voorbeelden dat het net iets te simpel is om me helemaal weg te blazen.

[Erin Weigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy, quick read that introduced me to some new concepts such as intergenerational justice, deep time, and rewilding. It definitely broke me out of traditional ways of thinking and stoked the fire of action in my heart regarding climate change and social justice.

One of my favorite things about this book was the author’s use of illustrations and diagrams to help solidify concepts. This approach allows for easy summation of important points, quick access and easy reference, and inclusion for readers who lean on visual learning.

Another favorite thing about this book is the fact he draws from many disciplines and cultures. From honoring Native concepts such as the Seventh Generation, China’s rich history of long-term goal setting, through to music, art, philosophy, science, politics, and economics—he’s brought it all together into vivid picture. Makes me wonder what dinner time conversations between him, his children, and his amazing economist wife, Kate Raworth, sound like. Definitely not boring or superficial I’m sure.

That all said, this book is definitely a call to action. The author takes a strong stance, defends his points with cited data and a rich bibliography. Read it if you want to be inspired into action and have your perspective shifted.

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book lacked a strong call to action for me. Still, solid literature review and tying together of different real life examples together. The heuristics of cathedral-thinking and reminders that humans can make plans and think long terms compared to animal counterparts were very useful for me.

I think the frameworks in this book can be tied into a workshop and presented at Davos (or Singapore this year). It's really up the alley of business/ political leaders or MBA candidates who preach about sustainable development and caring for future generations, but still fly around during Covid without quarantining themselves and putting others at risk.

[Hayley Dunning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well argued, if anything over-structured.

[Belal Dahab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat enjoyable. This was a collection of ideas about thinking long term but the book did not really address problems too specifically and lacked solutions.

[Claartje · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heel goed om te weten wat er mogelijk is om een goede voorouder te zijn. Eerst bewustwording: Respect voor de diepe tijd, de aarde die al zoveel miljoenen jaren bestaat. Kathedraaldenken, 7 generaties vooruit denken, zoals bijvorobeeld de Maori's doen als ze een beslissing nemen: wat betekent dit voor mijn achter-achter-achter-...kleinkinderen. En je kunt ook wat doen! Diepe democratie d.m.v. burgerraden mensen mee laten beslissen en een plek inruimen hierbij voor toekomstige generatie. Tijdrebellie: laten zien wat er nu nodig is om over 100 jaar nog een leefbare wereld te hebben. De donut-economie van zijn partner Kate Raworth, dat is wat we nu nodig hebben: mensen kunnen een fatsoenlijk leven leiden als ze op de donu blijven en niet door het gat vallen vanwege armoede of andere onleefbare persoonlijke omstandigheden. Ook de buitenkant van de donut, de randvorowaarden, moeten goed zijn, zoals bijvoorbeeld schoon drinkwater voor iedereen en niet teveel CO2-uitstoot.

[Virginia Angiolini · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good reading. It gives lots of interesting inputs and practical examples about who’s working in order to push our species towards a long-term perception and approach to life.
Nonetheless I’m not impressed as usual about learning more on these kind topics as probably I’m not clicking enough with Krznaric’s writing style.

My overall feelings about this book is that it complicates what’s easy and simplifies too much complex topics.
I comprehended better what I found of interest in the book by looking at it on my own rather than through the “explications” of the writer.

Still a good reading, not between the best ones tho.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

The argument that we need longer-term thinking is persuasive but feels close to impossible (at least in the US, in a culture dominated by instant gratification, constant digital distractions, and politics dominated by campaign interests and short election cycles. All the same, this book presents some ideas for operationalizing multi-generation perspectives. It feels, in a way, ahead of its time and yet overdue - I'm surprised it hasn't seemed to gain much attention or momentum.

Even if I'm skeptical about these ideas taking root (at least as quickly as they ought to), I'd still recommend this book - especially to anyone who wants to go into public service or policymaking.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5.

Un libro bastante interesante con muchos conceptos e historias que no conocía. Siento haber aprendido cosas importantes en este relato documental.
Ser un buen antepasado es una filosofía que deberíamos tomar en cuenta, cada uno a su medida, en nuestro día a día y ser enseñada desde la escuela pequeña. De manera pedagógica, el escritor nos plantea con ideas futuras que pueden servir a la política, a nuestras generaciones… algunos temas como la sobre population no fueron abordados explícitamente y a veces ciertas partes fueron repetitivas, por eso le pongo esta nota.
De igual forma, lo recomiendo.

[Christopher Whalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a thought-provoking book about how to shift our thinking from the short term to the long term - particularly about climate change and intergenerational justice. It's not always optimistic. I wish our politicians and leaders would read it so that they thought beyond the next election. It demonstrates that we have a lot to learn from other cultures and ways of seeing the world. My favourite nugget was the idea that every breath of air we take contains around 15 argon atoms that we breathed a year ago, as well as argon atoms that Cleopatra and Buddha would have breathed. I also like the concept of cathedral thinking: of building something that won't be completed in our lifetime but that future generations will benefit from.

[Kriti · Rating 4 out of 5]

when we think of the long term, we typically only consider up to the third or fourth generations from ours. this book encourages us to think about our descendants 7 generations and beyond. how will they remember us? how are our actions impacting their lives and the world they inherit? i really enjoyed the section about the Maori idea of whakapapa. this quote is something i'll be thinking about often: "This is evident in the time-bending Māori proverb, Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua: ‘I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.’ ”

[Jake Archey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book if you’re looking to cure a little existential dread or learn about cool projects that transcend generations. There probably should I’ve been a few more points on how eating animal products is a quintessential short term pleasure with long term negative effects given how much climate change talk there was. Overall a great message about using our acorn brains.

[Richard I Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humans that care about those that come after should read this.

Including compelling arguments for WHY to care about being a good ancestor, and many principles about HOW one can go about becoming one there is also some specific what to do directions and very practical specifics.

Think about resource overshoot day, think about the seventh generation, call on rule makers to care about future people.

[Petra De Graaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mooi boek over tijd en langetermijn denken, zorgen voor de aarde en transformatie

Mooie zin: onze persoonlijke acties zijn geen zinloze druppel in de oceaan, om de eenvoudige reden dat de rimpels die hij teweegbrengt in golven kunnen veranderen.

Gelezen in de boekenwurm challenge 2025, april: titel met 3 woorden

[Lucy Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

The ideas here are interesting but he doesn't talk enough about the matrix for someone so worried about both climate change and AI. Come on Roman, the matrix has both those things!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook is essential to long term thinking— thinking in terms of thousands of years. Deep time versus the short time of modernity. Excellent for environmentalists and anyone else who cares about climate change.