Fewer, Richer, Greener

Prospects for Humanity in an Age of Abundance

By: Laurence B. Siegel

Narrated by: Steve Menasche

Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Why do so many people fear the future? Is their concern justified, or can we look forward to greater wealth and continued improvement in the way we live?

Our world seems to be experiencing stagnant economic growth, climatic deterioration, dwindling natural resources, and an unsustainable level of population growth. The world is doomed, they argue, and there are just too many problems to overcome. But is this really the case? In Fewer, Richer, Greener, author Laurence B. Siegel reveals that the world has improved - and will continue to improve - in almost every dimension imaginable.

This practical yet lighthearted book makes a convincing case for having gratitude for today's world and optimism about the bountiful world of tomorrow. Life has actually improved tremendously. We live in the safest, most prosperous time in all human history. Whatever the metric-food, health, longevity, education, conflict - it is demonstrably true that right now is the best time to be alive. The recent, dramatic slowing in global population growth continues to spread prosperity from the developed to the developing world. Technology is helping billions of people rise above levels of mere subsistence. This technology of prosperity is cumulative and rapidly improving: we use it to solve problems in ways that would have be unimaginable only a few decades ago.

©2020 Laurence B. Siegel (P)2020 Gildan Media

The future is bright!

I am a conservationist and do believe that humans are causing some degree of global warming. Siegel shows us an educated, realistic view of our civilization. Where we started and where we can possibly progress to from here. It is refreshing to hear someone say that we are better today than yesterday and that’s a good thing. We are moving in the right direction. We simply need to adapt and change along that way as we always have. Good listen!

Logical understanding

I enjoyed the thoughtfulness of the author and his sources. Steve Sexauer’s contribution made the economic side make greater sense.
I recommend if you want logic over hysteria or facts over hyperbole.

Figures and Charts

Like: The reader performance is excellent.

Dislike: This book seems to be a summary of various other books related to the message. Also, the text is continuously referring to charts, diagrams, and figures, which defeats the purpose of an audiobook in my opinion. If you are interested in this title, read the hard copy.

Not the right format or narrator

This book needs a PDF companion. I had to stop after the first chapter. Describing graphs will not cut it for me. I need to see them. I also think that Steve Menasche doesn’t take the right tone for this book. Yes this is a book about optimism, but I felt like I was back in church listening to a pastor that was “too” happy. It cheapens it and makes it seem like there’s something to prove.

So I’ve purchased the kindle version instead. For this kind of content, I’d rather listen to my own voice.

Refreshing view of Humanity

In a world filled with pessimism, divisiveness and hopelessness, Siegel does a nice job of explaining why humanity can and will rise to the challenge.

Good stuff and thought provoking

Other books referencing charts and grafts or pictures have utilized a downloadable PDF for reference. Listening without such a resource lessens the book's impact.

An economics (audible) book, not a picture book

The audible book so far is great, however I didn't realize that much of the book would refer to figures within the text that I can't see because I'm listening to it. There really should be an accompanying PDF with the images in order to participate in the dialogue at the level that the author intended.

The irony is that early in the book Siegel writes, "Since this is not just an economics book but also a picture book, one that tries to convey its message visually, ... "

Ruined on audio

Steve Menasche does yeoman's work in narrating a book that should never have been recorded in the first place. He actually reads out long URLs with a painful, infuriating tenacity that is both embarrassing, and useless. The text of Siegel's work is built upon charts and diagrams which are, self-evidently, absent in a verbal narration, yet they are frequently referenced. No doubt the book is wonderful and works fine in physical form, but on audio it's a non-starter.

Terrible Adaptation

This should have been adapted differently or never adapted into an audio book at all. You can’t go a minute without reference to a figure. Would recommend against audiobook format for this title.

Bring your own salt - a lot of it

This is neo-liberal propaganda wrapped in a shell of "aw shucks" to smuggle some really unpleasant ideas past the listener as though they are "just commonsense". To the author's credit he makes it clear what the book is if you are listening carefully but there is enough "sugar" in much of the delivery to mask the medicine for those not paying attention.

You are likely to be completely unsurprised that the recommended answers to the world's problems are ones that, amazing coincidence, make rich old men in the USA even richer. Everyone else will get rewards if only we keep charging down the same path of unrestrained free market capitalism that has been the path we have been on for 40+ years.

Entertainingly it is presented as axiomatic that any attempts at managing the economy is doomed to failure BUT remarkably it is also axiomatic that managing society through technology imposed from above will magically work in the exact same ways imposing any limits on the market will not work. I'm unsure if the author is even aware of the double standards being applied.

I suspect the driver for all this is less to convince anyone else and more to convince the author that his prescriptions for the planet are all fine and the hope that future generations will not blame him and his ilk for the consequences of what they recommended because they will be able to see that it was done with good intentions rather than the greed it looks like to those who suffer the consequences. I am unsure how much the author has been able to convince himself but I know I found it deeply unconvincing "whistling in the dark" by an author who feels the cold hand of mortality reaching for them and wants to be forgiven by the people who will have to live in the world his ideas have played a part in creating.