Why people recommend it
The Planetary by Benjamin Bratton, Claire Isabel Webb, Stephanie Sherman, Niccolò Milanese, Boris Shoshitaishvili, Song Bing, Dawn Nakagawa, Laura Ryan, Jonathan Blake, Lorenzo Marsili, and Nathan Gardels is a collaborative intellectual work examining planetary-scale governance and ecological crisis. On The Ezra Klein Show, Stephen Batchelor recommended a related text titled Children of a Modest Star, subtitled Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crisis by Jonathan Blake and Neils Gilman, in response to the host's closing request for book suggestions. The guest described the recommended volume as a brilliant and necessary reflection on humanity's urgent need to conceptualize new forms of political authority and governance that transcend traditional nation-state boundaries. By focusing on how society might organize itself to face global existential threats, the recommendation provided listeners with a sophisticated framework for contemplating international cooperation and ecological stewardship. The discussion emphasized that addressing modern crises requires imaginative leaps in political philosophy and institutional design, making the book an essential read for those pondering the future of human organization on a global scale.
Who recommended it
- Stephen Batchelor Recommended
Stephen Batchelor — 1 mention
“One book I'd recommend is a book called Children of a Modest Star, subtitled Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crisis by Jonathan Blake and Neils Gilman, which is a wonderful reflection on how we need to imagine a form of governance that has executive authority beyond the nation state itself.”