This is one of the 20 books published in the Green Ideas Series. Using Easter island as a metaphor, the author takes us through the reasons, or more correctly, the potential reasons, for the desolation of this island, once full of trees and birds. Only environmental causes ? Or is this due to European colons arriving on the island or, even earlier, to the islanders themselves ? Maybe a mix of all of these theories. But the metaphor is interesting and highlights the capacity of humans for self-destruction. Daunting.
“The parallels between Easter Island and the whole modern world are chillingly obvious. Thanks to globalization, international trade, jet planes, and the Internet, all countries on Earth today share resources and affect each other, just as did Easter’s dozen clans. Polynesian Easter Island was as isolated in the Pacific Ocean as the Earth is today in space. When the Easter Islanders got into difficulties, there was nowhere to which they could flee, nor to which they could turn for help; nor shall we modern Earthlings have recourse elsewhere if our troubles increase. Those are the reasons why people see the collapse of Easter Island society as a metaphor, a worst-case scenario, for what may lie ahead of us in our own future.”
First published in “Collapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive” 2006