Summary Of The Future Of Life By Edward O Wilson

Children have a difficult time sharing items, often utilizing brute force in tugging away their toy while screaming in a high pitch; however, they forget the simple art of resolving their differences by establishing a common ground upon which a settlement may be created. Unfortunately this war of property rarely ends in adulthood, rather it is refocused on more predominant issues in which they may hide their squabbles as political debates yet marvel why they receive the same results as bickering children. These opposing group’s discussions are examined by contemporary scientist Edward O. Wilson in two passages of his book The Future of Life, in which Wilson provides an accurate stereotype of environmentalists versus people-first critics through his juvenalian satirization of the unproductive nature of environmental discussions. In Wilson’s highly exaggerated yet revealing passages, he exposes both sides opposing views and attitudes in order to illustrate the exceedingly unproductive nature of
When people-first critics label environmentalists as “greens, enviros… or environmental wackos”(3-4) the environmentalists credibility as scientifically-backed critics are defamed thus inciting them to retaliate the nicknames by calling people-first critics “brown lasers or… wise users and sagebrush rebels.” (39-42) The slanderous nicknames labeled on the opposing party only inspires retaliation on each other’s character and credibility while completely overlooking the purpose of their discussion, which is to find common ground and develop an even compromise. Simply, Wilson’s utilization of invective within each passage satirizes each side’s ineffective tools in debating environmentalism and promoting a rational