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There is No Point of No Return
Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.
Emphasizing joy in the world, human cooperation and the value of all living things, this selection of Arne Naess' philosophical writings is filled with wit, learning and an intense connection with nature.
Emphasizing joy in the world, human cooperation and the value of all living things, this selection of Arne Naess' philosophical writings is filled with wit, learning and an intense connection with nature.
102 pages, Paperback
Published August 26, 2021
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474 people want to read
About the author
Arne Næss
67 books132 followersNæss was a Norwegian philosopher, known foremost as the founder of the concept Deep Ecology
Næss combined his ecological vision with Gandhian nonviolence and on several occasions participated in direct action events. He was the youngest person to ever be promoted to professor at Oslo University (27), a position he inhabited from 1939 to 1970.
Næss' main philosophical work from the 1950s was entitled Interpretation and Preciseness. . He later developed the conclusions in that book into a simplified, practical textbook, entitled Communication and Argument, which became a valued introduction to pragmatics or rather "language logic", and was thus used over many decades as a sine qua non for the preparatory examination at the University of Oslo, later known as "Examen Philosophicum".
From the 1960s and forward his work came to be more and more focused on what would later be known as deep ecology.
The name was first introduced to the public by Næss in 1972 during a lecture and was later explained further in The Shallow and the Deep Long-Range Ecology Movement: A Summary (published 1973 in the Inquiry journal).
Næss combined his ecological vision with Gandhian nonviolence and on several occasions participated in direct action events. He was the youngest person to ever be promoted to professor at Oslo University (27), a position he inhabited from 1939 to 1970.
Næss' main philosophical work from the 1950s was entitled Interpretation and Preciseness. . He later developed the conclusions in that book into a simplified, practical textbook, entitled Communication and Argument, which became a valued introduction to pragmatics or rather "language logic", and was thus used over many decades as a sine qua non for the preparatory examination at the University of Oslo, later known as "Examen Philosophicum".
From the 1960s and forward his work came to be more and more focused on what would later be known as deep ecology.
The name was first introduced to the public by Næss in 1972 during a lecture and was later explained further in The Shallow and the Deep Long-Range Ecology Movement: A Summary (published 1973 in the Inquiry journal).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
June 10, 2022
I didn't love all of it, but I found parts of this slender collection extraordinary.
Although I didn't love the most philosophical riffs (more on that below), it was well worth reading for some of the terrific riffs on the deep ecology movement and the pithy but powerful lifestyle trends within that movement. Wow, or, I dunno, ouch!
Earth does not belong to human beings.... Human beings only inhabit the land.... The destruction now going on will not be cured by a technological fix. Current arrogant notions in industrial ... societies must be resisted....
Try this riff on for size:
As they learn history in schools of the future, ... children ... may be confronted with sentences like this: "The productivity of industry and agriculture increased exponentially in the richest industrial countries in the last half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. A wild consumerism not only threatened the conditions for life on our planet, but also was accompanied by an impoverishment of relations between people, a degradation of fellowship, and an increase in asocial attitudes.... The economy of a country was not expected to adapt to its culture, but the culture to the economy....
Imagine what he's say if he was alive today. Oh, my!
OK, OK, I'm no philosopher, and, and while I've consumed more than my fair share, my lack of love/immersion for the discipline is nothing new - I was never fully taken with any of my college philosophy classes. I'm sure that says something about me, but I'm not sure what.
The author passed away more than a decade ago, and, as I understand it, the content assembled here was originally published elsewhere, in 1986. Republished as a (surprisingly cohesive and thought-provoking) standalone here, this slender volume is installment 18 in the Penguin Green Ideas collection. I think the editors/publishers did well to place this late in the series - it might not have resonated as well had I read it sooner. But, arriving at this point in the journey, it felt like a nicely shaped puzzle piece falling comfortably into place.
As has been the case, for the most part, throughout, acquiring the boxed set was well worth the investment ... and the minor hassle of acquiring it... Sadly, as my local independent bookstore confirmed, it is not available for sale (in the slipcase collection) in the U.S. What a shame! (Fortunately, thanks to our modern, global economy, it's not that difficult to order it from a UK supplier). With end in sight - there's only two left after this one, I'm ecstatic that I found and bought it. Well worth the effort, money, and time. Frankly, I can't recommend the collection (warts and imperfections and all ... including the challenges of getting a copy/set in the U.S.) enough.
Although I didn't love the most philosophical riffs (more on that below), it was well worth reading for some of the terrific riffs on the deep ecology movement and the pithy but powerful lifestyle trends within that movement. Wow, or, I dunno, ouch!
Earth does not belong to human beings.... Human beings only inhabit the land.... The destruction now going on will not be cured by a technological fix. Current arrogant notions in industrial ... societies must be resisted....
Try this riff on for size:
As they learn history in schools of the future, ... children ... may be confronted with sentences like this: "The productivity of industry and agriculture increased exponentially in the richest industrial countries in the last half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. A wild consumerism not only threatened the conditions for life on our planet, but also was accompanied by an impoverishment of relations between people, a degradation of fellowship, and an increase in asocial attitudes.... The economy of a country was not expected to adapt to its culture, but the culture to the economy....
Imagine what he's say if he was alive today. Oh, my!
OK, OK, I'm no philosopher, and, and while I've consumed more than my fair share, my lack of love/immersion for the discipline is nothing new - I was never fully taken with any of my college philosophy classes. I'm sure that says something about me, but I'm not sure what.
The author passed away more than a decade ago, and, as I understand it, the content assembled here was originally published elsewhere, in 1986. Republished as a (surprisingly cohesive and thought-provoking) standalone here, this slender volume is installment 18 in the Penguin Green Ideas collection. I think the editors/publishers did well to place this late in the series - it might not have resonated as well had I read it sooner. But, arriving at this point in the journey, it felt like a nicely shaped puzzle piece falling comfortably into place.
As has been the case, for the most part, throughout, acquiring the boxed set was well worth the investment ... and the minor hassle of acquiring it... Sadly, as my local independent bookstore confirmed, it is not available for sale (in the slipcase collection) in the U.S. What a shame! (Fortunately, thanks to our modern, global economy, it's not that difficult to order it from a UK supplier). With end in sight - there's only two left after this one, I'm ecstatic that I found and bought it. Well worth the effort, money, and time. Frankly, I can't recommend the collection (warts and imperfections and all ... including the challenges of getting a copy/set in the U.S.) enough.
February 12, 2024
Respect what it did as a founding text of deep ecologism, and agree with deep ecologism's assessment that widespread environmental consciousness is needed if any environmental issues are to be taken seriously....
BIG BUTT 🍑🍑🍑🍑
I often think identifying this is the easy part - I don't think it acknowledges how powerful green capitalism/ late stage capitalism is as a whole. Also think it's wrong that post industrialism is inevitable and I think it lacks a bit of the urgency needed for the current state of poor planet we live on :(((( (probably cos 1986??)
Enjoyed the stuff on cheerfulness Vs joy
BIG BUTT 🍑🍑🍑🍑
I often think identifying this is the easy part - I don't think it acknowledges how powerful green capitalism/ late stage capitalism is as a whole. Also think it's wrong that post industrialism is inevitable and I think it lacks a bit of the urgency needed for the current state of poor planet we live on :(((( (probably cos 1986??)
Enjoyed the stuff on cheerfulness Vs joy
October 12, 2021
I read in English but this review is in Bahasa Indonesia
Nama Arne Naess sungguh tidak familiar denganku. Membaca buku ini pun karena rekomendasi adikku. Katanya, dia penasaran dengan konsep ekologi yang diusung oleh filsuf asal Norwegia ini.
There is No Point of No Return berisi kumpulan cuplikan dari beragam publikasi yang pernah dihasilkan oleh Naess. Salah satunya--dan yang menjadi titik tumpu--adalah The Deep Ecology Movement. Perihal bagaimana melihat relasi antara alam dengan manusia. Bahwa manusia tanpa alam juga tidak berarti apa-apa.
Ekologi yang ditulis Naess juga bersinggungan dengan konsep "happiness." Mengikut langkah kaki Spinoza, Naess menyatakan kalau "happiness" bukanlah sesuatu yang dikejar. Bukanlah obyek. Melainkan harus hadir dari diri sendiri. Munculnya pun karena self-realization. Keselarasan dengan bagaimana alam ini berjalan.
Di bagian akhir, Naess berkomentar tentang westernisasi dan modernitas yang cuma sekadar nama. Seringkali dalam praktiknya, malah mengeksploitasi alam. Membuat apa yang seharusnya bisa dijaga dengan baik malah rusak dan tidak berumur panjang.
Aku tidak berekspektasi macam-macam ketika memulai. Tapi malah jatuh cinta sejak bab pertama. Dengan begitu jelasnya keberpihakan Naes kepada keseimbangan alam ketimbangan benefit yang diusahakan oleh para kapitalis.
If reality is experienced by the ecological self, our behavior naturally and beautifully follows norms of strict environmental ethics.
Nama Arne Naess sungguh tidak familiar denganku. Membaca buku ini pun karena rekomendasi adikku. Katanya, dia penasaran dengan konsep ekologi yang diusung oleh filsuf asal Norwegia ini.
There is No Point of No Return berisi kumpulan cuplikan dari beragam publikasi yang pernah dihasilkan oleh Naess. Salah satunya--dan yang menjadi titik tumpu--adalah The Deep Ecology Movement. Perihal bagaimana melihat relasi antara alam dengan manusia. Bahwa manusia tanpa alam juga tidak berarti apa-apa.
Ekologi yang ditulis Naess juga bersinggungan dengan konsep "happiness." Mengikut langkah kaki Spinoza, Naess menyatakan kalau "happiness" bukanlah sesuatu yang dikejar. Bukanlah obyek. Melainkan harus hadir dari diri sendiri. Munculnya pun karena self-realization. Keselarasan dengan bagaimana alam ini berjalan.
Di bagian akhir, Naess berkomentar tentang westernisasi dan modernitas yang cuma sekadar nama. Seringkali dalam praktiknya, malah mengeksploitasi alam. Membuat apa yang seharusnya bisa dijaga dengan baik malah rusak dan tidak berumur panjang.
Aku tidak berekspektasi macam-macam ketika memulai. Tapi malah jatuh cinta sejak bab pertama. Dengan begitu jelasnya keberpihakan Naes kepada keseimbangan alam ketimbangan benefit yang diusahakan oleh para kapitalis.
October 13, 2024
Arne Naess founded the concept of deep ecology. Deep ecology? An idea that seems so obvious : all living things – plants, animals and humans – have equal value, not just in terms of how useful they are to humans. For Naess, the difference with “shallow ecology” is that this approach doesn’t just focus on protecting nature for human benefit. He even provides a list of lifestyle trends to embrace the deep ecology movement. The essay “The place of joy in a world of facts” is also very interesting. Naess argues that joy comes not from escaping reality, but from engaging deeply with it, especially through an ecological consciousness that respects the interconnectedness of all life. Number 18 in the Green Ideas collection, this selection of essays is not an easy read, but a very interesting insight into ecology.
https://redheadwithabrain.ch/index.ph...
https://redheadwithabrain.ch/index.ph...
August 23, 2025
El concepto es interesante y es un tema que me gusta muchísimo. Algunas cosas me parecieron confusas, tal vez fue la estructura del texto lo que me confundió más. Comenzó hablando sobre ecología y fue fluctuando hacia la individualidad y la espiritualidad, algo que no me esperaba y que no se si me gustó del todo. Lo recomendaría para introducción al tema, ya que tiene puntos interesantes. Lo volvería a leer para ver si me perdí de algo.
February 22, 2025
I don't have a strong opinion about it. It flows between philosophy, ecology and kind of spirituality, but does not settle anywhere. I understand it's place in the series, but it is not the book I will be reading again anytime soon.
December 21, 2022
Interesting, inspiring philosophy but requires quite a lot of mental space.
September 18, 2021
This book isn’t the massively inspiring text that the title may cause one to expect (akin to “you’re never too old to learn something new”). The meandering into the philosophy of self can be forgiven, owing to the exchange of interesting observations and thoughts throughout. This short piece, could certainly have been shorter and is severely lacking In tangibility, but remains a worthy read.
January 17, 2025
It's fascinating how much of what Western thinkers have been "rediscovering" since the mid-20th century are already intuitive truths for much of the non-Western world. The Deep Ecology movement, which Murray Bookchin criticized for its vaguely spiritualized "man versus nature" tendencies, is really just a kind of animism that is finally "indigenous" to the West.
Speaking as a researcher in the field of Indigenous Psychology, any movement that's aligned with an ecological (i.e. man-community-nature) orientation is, to me, great, regardless of where it comes from. But to claim, as Arne Naess did in his time, that this perspective is fresh and new to global thinking reeks of a subtly ethnocentric attitude. And this sampler of his thoughts really gave off a "first world problems" kind of vibe, explaining away the worrisome over-industrialization of the developing world to their supposedly unenlightened desire to be like the West--a trend that can also be attributed to remnants of the sociopolitical and economic restrictions and impositions of colonialism.
So much of what today is considered "radical" is so ridiculously basic to many ancient world cultures--and I don't want to encourage the Orientalist stereotype of the "wise native," but I just wish the dialogue were more open, and indigenous perspectives were also heard and taken just as seriously. I just find it somewhat ironic that a movement that purports to be culturally inclusive still manages to place the Western experience at the center. That said, Naess' writing is a fantastic reflection by and for the Westerner, and its hopefulness can be a practical tonic in today's climate of environmental doomism.
Speaking as a researcher in the field of Indigenous Psychology, any movement that's aligned with an ecological (i.e. man-community-nature) orientation is, to me, great, regardless of where it comes from. But to claim, as Arne Naess did in his time, that this perspective is fresh and new to global thinking reeks of a subtly ethnocentric attitude. And this sampler of his thoughts really gave off a "first world problems" kind of vibe, explaining away the worrisome over-industrialization of the developing world to their supposedly unenlightened desire to be like the West--a trend that can also be attributed to remnants of the sociopolitical and economic restrictions and impositions of colonialism.
So much of what today is considered "radical" is so ridiculously basic to many ancient world cultures--and I don't want to encourage the Orientalist stereotype of the "wise native," but I just wish the dialogue were more open, and indigenous perspectives were also heard and taken just as seriously. I just find it somewhat ironic that a movement that purports to be culturally inclusive still manages to place the Western experience at the center. That said, Naess' writing is a fantastic reflection by and for the Westerner, and its hopefulness can be a practical tonic in today's climate of environmental doomism.
October 1, 2023
3.5 stars - and one must keep in mind it was originally published in the 80’s
This text sets the ground for many ecological movements and doctrines of the 21st century. Which means it’s an important text. So far so good.
The author delves into philosophical grounds and explanations for ecology one doesn’t see very often today. It’s easy to see ecology as something incredibly innovative, but Naess’ point of view stems from mainly Spinoza (of whom he’s an expert) and Buddhism, which I found refreshing. He takes back “old ideas” and uses them to rethink the world, without making it sound “”primitive”” or religious.
Now, the problems with this text (where I was obligated to keep the publishing date in mind): despite the author’s attempt to speak of the whole world by using politically correct terms, he refers only to Eurasia. It is hard to believe one would write so much about ecology without ever thinking of the North/South economic dynamic - although he does tackle economy towards the end of the book… and speaks only of Eurasia and the US.
Furthermore, he only refers to Southern hemisphere countries twice, and both times the language was stigmatising and could be even considered offensive. He portrayed Southern countries - and their populations - as simply ignorant, as if people didn’t know any better about what was going on. It felt like Naess let his white saviour complex shine through…
I’m glad to have read this because this guy is one of the big ecological minds of the 20th/21st century - but I was disappointed by his lack of global perspective, especially on a subject where, if it doesn’t happen globally, it won’t happen at all.
This text sets the ground for many ecological movements and doctrines of the 21st century. Which means it’s an important text. So far so good.
The author delves into philosophical grounds and explanations for ecology one doesn’t see very often today. It’s easy to see ecology as something incredibly innovative, but Naess’ point of view stems from mainly Spinoza (of whom he’s an expert) and Buddhism, which I found refreshing. He takes back “old ideas” and uses them to rethink the world, without making it sound “”primitive”” or religious.
Now, the problems with this text (where I was obligated to keep the publishing date in mind): despite the author’s attempt to speak of the whole world by using politically correct terms, he refers only to Eurasia. It is hard to believe one would write so much about ecology without ever thinking of the North/South economic dynamic - although he does tackle economy towards the end of the book… and speaks only of Eurasia and the US.
Furthermore, he only refers to Southern hemisphere countries twice, and both times the language was stigmatising and could be even considered offensive. He portrayed Southern countries - and their populations - as simply ignorant, as if people didn’t know any better about what was going on. It felt like Naess let his white saviour complex shine through…
I’m glad to have read this because this guy is one of the big ecological minds of the 20th/21st century - but I was disappointed by his lack of global perspective, especially on a subject where, if it doesn’t happen globally, it won’t happen at all.
November 20, 2022
This is not me having a go at an eco-philosophical (ecosophical ?) mastermind - Arne Næss is clearly a genius and an absolute legend in the ecology movement.
However, I reallllllly struggled to get through this book & often felt like it was a lot more complicated than it needed to be. This is the fourth of Penguin's 'Green Ideas' series that I have read; it's no. 18 overall, so maybe I would have understood/appreciated Næss' philosophy more if it had come later in my reading? This is a book that I plan to come back to at a later date, when I am more focused myself, & hopefully will be able to update the rating.
There are OF COURSE some incredible ideas here, such as Næss' emphasis on self-realisation and his explanation of 'deep ecology'. I just felt that I couldn't access a lot of it, and couldn't see how each chapter was linked. I did, however, find that the last section on 'Industrial Society, Postmodernity and Sustainability' was easiest to read - maybe that's because I knew I was near the end, or because I understand what it's like to live in an industrial society where people PRETEND to be striving for sustainability when really we're digging ourselves a deeper and deeper ecological disaster.
However, I reallllllly struggled to get through this book & often felt like it was a lot more complicated than it needed to be. This is the fourth of Penguin's 'Green Ideas' series that I have read; it's no. 18 overall, so maybe I would have understood/appreciated Næss' philosophy more if it had come later in my reading? This is a book that I plan to come back to at a later date, when I am more focused myself, & hopefully will be able to update the rating.
There are OF COURSE some incredible ideas here, such as Næss' emphasis on self-realisation and his explanation of 'deep ecology'. I just felt that I couldn't access a lot of it, and couldn't see how each chapter was linked. I did, however, find that the last section on 'Industrial Society, Postmodernity and Sustainability' was easiest to read - maybe that's because I knew I was near the end, or because I understand what it's like to live in an industrial society where people PRETEND to be striving for sustainability when really we're digging ourselves a deeper and deeper ecological disaster.
January 15, 2023
Exploring the concept of deep ecology, this book is thought-provoking but also felt unnecessarily complicated.
Focusing on the essential oneness of all life and thinking about how we can appreciate this with joy rather than sacrifice strikes me as a worthy goal. However, attaining this level of self-actualisation seems unrealistic given our current framework for living. While Naess addresses this and talks about our need for a long-term approach to a different future, his view seems rather rigid and while I appreciate it ought to be for us to truly change direction - I guess it just wasn't overly inspiring to provoke this kind of change.
That said, this book has encouraged me to contemplate our role as humans on this earth and not kill the bull ant that was climbing near our bed the other night out of fear because I now realise it's important that the ant exist in its own right.
Focusing on the essential oneness of all life and thinking about how we can appreciate this with joy rather than sacrifice strikes me as a worthy goal. However, attaining this level of self-actualisation seems unrealistic given our current framework for living. While Naess addresses this and talks about our need for a long-term approach to a different future, his view seems rather rigid and while I appreciate it ought to be for us to truly change direction - I guess it just wasn't overly inspiring to provoke this kind of change.
That said, this book has encouraged me to contemplate our role as humans on this earth and not kill the bull ant that was climbing near our bed the other night out of fear because I now realise it's important that the ant exist in its own right.
March 25, 2024
Norwegian philosopher Arne Naess often replied, when asked if he was an optimist, that he had good hope for the 22nd century but thought the 21st would be a time of challenging transition.
This little compilation of some of his writings reveals both the vast possibility of sustained positive living if we were to live more principled, ethical lives based on our fundamental deepest core values — and the enormity of the challenge to move us beyond our immaturity, our hypocrisy, our hedonism, our shortsightedness.
The deep ecology movement has been influential and waylaid. It helped usher in more complex, systems level thinking to environmental work while also now the need for deeper questioning is largely ignored. And we are paying the price globally.
This book provides a somewhat accessible entry point for the uninitiated, but there are others to explore as one’s appetite grows.
This little compilation of some of his writings reveals both the vast possibility of sustained positive living if we were to live more principled, ethical lives based on our fundamental deepest core values — and the enormity of the challenge to move us beyond our immaturity, our hypocrisy, our hedonism, our shortsightedness.
The deep ecology movement has been influential and waylaid. It helped usher in more complex, systems level thinking to environmental work while also now the need for deeper questioning is largely ignored. And we are paying the price globally.
This book provides a somewhat accessible entry point for the uninitiated, but there are others to explore as one’s appetite grows.
July 8, 2022
This is not a real review, just some thoughts I like to write down.
Das ist keine richtige Bewertung, nur ein paar Gedanken, die ich aufschreiben wollte.
Der Titel hat nicht viel mit dem Erzählten zu tun. Viele Gedanken, die nicht zu Ende geführt werden. Auch wenn ich einverstanden bin, dass die Bindung des Menschen mit der Natur verstärkt werden muss, bin ich nicht der Ansicht, dass dies nur möglich ist, in dem man technologisch zurückschreitet und wieder in der Natur lebt. Auch sind Punkte wie die Natur will dir nichts Böses und mit dem richtigen Bewusstsein braucht man keine Gegengifte mehr, weil man ja dann nicht mehr gebissen wird einfach nur falsch und eine Forderung, die Gesamtbevölkerung drastisch zu verringern und zu vergessen zu extrem.
Das ist keine richtige Bewertung, nur ein paar Gedanken, die ich aufschreiben wollte.
Der Titel hat nicht viel mit dem Erzählten zu tun. Viele Gedanken, die nicht zu Ende geführt werden. Auch wenn ich einverstanden bin, dass die Bindung des Menschen mit der Natur verstärkt werden muss, bin ich nicht der Ansicht, dass dies nur möglich ist, in dem man technologisch zurückschreitet und wieder in der Natur lebt. Auch sind Punkte wie die Natur will dir nichts Böses und mit dem richtigen Bewusstsein braucht man keine Gegengifte mehr, weil man ja dann nicht mehr gebissen wird einfach nur falsch und eine Forderung, die Gesamtbevölkerung drastisch zu verringern und zu vergessen zu extrem.
September 11, 2024
An important text which has contributed to its fair share of contemporary ecological thinking, especially re deep ecology. The fact that these essays were written in the late 1980’s is both depressing and… No actually. It’s mostly just depressing. We’ve really make very little progress, and I’m sure that Arne Naess would be horrified.
I particularly enjoyed the sections about self-realisation and joy vis a vis the ecological movement, and found these practical and still very applicable. This being said, I generally agree that a lot of this text feels out of touch in contemporary late stage capitalism.
I often have beef with the writing style of pure-philosophy but Naess managed to stay impressively on track, and limit the painful asides.
I particularly enjoyed the sections about self-realisation and joy vis a vis the ecological movement, and found these practical and still very applicable. This being said, I generally agree that a lot of this text feels out of touch in contemporary late stage capitalism.
I often have beef with the writing style of pure-philosophy but Naess managed to stay impressively on track, and limit the painful asides.
April 9, 2022
This short book meanders around and interrupts its own thoughts before they have come to fruition. Although the subject matter is interesting, I would by now see it as a historical document, rather than an up-to-date (and maybe even relevant) contemplation. Its outlook of the world is very dismal, its ideas are completely idealist and the author is quite harsh about achieving them. Unfortunately, I do have to say that I did not enjoy it.
June 24, 2022
A serviceable introduction to the ideas of “deep ecology,” with its anti-anthropocentric post-cybernetic ecological holism, that preaches epistemic humility, modesty in ambition, and respect for the small and local, and opposes epistemic elitism and the obsession with scalability that characterizes the solutionist approaches of techno-optimists.
July 4, 2023
This book was written at a time when it was still conceivable that humankind could save itself from the impact of its destructive behaviour. Arne is most certainly turning in his grave today as we consistently keep ignoring his sane advice. The philosophical analysis isn't particularly insightful and can (and probably should) be skipped without this affecting the general message.
June 4, 2025
FINALLY SOME GOOD FUCKING FOOD.
After a slew of weaker entries in the Green Ideas collection, what a breath of fresh air to return to something with real philosophical heft and intertextuality. One of my favourites.
After a slew of weaker entries in the Green Ideas collection, what a breath of fresh air to return to something with real philosophical heft and intertextuality. One of my favourites.
August 2, 2025
Sometimes a tad too esoteric, which makes its philosophical basis quite shaky. Requires a more pragmatic and evidence based approach. Nonetheless, interesting and necessary perspectives for a much needed movement.
June 17, 2022
A great introduction to the concept of deep ecology. My biggest take on the book is that as an industrialised society we will not prosper if nature and balance do not prosper too.
June 26, 2022
The philosophy has been dumbed down so far that it is hard to follow.
August 23, 2022
so very enjoyable and insightful and brought me peace
December 27, 2022
Short overview of Deep Ecology Philosophy and how it interfaces with environmentalism. Some of the passages are slightly difficult to follow but overall it gives a good summary.
Read
February 28, 2023There is No Point of No Return: Penguin Green Ideas by Arne Næss (2021)
September 5, 2023
Interessante gedachtes, goede voorspellingen maar net niks dat het uit het park slaat.
January 18, 2024
Parts were good. Parts were hard to follow.
April 11, 2024
Condensed read that discussed many things, it was a bit all over the place. Yet it was interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews