II / What We Owe the Future

Genre: Philosophy, Non-Fiction

Pages: 252

Subject: Longtermism

Introduction

What We Owe the Future by William MacAskill is a thought-provoking argument in support of longtermism, the view that positively influencing the long-term future is a key moral priority of our time. It presents a compelling case that positively shaping the future in the long term is a crucial moral imperative of our era, and not just for humanity as a whole or for those in leadership, but also in our everyday lives.

While scanning the non-fiction section at Daunt Books on a sunny Saturday afternoon in London, this title jumped out at me and changed the trajectory of my thoughts for an entire weekend (and for probably much longer). This book can definitely be read in a couple of days or a week and is easily digestible, though I highly recommend taking pauses to reflect and absorb the vast amount of ideas one must absorb.

My first thought when picking up this book was: Is this it? Had someone finally written about far-future humans from the perspective of how their existence (or potential lack thereof) should merit our focus now? This book pervades so many layers of thinking that I’m often occupied with, and less from a sci-fi lens, and more from a philosophical and ethical standpoint. So to say I was immediately drawn to it is a vast understatement.

Summary

This book seamlessly weaves together poetic narratives and philosophical beliefs with scientific data, creating a harmony of blended material to produce a very clear picture. That picture is this message: the future depends on us. Not just tomorrow, not just a century from now, but billions (yes, billions) of years from now. This exploration imposes upon the reader a profound moral gravity that permeates the entire book and is impossible to ignore. This isn’t a bad thing. In some way, this book ‘rewires’ your brain to reimagine the story and trajectory of humanity, and gives us the understanding that we currently hold an unprecedented opportunity to potentially influence it like never before. It takes the reader on a macro view of society from the highest lens, and allows one to more clearly explore and understand their place, potential, and purpose. 

Relevance and Impact

This book offers undeniable relevance to contemporary questions and issues, resulting in a very strong potential of impact among its readers. Moreover, it has the potential to spark and spread cultural discourse about this crucial subject matter. Although much of the content in this book may initially seem abstract and distant from our immediate reality, I applaud the author’s ability to present such tangible, concrete, and definite calls to action amidst such complexities. It advocates for daily actions, short and long-term considerations, and adjustments to our belief systems.

What We Owe the Future embodies a profoundly significant message, one that I strongly urge everyone to read. I cannot emphasize this enough.

Favorite Quotes

“The Silent Billions” (pg. 9)

“Few people who ever live will have as much power to positively influence the future as we do.” (pg. 28)

“The values that are commonplace in the next few centuries might shape the entire course of the future.” (pg. 55)

“With great rarity comes great responsibility.” (pg. 119)

“...like clumsy gods, we radically change the course of history.” (pg. 174)

“Shooting for the moon is not always good advice. However, if you want to have a positive impact on the world, there’s a strong case to be made for aiming high.” (pg. 237)

“Aim high.” (pg. 251)