Longpath: Becoming the Great Ancestors Our Future Needs—An Antidote for Short-Termism

Wallach, founder of the think tank Longpath Labs, debuts with an urgent if underwhelming consideration of how actions taken today can improve the future. Lamenting the contemporary emphasis on quick profits and immediate gratification, the author suggests readers adopt a “Longpath” philosophy: “a framework for a conscious social evolution, one that is about knowing ourselves and seeing ourselves within a much bigger narrative.” Citing climate change, recent global recessions, and rising mistrust of institutions, Wallach contends that humanity is currently in a period of flux akin to the agricultural revolution or the Enlightenment, and warns that humans must rise to meet the occasion or risk suffering a Roman Empire–esque societal decline. Cooperation is one of humankind’s “superpowers,” he contends, urging readers to build community by finding common ground with others, though Wallach neglects to mention what specific goals such a community might work toward. He also implores readers to act deliberately in their day-to-day lives and believe in their capacity to “do better,” but what this means in practice remains unclear. Wallach’s wide-eyed optimism inspires, but the nebulous advice and indistinct vision of what a better future actually looks like make this a missed opportunity. Agent: Howard Yoon, Ross Yoon. (Aug.)