A pivotal figure in counterculture, technology, and environmentalism, Stewart Brand has shaped conversations for over half a century. From the revolutionary Whole Earth Catalog to the forward-thinking Long Now Foundation, his work has consistently challenged conventional wisdom and inspired generations of thinkers and creators.

On Personal Empowerment and Learning

  1. "Stay hungry. Stay foolish." This iconic sign-off from the final 1974 edition of the Whole Earth Catalog was famously quoted by Steve Jobs in his 2005 Stanford commencement speech. It encapsulates an ethos of continuous learning and willingness to take risks.[1]
  2. "A realm of intimate, personal power is developing – power of the individual to conduct his own education, find his own inspiration, shape his own environment, and share his adventure with whoever is interested."This statement from the first Whole Earth Catalog laid out its foundational goal: to provide "access to tools" for self-reliance and lifelong learning.[2][3][4]
  3. "A library doesn't need windows. A library is a window." A succinct and powerful metaphor for the role of knowledge and information in expanding one's worldview.[5][6]
  4. "How can I throw my life away in the least unhappy way?" A provocative question that reframes the pursuit of a meaningful life, suggesting a focus on minimizing regret and maximizing engagement.[3][5]
  5. "Everything looks like a failure in the middle." An encouraging reminder that persistence is key, as most ambitious projects go through a challenging and often discouraging phase.[3]
  6. "When a fantasy turns you on, you're obligated to God and nature to start doing it right away." A call to action, urging individuals to pursue their passions and creative impulses without hesitation.[5]
  7. "For artists diving into a new technology, it is a triple short-cut to mastery: you get a free ride on the novelty of the medium; there are no previous masters to surpass; and after a few weeks, you are the master." An insight into the opportunities presented by emerging technologies for creative exploration and innovation.[3]

On Technology and Change

  1. "Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road." A stark and memorable warning about the relentless pace of technological advancement and the importance of adaptation.[5][6][7]
  2. "Information wants to be free. Information also wants to be expensive." This famous duality captures the inherent tension in the digital age between the accessibility of information and its value.[5]
  3. "We are as gods and might as well get good at it." The opening statement of the Whole Earth Catalog, this quote has become a defining mantra of Brand's work.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] It acknowledges humanity's increasing power to shape the world and argues for wielding that power with wisdom and responsibility.
  4. "The 'World Wide Web' of the late 1960s." This is how the Whole Earth Catalog is often described, as a pre-digital repository of linked information and a tool for building a networked community.[13]
  5. "Do what's good for humans, modeled on how humans already do things; ignore what's convenient for computers." A guiding principle for user-centric design and technology development.[3]
  6. "Use good tech to undo the harm of bad tech." A pragmatic approach to technological progress, suggesting that innovation can be harnessed to solve the problems it creates.[8]

On Environmentalism and Systems Thinking

  1. "We are as gods and HAVE to get good at it." Brand's updated version of his famous quote, emphasizing the urgency of our responsibility in the face of climate change.[11] He argues that our impact on the planet is now so significant that we have no choice but to take an active role in its management.
  2. "Humans have made a huge hole in nature in the last 10,000 years. [With de-extinction,] we have the ability now, and maybe the moral obligation, to repair some of the damage." This reflects Brand's more recent work with the "Revive & Restore" project, which explores the use of genetic technology for conservation.[3][5][14]
  3. "If you don't like bacteria, you're on the wrong planet." A simple yet profound statement on the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of understanding ecological systems.[5][6]
  4. "The metaphor of 'mother Earth' is no longer accurate or helpful. Human impact on nature is now so complete and irreversible that we're better off thinking of the planet as if it were our first child." This reframing suggests a more proactive and nurturing relationship with the planet, one of long-term care and responsibility.[15]
  5. "Cities are green." A counterintuitive but central tenet of Brand's "ecopragmatist" philosophy. He argues that dense urban environments are more energy-efficient and have a smaller environmental footprint per capita than suburban sprawl.[11]
  6. An "Ecopragmatist Manifesto." Brand's book, Whole Earth Discipline, advocates for embracing technologies like nuclear power, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and geoengineering as necessary tools to combat climate change, a stance that has been controversial within the traditional environmental movement.[1][16]
  7. The "Whole Earth" photograph. In 1966, Brand campaigned for NASA to release a satellite image of the entire Earth.[1] He believed that seeing our planet from space would be a powerful symbol of our shared home and interconnectedness, a perspective that was central to the Whole Earth Catalog and the burgeoning environmental movement.[1][11]
  8. "All evolution is coevolution." This concept, which was the basis for his magazine CoEvolution Quarterly, emphasizes that species and systems do not evolve in isolation but in complex, interdependent relationships.[10]

On Long-Term Thinking and the Future

  1. "How do we make long-term thinking automatic and common instead of difficult and rare?" A central question driving the work of The Long Now Foundation, which Brand co-founded to foster long-term responsibility.[15][17]
  2. "Civilization's shortening attention span is mismatched with the pace of environmental problems." A critique of modern society's focus on short-term gains, which hinders our ability to address complex, long-term challenges.[5][18]
  3. "The Clock of the Long Now." A project to build a 10,000-year clock, designed to encourage humanity to think on a multi-generational timescale.[1][19]
  4. "We can influence the future but not see it." A concise summary of the challenge and responsibility of shaping what is to come.[5]
  5. "Science is the only news." A belief that scientific discoveries and technological advancements are the true drivers of significant change in the world.[6]
  6. "Climate change. Urbanization. Biotechnology. Those three narratives, still taking shape, are developing a long arc likely to dominate this century." Brand's identification of the major forces that will shape our future.[3]
  7. "Fostering responsibility." A key goal of The Long Now Foundation, which aims to create a mindset of accountability for the long-term consequences of our actions.[19]

On Buildings and How They Learn

  1. "A building is not something you finish. A building is something you start." From his book How Buildings Learn, this idea emphasizes that buildings are dynamic and evolve over time through use and adaptation.[5]
  2. "All buildings are predictions. All predictions are wrong." This highlights the inherent difficulty of designing for the future and the necessity of creating adaptable structures.[5]
  3. "Function reforms form, perpetually." A reversal of the modernist dictum "form follows function," suggesting a continuous process of change and adaptation.[6]
  4. "Reinventing beats inventing nearly every time." A pragmatic approach that values adaptation and improvement over novelty for its own sake.[15]
  5. "Art must be inherently radical, but buildings are inherently conservative." A distinction between the experimental nature of art and the practical, long-term function of architecture.[15]
  6. "Trust, intimacy, intense use, and time are what made these buildings work so well." An appreciation for the qualities that give older, well-loved buildings their character and utility.[15]

On Society and Culture

  1. "Society is a slow learner, but it learns." An optimistic view on the potential for social progress, even if it is gradual.[7]
  2. "The shift from individualism to community." A philosophical evolution Brand underwent in the early 1970s, recognizing that our greatest challenges are shared and require collective action.[2]
  3. The Whole Earth 'Lectronic Link (The WELL). Co-founded by Brand in 1985, The WELL was one of the earliest online communities and a precursor to modern social media.[1][8][13][14]
  4. "A practical way of thinking concerned with results rather than with theories and principles." Brand's definition of pragmatism, a core tenet of his approach to problem-solving.[15]
  5. "From Counterculture to Cyberculture." The title of a book by Fred Turner, this phrase encapsulates Brand's significant role in connecting the ideals of the 1960s counterculture with the rise of personal computing and the internet.[13]
  6. The Hacker's Conference. An event co-founded by Brand that brought together early computer pioneers and helped shape the collaborative and innovative ethos of hacker culture.[20]

Additional Learnings and Insights

  1. Embrace "Environmental Heresies." In a 2005 essay, Brand challenged environmental orthodoxy by advocating for positions he once opposed, demonstrating his willingness to change his mind in the face of new evidence.[1]
  2. The Power of "Access to Tools." The central mission of the Whole Earth Catalog, this idea emphasizes empowerment through providing people with the resources and information they need to solve their own problems.[2][21]
  3. Think in Layers of Time. Brand's work with The Long Now Foundation encourages considering different timescales simultaneously, from the immediate "now" to the deep past and far future.[6]
  4. Maintenance is the Future. Brand's current work focuses on the importance of maintenance, an often-overlooked but crucial aspect of sustainability and long-term thinking.[14]
  5. "The commons." A recurring theme in Brand's publications, exploring the shared resources and spaces that a community holds in common and the challenges of managing them.[21]
  6. Be a "Pragmatist." Brand identifies as a pragmatist, prioritizing what works in the real world over rigid ideologies.[14]
  7. The Importance of the "Whole System." The Whole Earth Catalog encouraged "understanding whole systems," a holistic approach that is a hallmark of Brand's work.[13]
  8. "Post-libertarian" perspective. Brand has described his current thinking as "post-libertarian," acknowledging the important role of government in technological and societal development.[1]
  9. Live life as if you have a MacArthur "genius" grant. A personal philosophy of pursuing one's interests and projects with the freedom and intellectual curiosity that such an award would afford.[10]
  10. Challenge the Status Quo. Throughout his life, Brand has consistently challenged established norms and institutions, from his early countercultural activities to his more recent critiques of the environmental movement.[22]

Sources help 

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  10. latimes.com
  11. edge.org
  12. freethinkeratlarge.com
  13. mediartinnovation.com
  14. computerhistory.org
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  20. longnow.org
  21. wholeearth.info
  22. medium.com