A few years ago my dad bought my sister and me a copy of Randy Pausch’s The Last Lecture. A heart-warming, yet sad look at a professor dying before his time, the book represents Pausch’s final lecture and reflects on his fight with cancer.
Although Professor David Suzuki is not dying, his last lecture falls into the same category of passing on one’s life knowledge. Suzuki, an elder statesman in the field of sustainability published The Legacy: An Elder’s Vision for Our Sustainable Future. While Pausch’s book is equal parts inspiring and tragic, I will make sure I give a copy of Suzuki’s The Legacy to my own children.
Suzuki, born in Canada to Japanese parents, recounts the environmental damage perpetuated over the course of his life. In his mid-70s, he has witnessed astonishing change over the past three-quarters of a decade. Recalling stories from his grandparents, Suzuki is able to bridge the past 150 years, something he alludes to often with respect for the elder generations and the knowledge they have accumulated over the years. It is this reverence for “the elders” that he makes central to his argument. The accumulated knowledge of those who came before us, not just academics, but those from cultures and societies that have lived in close connection with the earth, can help lead the way forward, toward a more integrated relationship with our planet.
Suzuki’s insights and travels are important reminders that there is a better way. We do not need to continue the antagonistic, and destructive and exploitative relationship we’ve come to engender since the Industrial Revolution. While he does not use the words “regenerative economy” he argues in favor of one. A restorative, not depletive connection to the land.
At 96 pages, with a number of images and quotations to break up the text, The Legacy is a quick read, yet an informative and important one. Pick it up and then pass it along. I think that’s what David Suzuki would want.
Programming note: Professor Suzuki will be speaking in Japan this weekend. Take a look at our calendar for more information.
[Image source]
