The Daily Planet #26: Planetary Realism

Insightful conversation between Nils Gilman, Jerry Brown and Stewart Brand

It's always nice to see that planetary thinking precedes climate change awareness and will hopefully continue even if we solve climate change. The concept of "Planetary Realism" was first articulated by Jerry Brown in 1976 during his presidential campaign as he sought a new foreign policy perspective. Brown envisioned a worldview that combined the hard-nosed practicality of traditional realism with a humanistic and romantic appreciation for the interconnectedness of all nations. Influenced by the early environmental movement and events like the 1972 Stockholm Conference, he emphasized the need to transcend narrow nationalism and recognize shared global vulnerabilities, such as nuclear war, environmental degradation, and later, climate change and pandemics. Brown's planetary realism calls for leaders to adopt science-informed, pragmatic approaches that acknowledge common interests beyond borders.

Parallel to this, Stewart Brand's "Whole Earth" thinking emerged from a transformative vision in 1966, inspired by the idea of seeing Earth as a single, fragile entity from space. This perspective was popularized through the Whole Earth Catalog and influenced by the Gaia hypothesis, which views Earth as a self-regulating system. Brand's approach highlights humanity's responsibility to become a persistent, sustainable civilization, learning from the planet's resilience. Both Brown and Brand advocate for a shift from fragmented, belief-driven narratives toward a fact-based, planetary-scale consciousness, urging cooperation across cities, nations, and cultures to address global challenges.

Noema FTW once again

The Origins Of <br>‘Planetary Realism’ And <br>‘Whole Earth’ Thinking | NOEMA

There is no escaping an interconnected world.