Too Much Magic

Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation

First edition cover
Author	James Howard Kunstler
Language	English
Subject	Peak oil, Technology, Economic crisis
Genre	Non-fiction
Publisher	Grove Press
Publication date	2012
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (paperback)
Pages	256
ISBN	978-0-8021-2144-8 (paperback)
Preceded by	The Long Emergency

Too Much Magic: Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation is a 2012 nonfiction book by American author and social critic James Howard Kunstler. A sequel to his earlier work The Long Emergency (2005), the book expands on Kunstler’s warnings about the unsustainable nature of modern industrial civilization. In Too Much Magic, Kunstler argues that Americans have placed undue faith in technological solutions and “magical thinking” as substitutes for dealing with hard political, economic, and environmental realities, particularly in the face of peak oil, climate change, and systemic economic decline.

Summary

Building on the premise established in The Long Emergency that "cheap, plentiful" and easy-to-find oil is the foundation of industrial society, the book presents several interconnected arguments about American society's future. The work contends that global peak oil occurred in 2005 for conventional crude oil and 2008 when including natural gas liquids and other petroleum products, creating fundamental challenges for energy-dependent civilization.

Central to the analysis is a critique of what the author identifies as pervasive "magical thinking" in several key areas. Silicon Valley executives and technology enthusiasts who became wealthy through digital innovations are specifically targeted for developing what the book terms "techno-grandiosity" – the belief that technological solutions can address any societal problem. According to this analysis, such thinking prevents realistic assessment of resource limitations and societal vulnerabilities.

Various proposed technological solutions to energy challenges receive examination, including vertical farms, hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and corn ethanol, with the conclusion that none offer viable long-term alternatives to sustain current high-energy lifestyles. These proposed solutions are argued to suffer from problems of scale, energy return on investment, and environmental sustainability.

Considerable attention is devoted to the relationship between energy resources and financial systems. The argument presented is that cheap abundant energy facilitated centuries of increasing industrialization, but as society enters a period of declining energy abundance, accumulated debt becomes increasingly problematic. The 2008 financial crisis is viewed as symptomatic of deeper structural problems related to resource depletion and unsustainable economic growth models.

Financial innovations such as derivatives receive criticism for creating false confidence about risk elimination while actually increasing systemic vulnerabilities. This critique extends to broader patterns of debt accumulation and capital deployment characterized as fundamentally unsustainable.

Post-World War II American suburbanization faces condemnation as "the most tragic misallocation of resources in the history of the world". The analysis argues that automobile-dependent suburban development patterns are incompatible with a future of scarce energy resources, necessitating fundamental changes in how Americans organize their communities and daily lives.

The vision presented advocates for more localized, self-sufficient communities as necessary adaptations to energy scarcity, with the argument that large cities and sprawling suburbs will become increasingly difficult to sustain. This approach emphasizes walkable communities, local food production, and reduced dependence on long-distance transportation systems.

Reception

Too Much Magic received mixed reviews from critics, with many praising Kunstler's analytical approach while acknowledging the pessimistic nature of his predictions.

Harvey Freedenberg of Shelf Awareness described the book as a "disturbing portrait of the U.S.'s impending decline," noting that Kunstler "methodically skewers" what he considers misguided technological optimism. Freedenberg praised Kunstler's systematic critique of proposed solutions like shale oil and gas extraction, as well as geo-engineering approaches to climate change. However, he observed that unlike many futurists, Kunstler "doesn't lodge his predictions in some far-off time" but instead argues that societal collapse is already underway, warning that "if it plays out as quickly and dramatically as he describes, it will not be a pleasant spectacle to watch."

Frank Kaminski of Resilience.org offered a more positive assessment, praising the book as being "carried off with its author's usual craft, keen insight and élan." Kaminski highlighted Kunstler's central thesis about American technological delusions, noting the book's exploration of "how Americans became so enthralled by today's seemingly magical wonders that we lost sight of reality." He particularly commended Kunstler's analysis of financial deregulation and its role in economic instability, as well as the author's critique of both major political parties for their "fabulous sweeps of cluelessness and dishonesty."

Reviewers consistently noted the book's comprehensive scope, covering energy policy, economic systems, political dysfunction, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. Critics acknowledged Kunstler's knowledge in urban planning and social criticism, while some questioned the feasibility of his more dire predictions about the collapse of modern infrastructure and democratic institutions.