Revealing the Definitive Digital Collection of Whole Earth Catalog and Its Descendants
The collection includes the legendary publications that succeeded the Whole Earth Catalog, such as CoEvolution Quarterly, Whole Earth Review, and Whole Earth Software Review. After more than 50 years of being confined to print, this vast collection, consisting of thousands of pages, has finally been digitized and presented in a high-resolution format. While previous attempts have scattered fragments of Whole Earth’s periodicals across the web, including the now-defunct WholeEarth.com, the Internet Archive, and the Museum of Modern Art’s scanned catalogs, Threw’s endeavor is the most comprehensive online collection to date. Think of it as the ultimate box set of a seminal rock band, with every album, single, B-side, and import EP remastered and repackaged for digital consumption.
A Few Missing Pieces
Although almost everything has been meticulously preserved, some artifacts have been lost to the passage of time, such as the first issue of the Whole Earth Catalog. This omission is considered minor by Threw, as much of the content from the inaugural edition has been reprinted in subsequent versions. The goal, however, is to eventually include everything in this digitized collection.
Tomorrow Will Be Like Today
Timeless Relevance in Today’s World
Despite decades having passed since the last Whole Earth Catalog was published, its blend of ecological consciousness and technological curiosity feels uncannily apt in today’s hyper-online, environmentally conscious era. Over the years, the publications have covered a wide range of topics, including science, social justice, sexuality, biotechnology, and geopolitics. Many of the environmental concerns raised are just as impactful today as they were back then.
No Real Progress
Threw reflects on the remarkable yet sometimes disheartening realization that many conversations that took place 30 years ago are still unresolved today. It seems that humanity has not made significant progress, but rather accelerated without truly advancing. The collection serves as a powerful reminder of this stagnation.
Brand’s Other Ventures
Since the demise of the publishing house, Brand has delved into various complex and controversial projects, such as advocating for nuclear energy, assisting in the creation of a 10,000-year clock, and collaborating with researchers on de-extinction initiatives for species like the American chestnut tree and the wooly mammoth. Brand believes that only his readers can determine the impact of this revival of the Whole Earth Catalog.
“It’s really up to them,” says Brand. “It was not written or edited or collected or published for the future. It was written for a certain set of people that we knew, or knew about, at a certain time.”