---
title: "Overshoot (book)"
chunk: 1/4
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overshoot_(book)"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:33:30.380117+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Overshoot: The Ecological Basis of Revolutionary Change is a book by American sociologist William R. Catton Jr. The book is a critical work that many consider one of the most essential yet overlooked books of the 20th century. The book discusses how humanity's overexploitation of Earth's resources has led to a situation where our consumption exceeds the planet's capacity for regeneration.
It is divided into several parts, each addressing different aspects of ecological overshoot. It covers the historical development of human society, our dependence on unsustainable practices, and the need for a new environmental perspective. Catton emphasizes that humanity must recognize and adapt to the limits imposed by nature to avoid catastrophic consequences.
Catton urges humanity to adopt a more realistic and sustainable way of life on Earth. He warns that ignoring these ecological limits will have severe repercussions, and only by understanding and respecting them can we hope to create a viable future for ourselves and future generations.

== Background ==
William Catton came of age in sociology when the major debates were about social-only theoretical orientations (structural functionalism or consensus theory versus Marxism or conflict theory) and methodology (quantitative versus qualitative). His primary contribution was articulating an environmental sociological framework that challenged existing sociological theories in general from a completely different tack: synthesizing sociological and ecological theory.
Catton began writing the manuscript that would become this book during a three-year post as Professor of Sociology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, then returned to his home country in 1973 as Professor of Sociology at Washington State University. During this period, Catton, in collaboration with fellow scholar Riley E. Dunlap, produced a series of influential articles on ecological issues.
Catton joined Dunlap in 1978 to coauthor the first substantial paper that not only came to establish the field of environmental sociology but also advocated for a paradigm shift. Titled "Environmental Sociology: A New Paradigm," Catton and Dunlap grounded their critique of then-mainstream sociology as bearing the burden of (what they would later call) the "human exceptionalist paradigm," by which humans were presumed exempt from the ecological constraints facing all other species.
They argued that this paradigm fundamentally marred sociological research and writing. The mainstream failed to recognize that human dependence on finite natural resources (such as fossil fuel energy), along with human degradation of the air, water, soils, and biological processes on which humanity also depends, would ultimately influence human social systems in powerful ways.

== Great Acceleration ==

Catton begins by recounting the story of Russian peasants in 1921 who chose to starve rather than consume the seed wheat needed for future planting. This story illustrates the concept of not stealing from the future, a principle Catton argues is essential for sustainable living.
At the end of World War II, many people believed that scientific advancements had the potential to solve various societal problems. The Atomic Age was expected to address energy issues, and technology was considered a limitless resource, dismissing the Neo-Malthusian thinking of Henry Fairfield Osborn Jr. and William Vogt. Optimistic predictions abounded, with the belief that human ingenuity and technology could achieve anything. With an endless supply of energy and a global technical-industrial civilization, economic growth was believed to be unstoppable. The only perceived obstacle was a shortage of trained scientists and engineers. Technology was expected to eliminate resource shortages.
However, this optimism was misplaced, as we relied too heavily on technology's assurances. In the 1970s, a more realistic outlook emerged as people began to recognize the limits to growth, evidenced by a groundbreaking report from the Club of Rome and significant world events such as the famines in Africa and Asia that affected millions, along with the OPEC oil embargo. These events prompted a reassessment of our approach. Humans had placed too much faith in the capabilities of science and technology, mistakenly equating them with the advantages of inexpensive and easy-to-extract oil. During the post-war era, the perceived low cost and easy availability of petroleum fostered a false belief that it was an endless resource capable of indefinite extraction, disregarding its diminishing returns. This misconception suggested that petroleum resources could be extracted indefinitely without concern for depletion, ignoring their finite nature. Marion King Hubbert, a geophysicist, challenged this notion through his concept of peak oil, which posits that oil extraction follows a bell-shaped curve: it rises to a peak and then inevitably declines. Hubbert’s insights revealed that geological and economic limits would cap oil extraction, effectively dispelling the illusion of infinite oil supplies. His predictions about U.S. oil production accurately forecasted a peak in the early 1970s, highlighting the reality of finite petroleum resources. It appears that humans have overestimated the impact of technology and underestimated the significance of natural resources.
To move forward, people must embrace conservation and curb technological optimism. Recognizing our planet's finite limits and resource importance is crucial. Catton's text urges us to reassess our expectations from an ecological perspective. We have temporarily increased the planet's ability to support humans, but this has often come at the cost of other species and the depletion of geological reserves. This temporary progress threatens human survival and will inevitably result in a decline in the human population once resources are depleted. Our dependence on technology has led to a progress trap that jeopardizes the environment and the ecological systems crucial for our survival.

== Summary ==